Restaurant suggestions btwn ABQ & SF
 

We'll be arriving at the ABQ airport around dinnertime on a Friday in Sept. We are planning to pick up the rental car and drive to Santa Fe. We'd like to stop somewhere along the drive to SF for a good New Mex style meal..preferable closer to ABQ than SF. While we don't want to drive into ABQ, we don't mind going a bit off the direct route if it will lead to a great meal. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks

In a heartbeat I'd go to The Range Cafe. It's in Bernalillo about 30 minutes north of Albuquerque right off of I25. Incredibly good food. Get a side of the green and the red chile. It's on the main street in Bernalillo (camino del pueblo?).

Only downside is there might be a wait for a table on Friday night. But it's worth the wait!

I second the Range Cafe--here's the website http://www.rangecafe.com/

You can't avoid driving into Albuquerque, since I-25 goes right through the center. :-)

The Range Cafe in Bernalillo would be a great choice. Exit I-25 at the second exit, turn left, go to Camino del Pueblo, turn left again, and it's a mile or so down on your right.

There is a Range Cafe at University and Menaul in Albuquerque as well. You might not have as much of a wait, but I think the ambience at the Bernalillo location is probably better.

If you want the Albuquerque one, you'll have to get on the I-25 frontage road and take it to Menaul.

Lee Ann

Great info -- bookmarking.

Thanks all-Range Cafe looks like a good possiblity! Didn't reallize that we will drive thru Albuq to get on our way to SF. Given that, are there other suggestions for dinner?

Range Cafe is very good. For great authentic New Mexican food, try <b>Abuelita's {&quot;Grandmothers&quot;} New Mexican Kitchen</b> in Bernalillo at 621 S. Camino del Pueblo.

Take I 25 north from airport. Take exit 240 and make a right onto S. Camino del Pueblo. {You can also take exit 242, make a left off exit ramp onto SR 550 and then another left onto S. Camino del Pueblo.

It's about 18 miles from airport and then you can simply get back on I 25 north and head to Santa Fe.

For a more interesting ride and a perhaps a more interesting atmosphere - try going to Santa Fe via the Turquoise Trail and having dinner at the Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid [pronounced Mad -rid; an old mining town turned hippie turned ??]. Then continue on to Santa Fe.

Take I25 north and then onto I 40 east and exit 175 [NM 14]. Go north on 14 [aka Turquoise Trail] 2846 State Highway 14

The interstate on Fridays at rush hour/dinner time can be bad.

For other ideas in ABQ:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34921091

Deb

save for next time.

Thanks -- looks like we've got a few to choose from. Guess it will depend upon how hungry we are by the time we get the rental car.