  | North Valley Restaurants in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico Albuquerque - North Valley Itsa Italian IceTues-Sat: 11am-7:30
Closed Sunday & Monday (subject to change) Full review: A real treat, whatever the weather (12/4/2008)
Itsa Italian Ice is an old favorite for many Burqueños. Originally located on Lomas years ago, Itsa was—and is—for kids and grown-ups alike. Diners can choose from several fruity flavors like cantaloupe, lemon, cherry, watermelon, black raspberry, lime, grape or banana, as well as other flavors like chocolate or "blue moon" (cotton candy). Each tastes remarkably like the food it was named for, and the portion sizes are enormous. On the hot side, there are hamburgers, dogs, and a Philly cheese steak that’s tender and visibly marbled, made with steak that actually tastes like steak. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review  Joe S. Sausage and RavioliTues-Fri: 11am-4pm
Sat: 11am-2pm
*These are only formal hours of operation, call ahead for more flexible hours. (subject to change) Read more: Chewing the Fat (10/5/2006)
This little North Valley specialty store turns out three things—sausage, ravioli and pierogi. You know it’s got to be good. An amazing and constantly changing variety of flavors (“crazy hott” Italian, maple-blueberry or
pico de gallo
sausages;
dolce mare, salsiccia Vesuvius,
goat cheese with red pepper and garlic raviolis) are made fresh every day by Joe S. Sausage himself, which he freezes and sells for his loyal customers to take home. Plop the raviolis in some simmering water for a few minutes and they cook up perfectly tender. Serve alongside Joe’s sizzling-fresh sausage and you’ve got the fastest, most delicious “homemade” meal you’ve ever tasted. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review Voted Best Produce Selection in our polls. The phrase “grocery café” typically conjures visions of orangey heat lamp chicken and Chinese food that’s been marinating in a pool of grease since the Yang Dynasty. Fortunately for us, La Montañita Co-op is not your typical grocery store. Specializing in local, organic and otherwise natural food products, the deli is no exception and doesn’t disappoint in taste or selection. The deli folks will make a hearty sandwich to your liking or pick up a quick pint of one of the tasty hot or cold spreads and salads. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review Little Anita's menu is New Mexican to the core, with enchiladas, burritos,
carne adovada
and stuffed sopaipillas. The red chile is generally milder than their green but is seasoned just right. Consistency, generous portions and fair prices make Little Anita's an Albuquerque mainstay—not to mention its many locations ranging from full-service dining to quick and easy take-out counters (like this one). Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review Luigi’sMon-Thurs: 11am-9pm
Fri: 11am-10pm
Sat: 11am-10pm
Sun: 11am-9pm (subject to change)
Luigi and his mom, Tina, do all of the Italian cooking themselves at this North Valley staple. Try the pasta dishes with a variety of family recipe sauces or the veal and seafood specialties; then top it all off with a fresh cannoli or a slice of homemade tiramisu. (There’s also New York-style and Sicilian pizzas and calzones.) Luigi’s dishes out a daily all-you-can-eat buffet (along with an AYCE spaghetti special for lunch) and a seafood buffet on Friday evenings. Cap it all off with a fresh espresso and, believe us, you won't leave hungry. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 2 ] Mario’s is great in the afternoon after the lunch crowds and before dinner for any size of meal. The sandwiches, calzones and pizzas are far more substantial. You and the guys just come in from a rousing game of golf? Stop in the afternoon and share Mario’s mega meat pizza or the
gumba
nachos. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review Mary & Tito’sMon-Thurs: 9am-6pm
Fri-Sat: 9am-8pm
Closed Sunday (subject to change) Cuisine: New Mexican
One of the crown jewels of Albuquerque, Mary & Tito’s is the kind of place you’ll want to bring visitors so they can experience the wonder of chile. The red chile here is velvety smooth, sweet and hot, but not as hot as the fruity green. For a really bad hangover, you’ll need a turnover, a calzone-shaped stuffed sopaipilla that’s guaranteed to make a regular out of you. Go for lunch during the week and dinner on Friday and Saturday. Also, Mary & Tito’s finally takes credit cards! (Alibi Staff, October 13, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 12 ] Thick slices of beef, tender barbecued chicken and unbeatable cornmeal-dusted catfish are just a few of the items that make this a premier restaurant to blow your diet sky-high. But what really pushes this place over the edge are the fantastic side dishes: like addictive fried okra; smoky, salty greens; and tender black-eyed peas, which are prepared with the same reverence and care as the main attractions. We forbid you from leaving without first ordering a slice of superb sweet potato pie or a piping-hot bowl of cherry cobbler à la mode. Aw, what the hell—just get both and die happy. If you’re in a hurry, you can order to-go items from a side pickup area. Closed Mondays. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review Mr. Powdrell’s Barbeque HouseTues-Thurs: 11am-8:30 pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-9:30pm
Sun: noon-8:30pm
Closed Monday (subject to change) Cuisine: Barbecue/Soul Food
