Before the James Beard Foundation gave him a hat tip as a Best Chef Southwest semi-finalist in 2023, chef and co-owner David Sellers won Santa Feans over with his fried chicken dinners. Along with his wife Heather, Sellers opened Horno in 2021 after spending nearly a decade behind the wheel of the non-profit Street Food Institute, in which budding culinary entrepreneurs learn the food truck biz. These street influences—along with Sellers’ decades at fine-dining restaurants, including in Santa Fe—collide at Horno, where the food is sophisticated but without pretense.

Since its 2021 opening, this family-owned and -run restaurant has quickly become one of Santa Fe's favorite dining spots, thanks to chef David Sellers's reputation for great food and his goal of ensuring that Horno remains attainable for locals. Unlike the sticker shock many downtown eateries impose, Horno has a seasonal, rotating menu of delectable street food dishes with global influences at decent prices. It is also one of the few spots open on Monday year-round, making it the go-to hang-out spot when most other restaurants are closed.

Make plans at Horno for a fun group dinner downtown near Santa Fe Plaza. The simple dining rooms buzz with chatty groups passing around plates of pork belly tostadas, squid ink fettuccine, and the chocolate tahini torte. Go for the meatball swaddled by melty mozzarella and the zesty pollo mattone served on a creamy bed of polenta.

Horno owner and chef David Sellers and the father-and-daughter team of Luis and Berenice Medina at the El Chile Toreado food truck on Early Street are Santa Fe’s two entries in a field of 20 chefs for Best Chef in the Southwest region, the James Beard Foundation announced. The Foundation looks to reward best chefs “who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities, and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions while contributing positively to their broader community.” Berenice Medina operates El Chile Toreado with her father, Luis, and brothers Jonathan and Lester.

Horno’s motto is “food for the people,” so we’re off to a good start. The new project from Street Food Institute and former Santacafé/Amavi chef David Sellers has soared in popularity from the get-go thanks to rave reviews from locals and the Santa Fe Foodie Facebook group, who never fail to remind us that every other Wednesday is fried chicken day. People may be asking how Horno became such a hit so fast, but we here at SFR think the answer might be simple: The food is really good, including desserts from pastry chef Sara Green.

Horno Restaurant opened during summer 2020 and instantly became a local hit. Casual dining is offered in two cozy rooms, one with a bar, with beamed ceilings, soft colors and dynamic food-centric photos on the walls. The cuisine is a wonderful blend of Italian, Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and of course, Southwest flavors that takes inspiration from traditional street food — all bolstered by an international wine list.

Horno Chef David Sellers will make his return from a 10-year absence to the Santa Fe dining scene at Horno Restaurant which is slated to open June 2021. David is one of Santa Fe’s favorite chefs and there is a lot of buzz about his return to the restaurant scene of Santa Fe. Sellers was sous-chef at Santacafé for 10 years before opening Amavi in 2007.

What to get: to be determined (we’re excited to check out their menu when they open!). Located in the spot formerly occupied by the delicious Italian restaurant Il Piatto, Horno will blend Italian, Mediterranean, and Southeast Asian cuisine. While this spot isn’t open quite yet, we’re looking forward to trying it out when it opens its doors.

We reach Horno Restaurant, an elevated gastropub owned by James Beard Award–nominated chef David Sellers and his wife, Heather. As we savor house-made fettuccine with pork belly, Heather points out a miniature horno in the entryway. The Spanish introduced the outdoor, hive-shaped mud oven to Pueblo peoples in the 16th century.

This dinner spot is conveniently located easily accessible from the main square in Santa Fe. I wanted to try yet another new dining option. This restaurant filled quickly on a holiday weekend and offers a menu that changes seasonally.

Horno – oh my goodness how did I JUST find out about this place?. Santa Fe is doing a vegan menu item challenge this month (Feb 2023) and this restaurant turned up on the list, and so we went, and OMG what???. How is food this good?.