Albuquerque - Downtown
Farina Pizzeria & Wine Bar
Mon: 11am-9pm
Tues-Fri: 11am-10pm
Sat: Noon-10pm
Sun: 5-9pm (hours can change without notice)
Full review: Seriously sexy food (12/25/2008)
Read more: Food News: Green Jeans Farmery delayed, and more (11/5/2015)
 | | | |  | rating (117 votes) |
Across Edith from the Artichoke Café, Farina’s proximity to some of the most established fine dining in Albuquerque isn't an accident. Farina is the punked-up younger sibling of jazzy Artichoke Café, and it brings a tantalizingly direct message to the neighborhood: pizza, beer and wine, and all of it damn good. Sharp, concise and to the point with 20 superb choices offered by the glass or bottle, Farina’s wine list is straightforward and focused. The bar is comfortable and every wine is perfectly matched to the kitchen’s chic pizzeria offerings. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
The Grove Café & Market
Sun: 8am-3pm
Mon: Closed
Tues-Sat: 7am-3pm (hours can change without notice)
$$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Wine Bar • Craft Beer • Wine • Catering • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet • Dog-Friendly
Full review: Twenty more years (9/21/2006)
| | | | | rating (47 votes) |
This ray of sunshine in EDo serves gourmet breakfast and lunch, sells house-made English muffins, and has a mini-shop filled with goodies like honey, jams, mustards and vinegars, not to mention non-edibles like cookbooks, serving vessels and cards. A tiny wine list is just as chic—five reds and five whites are marked on a chalkboard, and all are constantly changing. This list is extremely well thought-out and offers a sampling of some of the most esoteric varietals and brands available in Albuquerque. There’s also a large, shaded patio, incredible house-made cupcakes and too-cute French macarons. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Ibiza at Hotel Andaluz
Mon-Thurs: 4pm-10pm
Fri-Sat: 4pm-12am (hours can change without notice)
Full review: The view from Ibiza (5/30/2013)
| | | | | rating (16 votes) |
This rooftop bar offers a breezy patio, a menu of small plates and specialty cocktails for those looking to relax after a long day at work (the kind where you wear suits!). The food is hit or miss, but the house-created cocktails—like the spicy-yet-refreshing cucumber-jalapeño margarita—make it well worth a visit. (Alibi Staff, October 10, 2012)
Le Troquet
Mon-Sat: 11am-2pm and 5pm-9pm
Sun: Closed (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: French
| | | | | rating (1 vote) |
This petite space serves the pinnacle entrées of French cuisine. Nestled in a cozy nook Downtown, Le Troquet has both a fine atmosphere and fine dishes so pull up a chair and enjoy. They’re open for lunch and dinner, offering vegetarian dishes seafood and dessert. Don’t expect to leave without a freshly baked baguette. (Alibi Staff, January 14, 2016)
Slate Street Café
Mon: 7:30am-3pm
Tue-Thurs: 7:30am-3pm, 5-9pm
Fri: 7:30am-3pm, 5-10pm
Sat: 9am-2pm, 5-10pm
Sun: 9am-2pm (hours can change without notice)
$$$ • Vegetarian Available • Gluten-free available • Booze Served • Wine Bar • Craft Beer • Wine • Catering • Take Out / To-Go • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet • Lounge
Full review: The Slate Street Café (9/3/2015)
Full review: This ain’t your mama’s meatloaf (1/3/2008)
Read more: Patio and Happy Hour Guide (6/8/2017)
Read more: Mina's Dish: Two museum cafés offer more than eye candy (10/20/2011)
| | | | | rating (105 votes) |
Slate is on a quiet, blink-and-you-miss-it avenue between Fifth and Sixth Street, nestled right in the heart of the legal district. Like the space itself, the menu is polished and unintimidating. Don’t miss the ahi tuna sandwich (with gluten-free bread available!). It's all very affordable for its level of quality. There’s also a fabulous wine loft with the wines listed by style—“just a little sweet,” “ABC: Anything But Chardonnay” or “sexy, elegant, austere”—not varietal or region. Demystifying the label like this makes it easy for patrons to pair wine and food. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
The Standard Diner
Sun-Thurs: 8am-9pm
Fri-Sat: 8am-10pm (hours can change without notice)
$$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Full Bar • Wine Bar • Craft Beer • Take Out / To-Go • Outdoor Patio
Full review: They’re missing a brick, but only one (7/13/2006)
| | | | | rating (88 votes) |