Thick slices of beef, tender barbecued chicken and unbeatable cornmeal-dusted catfish are just a few of the items that make this a premier restaurant to blow your diet sky-high. But what really pushes this place over the edge are the fantastic side dishes: like addictive fried okra; smoky, salty greens; and tender black-eyed peas, which are prepared with the same reverence and care as the main attractions. We forbid you from leaving without first ordering a slice of superb sweet potato pie or a piping-hot bowl of cherry cobbler à la mode. Aw, what the hell—just get both and die happy. If you’re in a hurry, you can order to-go items from a side pickup area. Closed Mondays. (Alibi Staff, September 29, 2011) Add a Review This is honest, no-frills American diner food without the diner. The ambience feels a bit like a large, ranch-style living room that’s been converted into a neighborhood restaurant. Chicken-fried steak and biscuits and gravy abound in massive portions and are every bit as good as your childhood memories. And if you skip dessert, you’re only cheating yourself out of seriously delish homemade pies and cakes, lovingly made by Granny. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ]  Paddy Rawal's OM: Fine Indian DiningMon-Sat Lunch 11 am-2:30 pm
Dinner 5-9:30 pm
Sun Closed (subject to change) $$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Catering • Take Out / To-Go • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet Full review: Paddy Rawal’s OM Fine Indian Dining (2/21/2013)
Paddy Rawal's OM: Fine Indian Dining has just moved into the space vacated by Annapurna. Their menu features primarily Northern Indian fare with touches of the Southwest, such as in their chipotle-spiked grilled shrimp. This should add some new spice for North Valley diners. (Alibi Staff, February 1, 2013) Add a Review Family-owned 35 years, Pastian's offers everything from breads and pies to pastries and cookies. It's cheap, too: A white or chocolate cupcake with made-from-scratch buttercream icing is just 52 cents a pop. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review
Sharing the Village Shops with Vernon’s—the jazz-filled steakhouse founded by the Calico Café family—Prime is a gourmet sandwich shop that will eventually include a wine boutique. The decor is both rustic and contemporary. On the menu, the focus is meat—especially prime beef. You can buy New Mexico grass-fed steaks by the pound to grill at home, or have lunch and a beer on the spacious patio. (Alibi Staff, September 29, 2011) Add a Review  Pueblo Harvest CaféMon-Thur: 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (subject to change) Full review: Culture is on the menu (12/11/2008)
Two words: fry bread. Use this heaping hunk of pillowy-crisp carbs to sop up the best posole, mutton stew and huevos rancheros in the North Valley. Go check out what else they’re cooking up inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 6 ] A stone’s throw away from Alameda, this bright red and yellow brick building is a haven for pollo
sabroso
. You can get your chicken dressed in gravy, swimming in red or green chile, or stuffed into a burrito, torta or taco (to name a few); better still, wash it down with a fresh glass of horchata
.
In a town of too-often lifeless refried beans, Rincon served us the best home-style frijoles we’ve had in a shamefully long time. The chicken soup is mild and thick with rice and chunks of celery, carrot and yellow bell pepper. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review  Sadie’sMon-Thu: 11am-10pm
Fri - Sat: 10am-10:30pm
Sun: 10am-9pm (subject to change) Cuisine: New Mexican
Walking into Sadie's is like walking into your rich old New Mexican aunt’s house. The food smells good, the atmosphere is comfortable and it's OK if you get a little loud. Sadie's has a very friendly and casual (yet still professional) staff and huge portions of food. We like to go for dinner with a big group and drink Margaritas. And salsa. (Yes, we drink the salsa. It’s that good here.) (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 12 ] If you’ve got a hankering for a seasoned steak sandwich or some fresh fish tacos, give Sophia’s a try. The very friendly service and eclectic fare make the eatery a true North Valley gem and one of the best restaurants in Albuquerque. Chow down on a hearty sandwich on Sophia’s shaded patio, or eat an organic egg omelet (served with fresh salad greens and
papitas
) inside the cozy adobe walls. The carnitas and red chile are wonderful, as are the pancakes. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) View/Add Reviews [ 1 ] St. James TearoomTues-Wed: 11am,1:30pm,4 pm
Thurs-Sat: 11am, 1:30pm, 6:30pm
Closed Sunday (subject to change) Meals Served: Lunch
Sure, you’ve had tea before, but have you ever really
had tea
before? You know, with quaint little scones and clotted cream? Do you even know what clotted cream is? Well, the ladies over at the St. James Tearoom sure do, and they’d love to inform and inspire you with the lost art of proper tea service—the proprietress, Mary Alice Higbie, is a certified tea consultant through the Protocol School of Washington in D.C. (we’re serious). The $25 full afternoon tea includes a pot of premium loose tea and an elegant three-tiered serving tray that’s loaded with assorted savories and finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and jam, homemade lemon curd and other sweets. For a $7 upgrade you can have a Royal Tea, which includes a glass of Gruet (call for reservations). The Tearoom’s Cherriwyn China Shop carries a lovely selection of tea accessories, too. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review View/Add Reviews [ 5 ]  Terra Bistro and Wine BarLunch: Tues-Fri: 11:30am-1:30pm Dinner: Tues-Sat: 5:30pm-close (subject to change) Full review: Grounds for celebration (2/8/2007)
Upscale is as upscale does, and Chef-Owner Peter Lukes does it right. The wine list is huge and the menu reflects the highlights of seasonal Italian bistro dining—like prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, beef carpaccio, seared crab and corn cakes, and a traditional salad Caesar. Lunch or dinner, there’s never a bad time for chicken picatta, and the service here is top-rate. Bring a friend, bring a date or bring a divorce lawyer—the intimate setting and fine cuisine will impress all. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010) Add a Review | 
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