Restaurants in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico, searchable by cuisine and location, with ratings and reviews. Get educated before you eat!
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This week's featured Restaurants! |
Nursing It Back
Little Sir Dan, sat with his hands, aloft over keyboard with a frown. Along came his boss, and with a crumpled note he did toss, asking “Hey, we doing a Chowtown?!”
Bristol Doughnut Co.
Cuisine: Bakery/Sweets
You can’t miss it. It’s the double-decker bus on Central, parked in that empty corner lot. Yeah, that’s a doughnut shop. How frickin’ cool is that? Get one of their brioche doughnuts (prickly pear or maple bacon) for a truly unique treat. Grab a cup of Little Bear coffee and find a table in the adorable little upstairs seating area. Then let the Instagraming begin.
Read more: Made in the Neighborhood: Bristol Doughnut Co. Parks in Nob Hill (1/24/2019)
Alibi recommends: The Bristol salted butter doughnut, along with whatever the monthly special is.
Vibe: Just cute as the dickens.
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Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Cafe
Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Cafe is that wonderful mix of quirky and strange that makes living in Albuquerque so rewarding and unique, while also bringing a diverse menu with enough twists to help the food stand out amongst the multitude of breakfast places scattered throughout the town. When I stopped in at the Nob Hill location, I was surprised by a few things. The first was how open and light it felt inside. You don’t see a lot of places with full glass walls anymore, let alone two of them (RIP Scalos). With the light pouring in and the air feeling fresher for it, I went inside to go take a seat. Among the regular tables and set ups, you can also enjoy something a little stranger, like sharing a table with a skeleton or hanging out on the swings. Yes, literal swings. The interior decoration is akin to what I would imagine a fairy’s forest hideout would look, with long draping flowers and vines giving the space a bit of a magical feel to it. In many ways, I felt like I had taken a wrong turn and ended up somewhere far different than a restaurant and into something else entirely, in a good way.
Full review: Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Cafe brings quirk to Nob Hill ()
Alibi recommends: Grecian Not-chos
Vibe: Magical breakfast and lunch spot
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Copper Canyon Cafe
Tue-Fri: 6am-8pm
Sat-Mon: 7am-3pm (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: American
I ended on the homemade pie, a slice of apple as big as my hand. I earnestly struggle to remember the last time I ate apple pie that wasn’t storebought or from a can, and honestly, I was surprised at the difference in quality. It had a solid crust that held together on serving, but gave way at the press of the fork. The apples had enough of a crisp snap to them when bit down on that you could tell they hadn’t been sitting in liquid for an incredibly long time, yet were still soft enough to nearly melt in your mouth.
Full review: How we find joy in simplifying ()
Alibi recommends: Chicken Fried Steak, Polish Sausage and Eggs, Apple Pie
Vibe: Local American food done straight-up
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Don Choche Tacos y Cervesa
Tues-Sat: 9am-8pm
Sun: 9:30am-6pm (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: Mexican
As far as food goes, you’re definitely covered. Most everything on the menu can be had with the choice of ten different meats. For example, the tacos ($3) are done like traditional street tacos. Topped with cilantro, onion and radish, you pick the meat and you’re set to go. I went with my personal favorite, carne adovada, with left the taco bursting at the seams filled, a good sign already. The fiery kick of the seasoned meat was enough to open my eyes with delight when it first ran across my tongue. It was almost melt in your mouth tender, with an over-the-top level of seasoning that didn’t feel like too much, but more as a just right. By any metric you could hold it to, the carne adovada is a straight up winner.
Full review: Don Choche brings authentic Mexican to Nob Hill ()
Alibi recommends: Anything with the carne adovada
Vibe: Authentic Mexican food in the heart of Nob Hill
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Duke City Kitchen
Tue-Sat: 7am-2pm
Sun: 8am-1pm, breakfast only (hours can change without notice)
This burger came out dripping with jam, a knife rising out of the top. I felt like I was watching an Ides of March reenactment from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar). I boldly jumped in and was instantly floored by how phenomenal the flavor combination was. Beyond all reason, this was one of the best burgers I’ve ever tried. Maybe it was the fact that it meshes nostalgic childhood tastes with the New Mexican comfort food of green chile and cheese, all held together with this juicy beef that fills your mouth with every bite. Maybe it was the fact that I’ve never experienced all these flavors working in tandem, and my body reacted happily to something new and different. Or maybe it was just because this is one hell of a hamburger, and risks deserve to be rewarded. All I can tell you is that your biggest disservice to yourself in life is not giving this a shot at least once, because I have finally found love after 30 years of life on Earth, and it’s with this insane burger.
Full review: Duke City Kitchen rules AM roost ()
Alibi recommends: The Betty, The Betty and The Betty
Vibe: Chillaxed breakfast and lunch joint
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Elixir Boutique Chocolates
Sunday- closed
Monday-Friday- 10AM-5PM
Saturday- closed (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: Bakery/Sweets
A boutique chocolate shop in the Heights. Whether you want to build your own box, or pick from a pre-assorted set, you can always find something just right for anyone in your life.
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The Feel Good
Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm
Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm (hours can change without notice)
The Feel Good shares a lineage of family recipes, palates and tastes. Passed down through the decades, this cultural DNA is very much alive here for luncheon or supper and continues to thrive. Efforts to preserve and nurture permeate the food—mostly soups, sandwiches and tartines—and culture and will leave you feeling, well, good.