Matt DiGregory, owner of Range Café, updated this 1938 Texaco Station to include a modern kitchen, large, sleek, jazz-inspired dining areas and a small front patio. Think San Francisco meets downtown Albuquerque. The menu is composed of upscale comfort food, much of it using local ingredients, and it’s priced accordingly (without being too inhibitive). Don’t forget your rock-candy stick to stir your coffee (or just eat off the stick like you did when The Beach was still around). (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Tucanos Brazilian Grill
Mon-Thu: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm
Sun: 11am-9pm (hours can change without notice)
| | | | | rating (32 votes) |
Meat, meat, meat. All-you-can-eat meat. And then there's the salad bar. This joint’s got more dead meat than you can shake a chunk of meat on a stick at. From the kill to the grill, Tucanos makes all your dreams come true. That is, if you dream about meaty hunks of marinated flesh sliced right at your table. This lively, busy and fun Brazilian-themed restaurant next to the Century 14 movie theater is open late. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Zullo’s Bistro
Tue-Wed 11am-9pm, Thu 11am-11pm, Fri 11am-midnight, Sat-Sun noon-11pm (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: Italian
| | | | | rating (9 votes) |
In the space of the old Blackbird Buvette is Zullo’s Bistro. Pop over to sip a glass of pinot noir and munch on a insalata caprese in their spacious back patio, complete with twinkle lights and overhead shades. Happy Hour is every day from 3-6pm or take advantage of their Wednesday couple’s night special: dinner for two including a whole bottle of wine for $40. Mamma mia, that’s a deal! (Alibi Staff, June 2, 2017)
Albuquerque - Fairgrounds
A whole room at this shop is dedicated to displaying wedding cakes, its forté. Kids' cakes can be adorned with anything from Shrek to Kermit the Frog. Basic sheet cakes can be ordered to serve anywhere from 15 to 96 guests. Choose from cakes like marble, German chocolate or carrot; fillings like Bavarian cream, blueberry or chocolate fudge; and icings including butter cream, chocolate chipped cream and cream cheese. Cakes aside, a wide selection of Danishes, like strawberry cheese, praline and apricot, are also very tempting. The cookie selection is worth testing, especially Chinese almond and lemon coconut. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
The Cooperage
Mon-Fri: 11am-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm
Sat: noon-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm
Sun: noon-9pm (hours can change without notice)
| | | | | rating (96 votes) |
The Cooperage is old-school Albuquerque, right down to the dusty light fixtures. The barrel-shaped steakhouse has been a standby for 30 years thanks to its mile-long complimentary salad and soup bar, aged steaks (at a place like this, prime rib is king) and a big dance floor that’s always packed on the weekends. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
The Original Town House Dining Room
Monday-Thursday: 1am - 9pm
Friday and Saturday: 11am -9pm
Closed on Sundays (hours can change without notice)
| | | | | rating (23 votes) |
Albuquerque - Far Northeast Heights
The County Line BBQ
Mon: Closed
Tue: 5pm- 9pm
Wed-Thu: 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-9pm
Fri:11:30am-9:30pm
Sat: 11:30am-9:30am
Sun: 11:30am-9pm (hours can change without notice)
| | | | | rating (98 votes) |
Everyone loves good, old-fashioned barbecue, and you’ll find heaps of it at the County Line. It has everything you could want: sweet corn on the cob, coleslaw, brown-sugar beans, you name it. Oh, and meat, meat, meat. The baby back ribs are especially good, as is the homemade hickory barbecue sauce. Wash it down with a pint and phenomenal city views, and you’ll be feeling right at home on the range. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Mykonos Café & Taverna
Sun-Thu: 11am-9pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: Greek/Mediterranean
| | | | | rating (45 votes) |
This is Greek food that’s elegant, straightforward and absolutely delicious. White tile and recessed blue light create an island oasis that’s suggested rather than spelled out (no 8-foot murals here), and the service is friendly and attentive. The lentil soup is seasoned with just a whisper of aged balsamic vinegar, perfect with a toasty triangle of imported pita bread and a light Greek salad. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Trombino's Bistro Italiano
