In a city full of casual Mexican restaurants, how does a place serving enchiladas and tamales stand out? With green chiles. The hallmark of New Mexican cuisine, roasted green chiles infuse the menu at this stylish yet comfortable restaurant in San Francisco’s NoPa district, the first of its kind in the Bay Area. The medium-hot, fruity chiles pile atop the home-style enchiladas, hefty with chicken and layered with house-made blue corn tortillas. They are also ground up into a rub on rotisserie chicken and adorn chile rellenos, tamales and even apple pie. The kitchen uses Niman Ranch meats and Mary’s free-range chicken and adds fresh vegetable sides to entrées, which means the prices are higher than at your typical taqueria. Yet the dining room also puts Green Chile Kitchen in a different league, with its lofty ceiling, huge windows, dark wood paneling, New Mexican folk art and farolitos (paper bag lanterns) gracing the bar. Head there to order organic wine, sangria and beer straight up—so far, no green chiles in the drinks.

Blue corn flat enchiladas plate
Rotisserie chicken
Green chile roasted pork burrito plate
Sopaipillas (fry bread) (available after 5 PM)
Pie of the day
view full menu here

Two wooden booths tucked against a far wall suit larger groups, while the window-surrounded bar area is a better choice for singles or couples.

For more pies, head one block south to the restaurant’s sister café, Chile Pies (601 Baker), where all their circular sensations are freshly baked, and add on some organic ice cream and Ecco coffee or Five Mountains Organic tea. Green Chile Kitchen also offers a few other savory New Mexican specialties like frito pie and green chile stew.

Sun.–Thurs. 9 AM–9:30 PM
Fri.–Sat. 9 AM–10 PM

$4.50 (quesadilla) to $15 (chile relleno combination plate)