Spiciest Food In Albuquerque
sadiesofnewmexico.comWe love chile, and we love it when it’s hot. A good, spicy chile not only overwhelms the senses with flavor and heat, it also triggers the release of endorphins, meaning that a fiery New Mexican meal can propel you to an altered state of mind. Take a trip to Sadie’s, order up a huge plate of the hottest food around, and prepare to step through the looking glass. 2) Ragin’ Shrimp3) Orchid Thai Cuisine
Best Food Truck
ilovesupper.comEver since the Supper Truck rolled into town, fast food has taken on new meaning. From its signature shrimp and grits to the dish of the day, they serve up a Southern-styled feast for the eyes and the tummy, no matter where you find them. Track them down, and you might also find a picnic movie night or free yoga in the park.
Best Place To Find A Food Truck
Although there are more than 50 food trucks in the Duke City, rounding them up in one place is hard to do. Your best bet is to head to the Talin parking lot on Wednesdays from 11:30–1pm to find four to six of the best trucks in town. Count on The Supper Truck, Rustic Food Truck and a random assortment of other meals on wheels.2) Tractor Brewing Taproom3) Marble Brewery
Best Place To Take Out-Of-Town Guests
elpinto.comWell you struck out taking your visitors to The Beach Waterpark (It’s not there anymore!) and The Rattlesnake Museum (The snakes were all sleeping!) No worries, you can still redeem yourself by hitting up El Pinto’s gorgeous hacienda-style patio for dinner. Order the red chile ribs, and all will be forgiven.2) Sadie’s3) Frontier Restaurant
Best Bar Food
geckosbar.com“Bar food” carries a negative stigma: Otherwise, why bother with the qualifier? But Gecko’s isn’t going to waste your time with salted nuts and overdone nachos; instead, their huge tapas lineup is stiff competition for almost any restaurant in town. And with two locations to serve you, you won’t have to settle for soupy burgers or gummy cheese sticks again.2) Two Fools Tavern3) Nexus Brewery
Best Fine Dining
artichokecafe.comSometimes you want to get all gussied up, say “hors d’oeuvres” repeatedly and throw your head back in knowing and sophisticated laughter over a good glass of wine. Where do you go? To the elegant and well-established Artichoke Café in EDo. Also, that’s not how you say “hors d’ouevres.”
Best Late Night Eating
Best Commitment To Local Ingredients
farmandtablenm.comThere’s no argument that for local ingredients, Farm & Table is the best pick in town. How much closer can you get to your ingredients than by growing them in your own 3-acre farm next door to the restaurant? And the freshness translates through the creative kitchen to the table where the meals arrive beautifully plated, and with the flavor of each morsel true to its origins.
Best Place For Adventurous Eaters
talkingdrumsabq.comThat hamburger is good, but you’d rather be eating monkey brains. Am I right? Though monkey brain is elusive in this town, goat is not. At Talking Drums Restaurant, you can chow down on some goat, snails, cow skin, cow feet, grilled peppered gizzard and more. And you can eat with your hands.2) Pro’s Ranch Market
Best Downtown Restaurant
Best Restaurant In Nob Hill
scalonobhill.comLet’s face it. Nob Hill is a veritable hornet’s nest of excellent dining options. Not that you’ll get stung so much that you’ll never be able to decide where to eat. You still love a little antipasti, insalate, primi and secondi at Scalo, the serene fine dining mainstay in the Nob Hill Shopping Center.2) Yanni’s Mediterranean Grill and Opa Bar3) Two Fools Tavern
Best Restaurant In The North Valley
This North Valley gem serves mostly New Mexican fare with a lively smattering of inventive dishes. The dining room also serves as a gallery for local artists, and the patio is a comfortable extension of the cozy atmosphere. Regulars count on flavorful burgers, but the grilled marinated vegetable sandwich will please the vegetarian in the party.2) Farm & Table
Best Restaurant In The South Valley
Best Heights Restaurant
jenniferjames101.comJennifer James has been an Albuquerque treasure for two decades now, and her Menaul restaurant has the best rotating contemporary menu in town. Check in on a Thursday night, and for $25, you get a three course meal featuring locally sourced ingredients and whatever strikes the chef’s fancy. Just make sure you call ahead.2) Paul’s Monterey Inn
Best Restaurant On The Westside
Best Restaurant In Rio Rancho
A Turtle Mountain beer flight
Eric Williams ericwphoto.com
turtlemountainbrewing.comOur neighbors to the north have had this gem for more than a decade, but the secret is out and Alibi readers know it. Turtle Mountain serves up a fine selection of microbrewed beers, many with unique ingredients like mugwort and rose hips, as well as featuring a menu bursting with classic fare like fish n’ chips and bleu cheese burgers. 2) Fat Squirrel Pub & Grille3) Namaste/O’Hare’s Grille & Pub
Best Restaurant In The East Mountains
ribsbbqcedarcrest.comFeeling puny and mortal? Here’s what you’re going to do: Drive to Cedar Crest. Stop at Ribs BBQ. Load up on draft beer, fried okra, ribs by the slab and sundry smoked meats. With a full belly, drive to the crest, stand in the wind, and peer down on our little city. That’s probably the closest you’ll get to Greek god-dom.2) Greenside Café3) Burger Boy
Best Local Brewery
marblebrewery.comOver the last few years, Marble has emerged on the local brewing scene as a juggernaut fueled by yeast and barley, a living monument to the power of a craftsman-like approach to creating a consistently high-quality product while never forgetting one’s roots. You can buy a half-dozen varieties of Marble beer at nearly any liquor store, find it on draft at a wide array of Albuquerque restaurants, or head straight to the source and gulp it down at one of the friendliest brew-pubs around. 2) La Cumbre Brewing Company3) Il Vicino
Best New Restaurant
amoreabq.comGetting hit in the eye by the moon would hurt. Actually, getting hit in the eye by a pizza pie would probably hurt, too. Fortunately at Albuquerque’s newest Neapolitan pizzeria, you can view the moon from a safe distance on the rooftop patio, and the incredible wood-fired pies—covered in house-made mozzarella and featuring locally grown ingredients—are served well away from the eyes. Now that’s Amore. 2) Le Café Miche3) Vinaigrette
Most Missed Restaurant
A drive through the back side of the Sandias often included a stop at Bella Vista—now just a memory for many Burqueños. The lavish restaurant featured a buffet, salad bar and old-fashioned Italian fare. In its place is The Greenside, a contemporary eatery with a patio that faces the forest.2) Ambrosia3) Johndhi’s BBQ
Best Chef
Best Patio
elpinto.comDining al fresco under blue skies is one of the great pleasures of living in New Mexico, yet sometimes a good patio is hard to find. El Pinto is a little slice of Spanish heaven with its fountains, lanterns and lush foliage. Happy hour begins at 4:30. 2) Casa De Benavidez3) Scalo Northern Italian Grill
