Vinaigrette + Modern General in Santa Fe are Worth the Trip

The menu has just about any salad combination you can imagine, from Classic salads like “Cobb” and “Chefs” to Signature salads like “Cherry Tart,” which features dried cherries, mild feta cheese, peppery baby arugula and toasted pecans with champagne vinaigrette. Or the “Tuna Salad Salad,” with line-caught tuna, avocado, bell pepper, radish, red onion, celery, corn and romaine—chopped and tossed in a tangy lemon-dill vinaigrette.

Wade arrived on the dining scene in Santa Fe in 2008. She has since expanded Vinaigrette to Albuquerque and, this fall, Austin, Texas. But that’s not all she is up to. For the foodie, her latest venture, an updated general store called Modern General is not to be missed.

A little over a hundred years ago, American towns were defined by their general store, with a hitching post out front and assortment of home staples inside. Since the invention of the automobile however, the general store has faded into history. With Modern General, Wade brings the nostalgia back with 21st century flair.

The store has a bike hitching post out front and a water bowl for dogs. They don’t sell malts like in the olden days, but there is an amazing variety of fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, coffee, quiches and kolaches—a soft bun with a variety of fillings that is a historic favorite in the Czech Republic. In one corner you’ll even find a mill where wheat is ground on the spot for customers and to be used in the store’s freshly baked breads and pastries.

Modern General sells a carefully selected variety of grain, fresh flour, farm fresh eggs, dry goods and household, gardening and kitchen tools. The large open space has a few tables, inside and out, where customers can relax and enjoy a light meal. Wade also aspires to “foster a sense of community” and help people “connect to the basics” by hosting book signings and other events, as well as the monthly Sunday Afternoon series of classes on topics such as Fearless Vegetable Gardening.