6 Best Restaurants in Albuquerque, New Mexico

A stellar spot for truly artisanal thin-crust pizza, Farina draws loyal crowds inside an old-school former EDo grocery store with hardwood floors, exposed-brick walls, a pressed-tin ceiling, and simple rows of wooden tables along with a long, inviting bar. This spirited place serves up exceptional pizzas with tastily charred crusts and imaginative toppings; the Salsiccia, with sweet-fennel sausage, roasted onions, and mozzarella, has plenty of fans. Start with a satisfying caprese salad or antipasti, finish with rich butterscotch budino (Italian pudding), and take note of the extensive, fair-priced list of local craft beers and wines by the glass.

This traditional adobe eatery features New Mexican--style family recipes, which happily feed streams of hungry tourists. Locals, too, are drawn here, especially for the alfresco dining in the lovely courtyard (and in the mosaic-bedazzled great room looking out to it), amid trellises of sweet grapes and flowers, and further enhanced by the occasional accompaniment of a classical and flamenco guitarist. Buttery guacamole, with just a bit of bite, is the perfect appetizer to prep one's palate for the tender carne asada main. Try the house specialty, chile rellenos stuffed with pork and cheese, or a portobello-and-bell-pepper fajita. Traditional desserts and hearty breakfast choices are also offered.

A local standby for any meal, the Range Café has a high comfort quotient with hearty dishes like their blue corn or fresh spinach enchiladas with black beans and arroz verde, biscuits and gravy, burgers, and the generously plated salmon-berry salad. Breakfast, served until 3 pm, has fans for its house-made green-chile turkey sausage and huevos rancheros. The food is fresh and well made, with dessert options heavy on pie and cakes. The Old Town–area outpost (like its other locations around town) takes its cues from the still-supreme Bernalillo original, with road trip–inspired decor, local art, and comfy booths.

A coolly modern glass-framed dining spot across from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Sixty-Six Acres serves up satisfying locally sourced dishes that riff freely on New Mexican and Asian traditions. The generous bowls, grilled sandwiches, and salads here—from green-chile cheeseburgers to Korean chicken bites to salmon and Himalayan rice and farro with fresh spinach salad—are flavorful, often gluten-free, and make vegetarian dining easy. A sweet patio with a sweeping Sandia Mountains view, a bar featuring local craft beers, and a casual, welcoming atmosphere complement your experience here—another winning inspiration from local dining force, Myra Ghattas (Slate Street Café).

A high-energy, high-ceilinged dining room with a wine bar and modern lighting, this stylish restaurant sits amid pawn shops and bail-bond outposts on a quiet, unprepossessing side street Downtown. Once inside, you'll find a sophisticated, colorful space serving memorable, modern renditions of classic road fare, such as a seared salmon club and a green chile chicken sandwich; their brown bag fish-and-chips is a longtime crowd fave. The dutch-oven pancake with forest berry compote has big fans at breakfast, and more than 25 wines by the glass are served.

Salads are the thing at Vinaigrette, just as they are at owner Erin Wade's popular original outpost in Santa Fe. Fresh, local greens are featured, but heartier add-ons (from seared tuna and panko-crusted goat cheese to hibiscus-cured duck confit and flank steak) will satisfy the hungriest in your party. Soups and a sweet range of desserts, as well as a brief but well-selected wine list, round out the menu. The industrial-style ceiling lends an airy feel—the place brims with natural light—but the unmuffled acoustics that result can make conversation a challenge.