NOT MUCH CHANGES in Magdalena. So people took note when Tumbleweeds Diner, with its colorful storefront mural, opened on US 60 in March 2021. The owners, Osiris Navarro and Michal Gola, had come from Seattle after the pandemic slammed the brakes on their Gola’s Kitchen catering business.
Navarro, of the Philippines, and Gola, of the Czech Republic, had visited friends in Magdalena before Covid-19 hit and noticed the long-vacant Big Bear Cafe on the west side of town. They decided to make a new start in the tiny former railroad town.
Their mission was never to bring Seattle to the desert, but to bring the desert into their new life as diner owners in a place where time moves a little slower and the skies go on forever. “Our menu is smashed burgers and fried chicken,” Navarro says. “It wasn’t the original concept, but as we got to know the area and the local demographic, we pivoted.”
On the West Coast, they had found success with a globally influenced menu featuring Asian noodle bowls and lamb koftas. But in the heart of New Mexico’s beef country, they learned that burgers and beer are life.
“It was nothing like we’ve ever cooked before,” Navarro says, “but I think we’ve mastered it.”
Everything starts with 4.5 ounces of Angus brisket and beef chuck hand-ground in-house each day. They add only the best toppings: Young Guns green chile, house-made pickles, chipotle aioli, sautéed mushrooms, candied sweet-and-spicy jalapeños, pickled red onions, bacon, and melty cheese—all between brioche buns.
To be sure Tumbleweeds gets it right, I brought my father, Jon Dávila—a sixth-generation cattle rancher, burger snob, and lifelong resident of the area—for a taste test. From the six burgers on the menu, he chose the Cowboy Candy Burger, featuring bacon, candied jalapeños, and cheddar, served with hand-cut fries. It was met with a nod and his highest compliment: “That is a damn good burger.”
While the couple has won over the locals, Tumbleweeds continues to evolve. The restaurant draws visitors from Santa Fe to Arizona and has added a black bean burger, Nashville hot chicken sandwich, and teriyaki chicken rice bowl to the menu. They’ve even started doing event catering and hosting RVs, vans, and car campers on their diner property and five-acre ranch, which overlooks the sweeping mountains and village.
“It’s more like a destination place just because it is so out of the way,” says Navarro, who decorates the Tumbleweeds walls with gifts from the Magdalena artist community, as well as from her Navajo friends in neighboring Alamo. “It’s not just the food, it’s about the experience: the food, the playlist, the softer lighting, the overall ambience. It’s a little artsy, but it’s also not alienating. It’s where everyone can feel included.”
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