MATT DIETZ WAS a visitor to Red River long before he became a resident. The Texas-born transplant grew up vacationing in the mountain town, sometimes multiple times each year. “I don’t think my parents knew they could vacation anywhere else,” says the owner of Vine restaurant.
Located in a former doughnut shop on the west end of Main Street, Vine represents the latest venture for Dietz and his family, who also own and operate Pioneer Lodge and Steam Coffee in town. “Spending as much time as we did, making as many memories as we have, you can’t help but fall in love with the enchantment of this place,” he says of Red River.
But being an entrepreneur in a small resort town hasn’t always been easy. Dietz, who ran a construction business in Texas for 20 years, made the move after spotting a For Sale sign on the 100-year-old lodge back in 2017. It needed plenty of work, including renovations to every unit, inside and out, and reestablishing the fishing pond. Dietz originally opened the restaurant as Vine + Dine in 2018, before it closed briefly last year and reopened with a new menu and new direction in the former T-Bucks spot over Memorial Day weekend.
From the outset, Dietz envisioned Vine as “a space where people could come together to share delicious food and forge lasting memories.” The interior has a colorful, modern-rustic aesthetic that is simple but not boring. “We have evolved into what we call a ‘comfort kitchen,’ ” he says. “The space needed to feel warm and welcoming, while still feeling elegant with a touch of whimsical.” Reclaimed bowling alley lanes from Tenpins Bowling Alley, in Rio Rancho, have been repurposed as tables, local artwork adorns the walls, and a cute mercantile shop offers Vine-branded merchandise, some gift items, and travel essentials.
The focus is on breakfast and brunch service, featuring classic dishes made from simple and fresh ingredients and imbued with just the right amount of complexity. The eggs Benedict, for example, starts with a bed of home fries, crispy brussels sprouts, and roasted cherry tomatoes that’s then topped with a ham steak (or optional crab cake), poached egg, and honey hollandaise sauce. The crowd-pleasing 8750, an homage to the town’s elevation, is a mountain of a meal: a massive biscuit smothered with gravy, bacon, kielbasa, sausage, green chile, eggs, and home fries. In a nod to T-Bucks, fresh doughnuts are available while they last. Morning beverages go well beyond drip coffee, ranging from Steam’s sweetened Hummingbird Latte to craft cocktails. “I definitely considered myself a foodie,” Dietz explains. “I’m pretty well-traveled, and it’s always centered on new culinary experiences.”
Dietz takes pride in the restaurant’s role in fostering connections between Red River’s long-time residents and visitors who consider the town their second home. That’s especially evident in the popular communal-style pairing dinners, which often sell out to the restaurant’s Vine Club members before they are announced publicly.
“We will continue to pioneer creativity in what I think is the most beautiful part of New Mexico,” says Dietz, who hopes to add patio dining to Vine’s future. “We have to, it’s why we’re here.”
Read more: A rustic Red River resort gets a modern update.
