Salado Restaurant; An Elevated Twist on New Mexican Cuisine

[***Update: As of August 4, 2024 Salado is no longer open. Best of luck to the owners on their next chapter…]

Salado brings flavor and flare to dusty, historic mining town.

While adventuring in the Colorado mountains, the town of Fairplay has been a frequent base camp. I have been delighted to find a hidden gem in this historic mining town; a restaurant called Salado. The courtyard of Salado is reminiscent of Southwest adobe architecture and for a split second you might feel transported to the center of Santa Fe, NM rather than the middle of almost nowhere Colorado.

Owners, Chad and Kristin Farr, work hard to provide creative dishes using local and fresh ingredients. It is evident that Chad (Owner/Chef) takes great pride in his presentation of each dish. The dinner menu seems to have a few staple entrees combined with a few rotating/seasonal dishes. They now serve both dinner and lunch.

For appetizers, I definitely recommend the cactus fries (not pictured) and/or the jalapeno poppers (pictured below). They also have a nice selection of regional craft beers or signature cocktails.

The front of the house which consists of Kristin (Owner/Host) and several servers/bartender, are very friendly and welcoming. The quality of the service has always been warm and professional. The ambiance is clean, open, and modern.

Salado is a Spanish adjective that means “salty.” The next time you find yourself out on an adventure, and in need of some flavor, stop by Salado for some creative, flavorful cuisine!