Love that this place keeps kicking in their remote location with nothing else around! Driving to Chama from Taos I stopped to get a coffee but ended up getting a delicious bowl of elk stew to go with large chunks of carrots and a gravy base. Had to resist the piñon brownie. The staff is helpful and delightful and I’m happy to give them my money.
john veltri
Debbie, the owner is as real as it gets and she works her butt off to feed everyone some great farm to table fixings!
Kelli Sammis
After visiting the Rio Grande Gorge bridge, this was a lovely drive to make just up the road. Deb was awesome and my husband said his Reuben was one the best he’d ever had. As a vegetarian, I thoroughly enjoyed the Grill cheese sandwich decked out with green chile and avocado. Go visit! And stay for the pie!
Jeannine LaFontaine
We did a spontaneous stop on our road trip and bought the most delicious cherry pie. Homemade, amazing crust, dense with cherries. We recommend going by for pie!!!
Samuel Roth
We needed a bathroom stop on US 285, and after half an hour of nothing, we saw this place with a couple cars in the parking lot. We stopped planning to buy just a coffee (no small business wants you to use their bathrooms without buying at least something), but the pies looked amazing and the soup of the day was a creamy roasted zucchini soup, so we tried them too.
Service was fantastic. The waitress seemed genuinely delighted to see a family with a baby coming in, and spent a lot of time explaining the history of the green chili apple pie with pinons (pine nuts) from the local trees. I've never tasted apple pie with green chili before, but the chili taste was just the right amount of background hint to be interesting but not overpowering. All in all this place was a hidden gem!
Ben C
Very friendly staff!
John Hornick Chef’s Apprentice
Category: Local casual food. One of the amazing and wonderful things about Americans is that they will open a restaurant in the most unlikely places, like this charming home-cookin’ spot in the Middle of Nowhere, New Mexico (aka, Tres Piedras (three big rocks). Another amazing and wonderful thing about other Americans is that they will drive an hour and 45 minutes for a good corned beef sandwich, as we did, based on a Rueben-loving-friend’s recommendation. This sweet little place, which looks like a 1950s country time capsule, is named for the long-defunct Chili Line Railroad, the decrepit water tower for which still sits a short distance away. The Chili Line was originally planned to connect Denver to Mexico City (I don’t think it ever got that far) and was the first north-south railway in the country. The restaurant’s rustic dining room, with arched doorways, stacked stone walls, heavy wooden tables, and walls adorned with farm stuff, has a small stage where I can imagine Glen Campbell serenading the guests (yes, he did, I guess while he was a lineman for the county). On the day of our visit, the restaurant was experiencing a propane interruption, which threatened the availability of the coveted grilled Rueben Sandwiches we had driven almost 2 hours to try. The two delightful ladies running the place, who could not have been any nicer or more apologetic, said they were about to secure an emergency propane supply and would happily make our Ruebens if we were willing to wait a spell. We were in no rush to start the return journey to Santa Fe, so we kicked back on the side portal and watched many RVs roll by (some stopped; they must have heard about the corned beef). Eventually, the sandwiches arrived and they were worth the wait. In my experience, it’s hard to get good corned beef outside of New York City, but I was impressed with the tender, juicy, house-corned brisket and freshly baked marbled rye. The small menu also offers grilled cheese, BLT, burgers, fish and chips, and a couple of salads, along with several beers. If you save room for dessert, or if you are willing to drive a distance just for dessert, there is a large selection of Amish fruit pies, which kind of look like empanadas. Apparently, there is a local Amish population. Who knew? If you are looking for a short lunch-destination road trip from Santa Fe, take a ride to The Chili Line Depot. — YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice
Sasha Petrovick
Had lunch here on Sunday. The meat is local and the fries are homemade. I had the green chili cheeseburger, which was delicious, and my boyfriend had the reuben. It's real corned beef, not deli slices. Five stars right there. They also sell these really nice smudge sticks and have a bunch of handheld pies available to go, which we didn't try but looked delicious.
John Olmstead
Now with improved access! Come support Gil and his family.
George
Good olde country dining. Great food relaxed small town rustic setting. Will come again
Hether Bearinger
$10 fyi. I’d heard great things and made a pit stop. With construction happening out front it was a good time to give it a try. Wish them well.
Edgar Vinueza
Great food. Nice people. Chili apple pie was great. Bought a whole pie.
Ethan Smith
The Enchiladas were De-lish and that's saying a lot because I'm usually not a fan. The Pecan Pie and Alfredo were good too. Has a great old timey atmosphere as well!
Mary Jane Hogin
Words cannot convey how beautiful this afternoon was having our special event to honor my husband. Debbie & Gil Graves provided my friends and me the most delicious Northern New Mexico buffet. The staff (Cassandra, Mickey, and all) made the yummiest salads, casserole with green chiles, pinto beans, calabacitas, and even green chile pie ala mode. The location is so pretty and the restaurant is a treasure. Just like eating at someone’s home who is a fabulous, home-reciped cook. I 🧡 CLD! Make your next trip to Chili Line Depot.
Pat Hart-Kalar
We had a gathering of 22 people. The staff were friendly and efficient and prepared a buffet of delicious food. Special gluten free entrees were included. They served an array of fresh homemade pies for dessert. Their specialty pie, Green Chili Apple pie was amazing. Unfortunately, I don’t live in New Mexico, but I will definitely visit again if I return.
