WHEN I ASKED a hardcore foodie friend to name the best meal she’d had in Taos recently, she replied easily: lamb loin with koji cabbage, mole poblano, chestnut puree, and mango at Suchness. “It was absurd,” she raved.
So on a quiet winter evening as the wind whipped across the valley, I headed to the candlelit restaurant near Taos Plaza. The 32-seat dining room hummed with a comforting rhythm—soft conversation and the quiet choreography of the open kitchen, where a tight team moved with practiced precision.
Co-owner, general manager, and wine expert Meg Sousa often greets guests herself, moving between tables with the ease of someone welcoming friends into her home. “We’ve got a bunch of locals who’ve become regulars,” she says. “That’s just how we like it.”
With 30 years in the restaurant business, award-winning chef Kevin Sousa knew how difficult running a restaurant could be. Opening Suchness in June 2024 was a shared leap of faith for the Pittsburgh couple, who arrived in Taos in 2022, drawn by something Meg struggles to explain. “You know how people around here say the mountain just accepts you or it doesn’t? We felt accepted immediately,” she says. “It was just the place we wanted to be.”
At Suchness, a four-person team runs the entire operation, a necessity that has grown into a philosophy. Fewer hands mean closer attention to the ingredients, guests, and subtle adjustments that shape each meal. The atmosphere is modern yet cozy, and guests frequently drift toward the kitchen, where the boundary between dining room and creative space is intentionally porous.
Meg’s background in wine informs the selection, which leans toward small producers and bottles chosen to echo the kitchen’s shifting flavors. Kevin approaches cooking as an artist, but there’s play involved, too. The contemporary American menu feels recognizable while hinging on inventive flavor combinations and careful preparation. Rigatoni with smoked carrot bolognese and vegan ricotta offers surprising depth—sweet, savory, and touched with an elusive spice I couldn’t quite name but kept returning to. “Kevin dreams about new dishes,” Meg says.
Seasonal rhythms also guide the menu’s evolution. As the farmers’ market opens, local vegetables move to center stage. In one spring salad, sweet mixed berries mingle with smoked beets, peppery radish and arugula, and shavings of goat gouda.
A few dishes have become mainstays and local favorites, including curried Maine lobster and 48-hour beef short rib. Other rotating options, such as the roasted sea bass with hibiscus beurre blanc, reflect a kitchen determined to push palates. The point, Meg explains, is to offer something thoughtful. “It might not be everyone’s cup of tea,” she says, “but it will certainly be an interesting experience.”
Fine dining often leans on scale or spectacle. Suchness, on the other hand, stands out for its intimacy, attention to detail, and a menu that feels ambitious but not intimidating. “Our goal isn’t complicated,” Meg says. “We aim to make people feel they can leave the world behind for a bit.”
