Page 122 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2021 DISCOVERING SANTA FE

Sassella

hey named Sassella for a tiny hamlet perched
on a vineyard-covered Alpine slope in North-
Tern Italy. Since the restaurant’s opening in
2019 -in an amazingly short and eventful time -
owner/executive chef Cristian Pontiggia, along with
the owners Lawrence and Suzanna Becerra and head
chef Mike Hite, built one of the best fine dining
restaurants in Santa Fe.
As with Sazón, the stars aligned to make the
restaurant a reality. The Becerras had no intention
of opening another restaurant. But when one of
their favorite restaurant locations - a historic build-
ing on Johnston Street near the Georgia O’Keeffe
Museum - became available, they couldn’t pass up
the opportunity to create another fine dining spot.
But first, they needed a chef — a great one.
sassellasantafe.com

122 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2021