Mon-Thurs: 4pm-10pm
Fri: 4pm-10:30pm
Sat: 3pm-10:30pm
Sun: 3pm-9pm (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: Italian
$$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Full Bar • Wine Bar • Craft Beer • Wine • Catering • Take Out / To-Go
| | | | | rating (38 votes) |
Trombino's Bistro Italiano has been an institution of family-style Italian dining in the Heights for more than 30 years. It houses an impressively fat menu that includes a full bar, espresso drinks and an ample wine list. The service is quicker than a Hollywood marriage, and the waitstaff seems particularly knowledgeable about the food and wines. Gravitate to the more rustic Italian fare—lemon-basil chicken salad, grilled homemade Italian sausage, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and manicotti--all are amply portioned and tasty. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Vintage Four Twenty-Three Wine Bar
Full review: A Vintage repast (11/24/2016)
| | | | | rating (33 votes) |
Albuquerque - I-25 Corridor
Chama River Brewing Company
Sun-Thurs: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm (hours can change without notice)
| | | | | rating (134 votes) |
This local brewery and restaurant provides delicious food and a bevy of their own brews. The food is approachable American stuff that, coincidentally, goes pretty damn well with beer. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Pars Cuisine
Mon-Thurs: 11am-9pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm
Sun: 5pm-9pm (hours can change without notice)
$$$ • Vegetarian Available • Gluten-free available • Booze Served • Wine Bar • Craft Beer • Catering • Take Out / To-Go • Outdoor Patio • Wireless Internet
Full review: Pars balances the exotic and the comfortable (5/4/2017)
| | | | | rating (48 votes) |
For something a little more out of the ordinary, pay a visit to Pars Cuisine, the Persian restaurant near the Century Rio 24 theater. Vegetarians will appreciate the nonmeat options and meat lovers are sure to love the spicy kabobs. Linger on your floor cushions while belly dancers roam through the dining room. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Albuquerque - Nob Hill
Kasey’s
Mon-Sat 11:00am-10:00pm
Sunday brunch 10:00am-3:00pm (hours can change without notice)
Full review: Kasey’s Restaurant & Pub (6/11/2015)
| | | | | rating (54 votes) |
Kasey’s is part steakhouse, part patio dining, but it’s all good. The steaks are cooked perfectly, the view from the porch is peaceful and quiet, and the service is attentive and friendly. The fact that it’s housed in a kitschy imitation barn only adds to the charm. Open for Sunday brunch! Try their cinnamon roll French toast. (Alibi Staff, February 6, 2015)
Nob Hill Bar & Grill
Sun-Mon: 11am-9pm
Tues: 11am-9:30pm
Wed-Thurs: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-2am (hours can change without notice)
$$$ • Vegetarian Available • Booze Served • Full Bar • Craft Beer • Wine • Catering • Take Out / To-Go • DJ • Dancing • Outdoor Patio
Full review: Nob Hill Bar & Grill has grown into a local favorite (8/13/2015)
Full review: Gastrobar is best after dinner (6/26/2008)
| | | | | rating (92 votes) |
If you like your comfort food with a gourmet twist, it’s here. Nob Hill Bar & Grill boasts meatloaf (crowned with smoked bacon) and burgers (American kobe). The appetizers and classic cocktails alone are worth the visit. Cheese sticks encrusted in nuts and miso-seared ahi tuna on wontons go down swimmingly (Did we mention the saltwater aquarium?) with a signature cocktail or an organic ale. A few vegetarian entrées, decent hours, a full bar, and a comfy but chic atmosphere make Nob Hill Bar & Grill a mainstay in the neighborhood. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)
Ragin' Shrimp
Closed Monday
Tuesday through Thursday: 11am-2pm, 5pm-8:30pm
Friday: 11am-2pm, 5pm-9:30pm
Saturday: 4pm-9:30pm
Sunday: 4pm-8pm (hours can change without notice)
| | | | | rating (5 votes) |
This New Orleans-style seafood restaurant on historic Route 66 serves up a mean Cajun-style shrimp with an emphasis on spicy, although Jamaican and Indian sauces have been added to the offerings. The menu includes sandwiches, salads and Louisiana classics like pan-fried gator, jambalaya and gumbo. (Alibi Staff, October 9, 2013)
