Something the Southwest Didn't Have Yet
In 2016, the Hernandez family opened Salud! de Mesilla with one conviction: the Southwest deserved a place where tapas, exceptional wine, and a genuine welcome lived under one roof.
Opening Day, April 2016
Russell Hernandez and his family chose the edge of historic Mesilla — rich with centuries of culture, a short drive from Las Cruces — to open a restaurant the region didn't quite have yet. Tapas-driven, wine-serious, and built to feel like a gathering at a friend's house.
A Table Built for Sharing
The menu was designed to be explored together — plate by plate, moving fluidly between New Mexican roots, Spanish tradition, and a playful modern edge. Regulars treat Salud less like a restaurant and more like an extension of their own dining room.
The Wine and Spirits Program
Wine Spectator has awarded Salud its Award of Excellence four years running — recognizing a program of 130+ rotating wines alongside an expansive tequila and bourbon collection. Every pour is chosen with intention, from the first glass to the digestif finale.
Rooted in Mesilla
Russell Hernandez serves not only as the restaurant's founder but as Mayor of the Town of Mesilla — a detail that says everything about how deeply Salud belongs here. Families linger on the patio; locals return like clockwork.
Ten Years and Still Rolling
Their motto — "Where Unforeseen Surprises Await You" — still holds, a decade in. Salud's 10th anniversary is proof that a family's vision, planted in the high desert, has taken real and lasting root.