Love that this place keeps kicking in their remote location with nothing else around! Driving to Chama from Taos I stopped to get a coffee but ended up getting a delicious bowl of elk stew to go with large chunks of carrots and a gravy base. Had to resist the piñon brownie. The staff is helpful and delightful and I’m happy to give them my money.
Debbie, the owner is as real as it gets and she works her butt off to feed everyone some great farm to table fixings!
After visiting the Rio Grande Gorge bridge, this was a lovely drive to make just up the road. Deb was awesome and my husband said his Reuben was one the best he’d ever had. As a vegetarian, I thoroughly enjoyed the Grill cheese sandwich decked out with green chile and avocado. Go visit! And stay for the pie!
We did a spontaneous stop on our road trip and bought the most delicious cherry pie. Homemade, amazing crust, dense with cherries. We recommend going by for pie!!!
We needed a bathroom stop on US 285, and after half an hour of nothing, we saw this place with a couple cars in the parking lot. We stopped planning to buy just a coffee (no small business wants you to use their bathrooms without buying at least something), but the pies looked amazing and the soup of the day was a creamy roasted zucchini soup, so we tried them too.
Service was fantastic. The waitress seemed genuinely delighted to see a family with a baby coming in, and spent a lot of time explaining the history of the green chili apple pie with pinons (pine nuts) from the local trees. I've never tasted apple pie with green chili before, but the chili taste was just the right amount of background hint to be interesting but not overpowering. All in all this place was a hidden gem!
Very friendly staff!
Category: Local casual food. One of the amazing and wonderful things about Americans is that they will open a restaurant in the most unlikely places, like this charming home-cookin’ spot in the Middle of Nowhere, New Mexico (aka, Tres Piedras (three big rocks). Another amazing and wonderful thing about other Americans is that they will drive an hour and 45 minutes for a good corned beef sandwich, as we did, based on a Rueben-loving-friend’s recommendation. This sweet little place, which looks like a 1950s country time capsule, is named for the long-defunct Chili Line Railroad, the decrepit water tower for which still sits a short distance away. The Chili Line was originally planned to connect Denver to Mexico City (I don’t think it ever got that far) and was the first north-south railway in the country. The restaurant’s rustic dining room, with arched doorways, stacked stone walls, heavy wooden tables, and walls adorned with farm stuff, has a small stage where I can imagine Glen Campbell serenading the guests (yes, he did, I guess while he was a lineman for the county). On the day of our visit, the restaurant was experiencing a propane interruption, which threatened the availability of the coveted grilled Rueben Sandwiches we had driven almost 2 hours to try. The two delightful ladies running the place, who could not have been any nicer or more apologetic, said they were about to secure an emergency propane supply and would happily make our Ruebens if we were willing to wait a spell. We were in no rush to start the return journey to Santa Fe, so we kicked back on the side portal and watched many RVs roll by (some stopped; they must have heard about the corned beef). Eventually, the sandwiches arrived and they were worth the wait. In my experience, it’s hard to get good corned beef outside of New York City, but I was impressed with the tender, juicy, house-corned brisket and freshly baked marbled rye. The small menu also offers grilled cheese, BLT, burgers, fish and chips, and a couple of salads, along with several beers. If you save room for dessert, or if you are willing to drive a distance just for dessert, there is a large selection of Amish fruit pies, which kind of look like empanadas. Apparently, there is a local Amish population. Who knew? If you are looking for a short lunch-destination road trip from Santa Fe, take a ride to The Chili Line Depot. — YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice
Had lunch here on Sunday. The meat is local and the fries are homemade. I had the green chili cheeseburger, which was delicious, and my boyfriend had the reuben. It's real corned beef, not deli slices. Five stars right there. They also sell these really nice smudge sticks and have a bunch of handheld pies available to go, which we didn't try but looked delicious.
Now with improved access! Come support Gil and his family.
Good olde country dining. Great food relaxed small town rustic setting. Will come again
$10 fyi. I’d heard great things and made a pit stop. With construction happening out front it was a good time to give it a try. Wish them well.
Great food. Nice people. Chili apple pie was great. Bought a whole pie.
The Enchiladas were De-lish and that's saying a lot because I'm usually not a fan. The Pecan Pie and Alfredo were good too. Has a great old timey atmosphere as well!
Words cannot convey how beautiful this afternoon was having our special event to honor my husband. Debbie & Gil Graves provided my friends and me the most delicious Northern New Mexico buffet. The staff (Cassandra, Mickey, and all) made the yummiest salads, casserole with green chiles, pinto beans, calabacitas, and even green chile pie ala mode. The location is so pretty and the restaurant is a treasure. Just like eating at someone’s home who is a fabulous, home-reciped cook. I 🧡 CLD! Make your next trip to Chili Line Depot.
We had a gathering of 22 people. The staff were friendly and efficient and prepared a buffet of delicious food. Special gluten free entrees were included. They served an array of fresh homemade pies for dessert. Their specialty pie, Green Chili Apple pie was amazing. Unfortunately, I don’t live in New Mexico, but I will definitely visit again if I return.
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