Santa Fe, NMFrench

The Compound is chef-owner Mark Kiffin's fine-dining room on Canyon Road, built on French technique since he took it over 25 years ago. Kiffin won a James Beard Best Chef Southwest award, and Pasatiempo has covered the kitchen across multiple reviews. The menu changes with the season, and the crispy buttermilk onion rings recur as a starter. Ask for the current seasonal menu and start with the onion rings.

Anne-Laure and Philippe Ligier's French bakery and cafe on West Cordova Road bakes croissants, breads and pastries on site. For breakfast, the omelets and the sweet or savory crepes are the orders; the pastry case makes a second stop worthwhile.

Mille is Stephanie and Marcel Remillieux's French cafe and creperie on West Alameda Street, in the former Bouche Bistro space. Its pastry case holds macarons, eclairs and tarts alongside a menu of crepes, French toast and savory dishes. Order the Nutella crepe with strawberries and whipped cream, or a rosé macaron.

Louis Moskow's Old Santa Fe Trail dining room has served classic and contemporary French cooking for three decades. French country pâté with grilled bread and mustard shows its bistro roots. Pair it with a glass from the long wine list.

The French Pastry Shop inside La Fonda serves crêpes and pastry by the Plaza. The spinach and Swiss crêpe and a ratatouille version with zucchini and eggplant make this a useful lunch stop. Order one of those and look to the pastry case for a Napoleon afterward.