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Albuquerque Restaurant Guide -- my favorites
I put this together FYI. These are all places I have eaten at and consider my favorites. I have not included any national chains. I hope you can use this info. I probably missed some; I'll come back and add more if I think of them.
$$ means expensive; type of food is indicated if title of restaurant isn't clear; general location given. All are in ABQ proper unless otherwise noted. Please feel free to add on your favorites! <b>Local chains with mulitple locations:</b> Garcia's Kitchen - New Mexican Little Anita's - New Mexican Flying Star - coffee, desserts, good food; eclectic Dions - pizza [best chain] Papa Johns - pizza Garduno's - mexican [pretty run of the mill] Weck's -breakfast Souper Salad [Don't bother with seafood, chinese as these just aren't worth it here] Abuelita's New Mexican Kitchen [about 25 minutes north of ABQ] on the way to Santa Fe 621 S CAMINO DEL PUEBLO BERNALILLO, NM (505)867-9988 Al's NYPD Pizza - downtown (505) 766-6973 215 Central Ave Nw Ambrozia Cafe $$ contemporart[Old town] 505/242-6560 108 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Artichoke Cafe $$- eclectic, contemporary American (505) 243-0200 424 Central Ave SE Barelas Coffee House - New Mexican Food (505) 843-7577 1502 4th St SW Casa de benavidez New Mexican - north valley [ 20 minutes ] 505/898-3311 8032 4th St. NW, Cervantes - New Mexican Food (505) 262-2253 5801 Gibson Blvd Se [near airport] Duran's Central Pharmacy New Mexican/SW [old Town; don't let name fool you] 505/247-4141 1815 Central Ave. NW El Patio New Mexican/SW [Univ area] 505/268-4245 142 Harvard St. NE El Modelo Mexican Foods (505) 242-1843 1715 2nd St Sw El Pinto New Mexican [20 minutes north of ABQ; on way to santa Fe] (505) 898-1771 10500 4th St NW Graze $$ contemporary [Nob Hill] 505/268-4729 3128 Central Ave. SE Gold Street Cafe - american [downtown] 505/765-1633 218 Gold Ave. SW Frontier - new mexican, across from Univ. of NM (505) 266-0550 2400 Central Ave SE Great American Land & Cattle $$ steak 505-292-1510 1550 Tramway Blvd NE Il Vicino Wood Oven pizza - Nob hill/University area [also various locations] (505) 266-7855 3403 Central Ave NE La Crepe Michelle - french, in Old Town (505) 242-1251 400 San Felipe St Nw Los Cuates New Mexican (505) 255-5079 4901 Lomas Blvd NE The Melting Pot - fondue; in Old Town (505) 843-6358 2011 Mountain Rd Nw Pars - mediterranean (505) 345-5156 4320 25 Way NE [near movie complex at Jefferson & I 25] Powdrells BBQ (505) 298-6766 11301 Central Ave Ne and (505) 345-8086 5209 4th St Nw Quarters - BBQ [near Airport] 505/843-7505 801 Yale Blvd. SE Ranchers Club $$ ABQ Hilton 505/889-8071 1901 University Blvd. NE Range Cafe - new mexican and american [good] multiple locations (505) 293-2633 4200 Wyoming Blvd Ne B2 Robbs Ribbs BBQ (505) 884-7422 3000 San Pdro Dr Ne Ste C Rudy's BBQ (505) 884-4000 2321 Carlisle Blvd Ne Sadies -New Mexican (505) 345-5339 6230 4th St NW Scalo - northern Italian $$ [Nob Hill] 505/255-8781 3500 Central Ave. SE Seasons Rotisserie & Grill $$ [Old Town] 505/766-5100 2031 Mountain Rd. NW, Yanni's - mediterranean/greek [Nob Hill/Univ area] (505) 268-9250 3109 Central Ave Ne Zinc Wine Bar $$ contemporary [Nob Hill] 505/254-9462 3009 Central Ave. NE Rt. 66 Diner [not my favorite, but has it's fans] [west of Univ. area] 505/247-1421 1405 Central Ave. NE Enjoy! Hope this helps... Debi |
Thanks, Debi! Just what I needed!
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You are welcome! I have been meaning to do this for a while. Check one thing off the TO DO list :o)
Debi |
Since everyone here was so helpful in planning our trip to New Mexico - I thought I'd add the restaurants that we enjoyed.
We spent most of our time in ABQ during our visit in October at the Balloon Fiesta (and ate some great festival type food at the park) but there were two that we liked. Trombino's Bistro for Italian (an excellent meal!) and Dickey's Smokehouse for BBQ - although I think it might be a chain - but it wasn't for us as we're from the east coast. |
Thanks, Debi. That's quite a list! I never know where to eat in Albuquerque, so this is great.
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Thanks! I've copied the list onto my New Mexico papers!! This is great!
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Hi Crew,
Just had to chime in about Little Anitas. I love the small carry out version of their restaurants. I think it is on 4th street. Anyway, their stuffed red chili pork sopapilla is the single best thing I've ever put into my mouth. Also, check out the museum of natural history in Albqu. Great to get a feel for the area and some dynamic exhibits that youngsters will love. Later, Lisa |
Debi, thanks for the list, I'll hold onto this.
