Prior to 2009, it was pretty damn hard.   

Santa Fe is known for a lot of touristy things, but one of them is not catering to the desires of those who like to eat, drink coffee, or shop past 8pm on weeknights.

If you happened to be awake in Santa Fe on a Saturday or Sunday morning and wanted portable coffee, where did you go?  O’Hori’s has some of the best beans in town.  Closed weekends.  Santa Fe Baking Company?  Sequestered away next to the Trader Joe’s (still, probably your existing best option and its close to St Francis if you’re driving through town).  Holy Spirit Espresso?  Closed weekends.  Dunkin Donuts?  Hey, at least its open!

When Flying Star opened in 2009, it expanded the drinkable coffee options in Santa Fe to a significant margin, especially in the evenings.  A few other local places open early and serve coffee, true.  But stay open late?  Not typically.

Now, a pissed off employee set the place on fire.  Why?  Who knows, but the reaction has been to blame Flying Star’s food and their “intrusion” into the local dining scene. 

I say WTF, and will continue saying it.  Flying Star is not the best restaurant around by a stretch, and I will keep saying that, as well.  But they are reliable, diverse, amicable to picky diners, cook organic meats and eggs, have great pastries, serve decent coffee, and are open many many hours every single day.  And, they are LOCALLY owned. 

What more do you slow food people want?