| The rich cultural diversity of New Mexico has created a
culinary melting pot of dining choices. You won't have a hard time
finding something to eat, but it may take a while to choose. There is a
strong variety of ethnic restaurants, but for every one of these, there
are at least three restaurants offering New Mexican cuisine.
When native New Mexicans find themselves displaced from their home soil for any period of time, the thing they miss the most is the food - more precisely, chile. Fresh roasted chile is the foundation of all good New Mexican restaurants. If, however, your heart says, "chile," but your stomach says, "I don't think so," there are plenty of other dining selections. Old Town Offering the finest New Mexico beef, wild game and poultry, the High Noon Restaurant and Saloon offers a casual atmosphere flavored with gourmet meals. No trip to this area of town would be complete without a stop at one of the restaurants on the plaza. Casa de Fiesta Mexican Grill offers fine New Mexican dining with a full view of the plaza. Another favorite here would be Fry Bread Mamas offering authentic Navajo cuisine. Even if you're not hungry for Navajo cooking, don't pass up a sizzling hunk of fry bread topped with honey or powdered sugar. A short walk from the Plaza is the Sheraton Old Town and its Customs House Restaurant, which offers a rustic, seafaring atmosphere to a land locked clientele.Old Towns bars and pubs reflect the quiet atmosphere of this historical district and as a rule, nightlife needs to be sought in another part of town. Downtown After the sun goes down in Old Town, the lights come on downtown. Loosen your collar and lose the tie at Burts Tiki Lounge, where tropical drinks are the specialty of the house and the kitchen remains open until 2am. For something a little more upscale, the Downtown Distillery offers live music, billiards and a restaurant that serves a wide variety of sandwiches. A popular hangout for the downtown lunch crowd is the Artichoke Café, a French bistro located on historic Route 66 that offers gourmet meals in a casual atmosphere. Midtown There is a bustling energy to this fast-paced region of the city. On-the-go business people, salesmen and executives in search of a quality meal have inspired a wide variety of coffee houses, fine restaurants and nightclubs. A recent addition to this part of town and an instant favorite is Vics Daily Café. Owned by the son of a long-time coffee house operator, the Greek heritage of the family is apparent in the three-page menu that offers huge hamburgers, meatloaf with mushroom gravy and Greek style roasted chicken on a bed of rice pilaf. Tucked away in a corner of this neighborhood is Seagull Street Fish Market and Restaurant where you can almost hear the waves lapping against the pier. If you packed your boots and hat, the Midnight Rodeo with its racetrack dance floor is the place for two-steppers to cut a rug. Northeast Heights/Foothills Family-owned restaurants, local taverns and hole-in-the-wall eateries are sprinkled across this section of town that slopes upward toward the Sandia Mountains. Gardunos of Mexico and YesterDaves Grill, two local favorites sit across the parking lot from each other and the lot is rarely empty. For a four-course gourmet meal with a twist, try the Mystery Café, a murder mystery dinner theater. If this doesn't provide enough entertainment, head up the street to Laffs Comedy Caffe where locals go to find themselves or their friends taking the brunt of a good joke. Nob Hill/University In this part of town, the dining experience ranges on the scale from great, cheap fast food to the most expensive in town. In the University area, the coffee shops, cafes and diners may cater to the students budget but everyone in town enjoys the fare. Café Bubbles, in the Nob Hill Shopping Center, offers mostly sandwiches, and on Friday and Saturday nights, live entertainment accompanies your meal. Club Rhythm & Blues will fulfill anyones need for jazzing up their life. For some of the best Italian food in town sample some of the offerings at Scalo. Southeast The area around the airport is alive twenty-four hours a day. A taste of New Mexico awaits you even before you have to worry about finding a rental car or a shuttle to get away from the Sunport. Gardunos of Mexico, a local favorite with several locations throughout the city, has staked out a spot in the airport itself. This restaurant will definitely acclimate visitors to chile-New-Mexico-style. Down the street near the motels, you will find Quarters Barbecue. You will also find the Rio Grande Yacht Club, one of Albuquerques most respected seafood establishments. North Valley/South Valley Along the Rio Grande, old haciendas hint of the history that drives Albuquerques heart beat. A number of these distinguished old homes have been converted into restaurants. In the far North Valley, El Pinto is such a place. Dinner on the patio while watching the setting sun illuminate the Sandia Mountains can only be topped by the accompanying mariachi music. Billy the Kid actually drank at the bar that now serves guests at Maria Teresa Restaurant and 1840 Bar. For a close encounter with more recent celebrities, visit one the most revered Mexican food restaurants in the city, Sadies. Johnny Carson and other visiting celebrities make this a must on their to-do list in Albuquerque - it could be the margaritas. A combination plate and an imported beer on the patio at Geezambonis BBQ, the North Valleys most popular barbecue spot might be just the thing. Corrales This quaint village wedged between Rio Rancho and north Albuquerque has been able to maintain its atmosphere despite the burgeoning metropolis on its fringes. Massive wood beams and thick adobe walls surround a warm dining experience at Rancho de Corrales, where Albuquerque residents go to escape the tension of the city. For true four-star dining, try Jim Whites Casa Vieja, where there is no established menu, just an inventive chef with open-minded customers. Enjoy dinner and cocktails in this 300-year-old Spanish land grant home. West Mesa Exponential growth is the hallmark of this part of the metro area. And no fast-growing town worth its salt would go up with out Texas barbecue. Rudys Country Store and Barbecue offers pit roasted meat cut and served right before your eyes. For authentic Italian food washed down with micro brew, the Turtle Mountain Brewing Company has just the thing. Famous among the locals for its impressive breakfast spread is Wecks. If you're really hungry, try Twisters for a burrito so big it is sold as whole, 1/2, 1/4, or 1/8 size. J. D. Meisner |