Years ago we ate at El Norteno, and it was so tasty. Mexican barbacoa. Have you been there, and is it still good? annieladd |
Annieladd, last time we were at El Norteno, a couple of years ago, it was still really good.
I'll mention the Owl Cafe too - great green chile cheeseburgers! Lee Ann |
Yes, The Owl Cafe has great green chile cheeseburgers! On Eubank, just north of I40.
Here are a few more to add to the list: Mykonos Cafe 505-291-1116 5900 Eubank Blvd NE O'Niells Pub [Univ/Nob Hill area] 505-256-0564 4310 Central Ave SE Le Cafe Miche 505-299-6088 1431 Wyoming Blvd NE Terra American Bistro 505-792-1700 1119 Alameda NW, Cooperage Restaurant [steak] 505-255-1657 7220 Lomas Blvd NE Debi |
Wow, Debi, you are a typing queen!
You've listed a lot. Which one(s) are your favorite for authentic New Mexican cooking (i.e. great green and red chile)? Sheila |
Sheila -- we are a mixed marriage: he likes <font color="red">red</font> and I like <font color="green">green</font>!
Our favorite for the best chile is Garcia's on 4th and Mountain although their tortillas are not the best. That honor goes to Frontier -- they make them fresh all day long and are simply delish. Their chile is good, but not as good as Garcia's. We want them to merge! In fact, when we lived in ABQ, we would buy chile from Garcia's [along with carne adovado] and tortillas from Frontier and make our own burritos at home -- best of both worlds. That said, all of the others are good. I especially like Casa de Benavidez; Abuelita's, Barelas, Sadies, Range Cafe and Los Cuates. Remember, the worst NM food in ABQ is most likely better than what you get elsewhere! Debi |
Thanks! We have split personalities at our house. One day we're all about the red and the next green. Can't really go wrong, can you!
And, where I live, we have to cart home a gal of red and a gallon of green from Santa Fe. Just tonight, I fixed chicken enchiladas with roasted green chiles from 2 years ago. Hot hot hot! And lovin' every burning bit of it. :-d |
Another thank you, Debi - we're heading down in June for the Flamenco Festival and I was hoping to find a local's list of favorite restaurants before our trip. My wife lived in ABQ in the early 80's but like most towns - things change in 20+ years! ;-) We're driving to re-live some Balloon Fiesta road-trip memories (wife was/is a pilot) and we'll be staying a couple of blocks from Old Town. If the adobe B&B is half as nice as we hope, I'll put in a full review for everyone after the trip.
We have to take the tram up to High Finance for one sunset dinner - wife insists... I just hope she's paying! LOL |
glad to have helped ronin. MAy I make a suggestion? Take the tram up and have a picnic dinner. High Finance really isn't very good and it is expensive; a combo that just doesn't do it for me.
IF she has her heart set on High Finance, maybe just have a drink and appetizer and then eat at Great American LAnd and Cattle which is close or Mykonos Cafe which also is pretty close by. Way better food. And the city lights at Great American are really nice at night. Hope this helps... Debi |
Debi - thanks again for the suggestions, and to be honest my wife didn't mention a restaurant by name - it's obviously changed since '81. I just assumed it was High Finance because it was at the end of the tram ride! I'm with you - the sunset & view are the real reason to take the trip up there.
I'm hoping that we'll be taking a couple of trips to Santa Fe, but the Festival & daily workshops will have me kind of tethered in Albuquerque noon-5 p.m. Nothing like going to an exotic paradise & having a schedule to keep! ;-) |
Fabulous list! While in ABQ in October we stumbled upon the Range Cafe and Robbs Ribs and loved both! This is a great resource to those traveling to ABQ. Thanks!
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How have I missed this!? Just thought I should save it for a future trip. :)
I'm searching trying to find the name of the burger place Deb suggested near the University. |
I never properly thanked Debi for her help when we visited ABQ last June, so I'd like to chime in a little belatedly.
In no particular order (other than my recall): Artichoke - best ambience in town! Frontier - a real slice of life and open very late! High Finance - OK, I'm a tourist (but if you think you may get soft and have a change of heart about eating there, at least own up before you buy your tram tix - you'll save on the return trip :-) ) Kelly's Brewery - food? so-so, but the patio and the beer were an excellent daily break Shogun Sushi - kooky boats and all, this place was very fun Monroe's - not much to look at, but right across the street from our adobe B&B, and very authentic old SW seasoning La Hacienda - our 1st dinner in town and my intro to the "red" sauce High Noon - a very comfortable place for dinner and that afternoon snack and drink Church St Cafe - another locals fav in old town Saggio's - across from UNM, and my daily lunchtime haunt while at the Flamenco Festival workshops. Zany atmosphere and decor, complete with "all Italians all the time" soundtrack, but decent prices and fresh food everytime. El Farol in Santa Fe - pricey, but excellent tapas ("real" pulpo!) on Canyon Rd |
To update this list a bit, Graze and Ambrozia are closed. Jennifer James, the chef and owner of Graze, is now working at Cafe du Jour near Old Town, and the guy who owned Ambrozia took over the former Graze space and is getting ready to open a new restaurant there.
I'd also like to recommend The Standard Diner, on Arno and Central SE in the east downtown area. It's upscale diner food (meatloaf Wellington, anyone?), reasonably priced, and very good. Moldy, I'm drawing a blank on burger places near the University. Hopefully Debi will come up with the name. Lee Ann |
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