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Firebird Nashville Hot Chicken
The collard greens ($3) were fantastic. With small chunks of pork within it, cooked down to perfection, they were full of sweetness and fatty goodness and didn’t last long in front of me. I jumped into the waffle, which was also great. A crispy exterior with a little fluffiness inside, drenched in butter and maple syrup by my own hand, I picked away at the majority of it that hadn’t touched the really cluckin’ hot chicken. I followed up with the mild sauce piece and devoured it faster than I’d like to admit. The chicken is super juicy, the skin is crispy and crunchy, and the mild sauce helped bring out some of the best flavors in the chicken, without detracting a thing. Full disclosure: I went back and ordered another piece of the mild because it was that good.
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Fun Noodle Bar
Mon-Thu: 11am-9:30pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm
Sun: 11am-9pm (hours can change without notice)
And finally, the ultimate dish, the Tonkotsu Black Ramen. It comes with a pork chashu, spinach, green onion, Shanghainese greens, fried onion, sweet corn and cilantro, all in a massive bowl with a deep, rich broth. I earnestly don’t know where to start. Dine-out ramen is held to such a high standard, considering the alternative is typically a $0.30 bag that you literally spend two minutes making. This is so high above what I expected that I was earnestly left speechless. This broth is equal parts spicy and creamy, which I know sounds strange but it works unlike any other broth I’ve had before. Conversely, you have these handmade noodles in it that are so fresh, it’s a whole new level of eating that you get taken to by them. Add on all these little additions, and suddenly, it’s not like any ramen you’ve had before. It’s an earnest dish that almost feels like it’s being slighted because of the ramen label. It’s so much more than that.
Full review: Fun Noodle Bar sets perfect example of how to do noodles ()
Alibi recommends: Any noodle dish, earnestly.
Vibe: Modern Asian eatery
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Guaca Guaca Tacos & Beer
Cuisine: Mexican
For example, when I ordered four tacos ($10) there was first the choice of meat, featuring carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, chicken, shrimp and vegetarian. While all had certain strengths, including, to my surprise, the vegetarian, which was a medley of veggies (mushrooms, broccoli, onions and more) tossed in a sauce that allowed the flavors to expand, they come to you essentially bare. The meat, so to speak, of the tacos is prepared in the back and sent out, but then you are brought out a tower of toppings. Included is a fresh guacamole, a delightfully spicy salsa, a salsa verde, freshly chopped cilantro and pico de gallo.
Full review: Nevermind, it’s too cheesy ()
Alibi recommends: Literally everything. Nothing we tried was even close to bad.
Vibe: Laidback street tacos that you build yourself
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It Dim Sum
Mon, Tue, Thu: 11am to 9pm, Fri-Sun 10:30am-9pm, Closed Wed (hours can change without notice)
So how is everything? Nothing short of extraordinary. Not only is it super-cheap (I did 4 orders for $20) but it is also gorgeous. I don’t typically recommend places based on the ability to Instagram it, but you can take some incredibly cool pictures of the food here, because it is all presented beautifully. On top of that, you have an immense variety to choose from, including a pretty big swathe of vegetarian offerings ranging from sweet to savory.
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The Jealous Fork
Monday-Saturday: 11am-8pm (hours can change without notice)
I personally loved the flour tortilla herbed chicken, which I had doused in red and tomatillo with diced tomato, an over-medium fried egg, menonita and Mexican jack. The chicken was juicy and tender with a little bit of herb flavor coming through but mostly being a nice surprise within the beautiful mess of cheese and chile. Speaking of, the cheese servings are about the greatest thing in the world here. They do not skimp when it comes to the cheese, so be prepared for an small overload of gooey, melted heaven across the top of your enchiladas, and soon after, the roof of your mouth. The chile itself has a stellar kick to it, without leaving you begging for water, plus the tomatillo sauce gives it a little bit more smoothness, rounding off the profile nicely.
Full review: The Jealous Fork Gives You the Power To Make the Perfect Dish ()
Alibi recommends: The enchiladas! Really, it’s to your own tastes.
Vibe: Local food in the ever more industrialized Uptown area.
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Jerusalem-Taste of the Holy Land
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
The shawarma was fantastic with really good seasoning that allowed the meat to stand out on the merit of its own natural flavors, adding enhanced notes to the dish. The rice wasn’t overcooked or soggy, helping to give texture and fullness to the bites I was enjoying. The freekeh soup was a first for me, and I found it to my liking. It wasn’t too heavy or too light, and the cracked wheat was fantastic, adding a new level of deliciousness to every bite of chicken breast and broth. Cleaning the plate was made easy with the pita, which was warm, a little chewy and left me a little heartbroken when it was gone.
Full review: Taste of the Holy Land offers Rio Rancho something new ()
Alibi recommends: Kanafeh, Santa Fe Chicken Shawarma, Shawarma Combo
Vibe: Middle Eastern eatery focused on great food
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Laguna Burger
Cuisine: American
For the last decade, one of the best green chile cheeseburgers to be had in New Mexico (which means one of the best to be had the world over) was either at Laguna, or more recently, the 66 Pit Stop. But that also meant a decent drive west on I-40 just for a bite to eat. But with their Albuquerque location opening, Laguna Burger has taken that road trip reluctance and instantly replaced it with nearby convenience—not to mention quality casual dining at prices that'll have mall chain franchises gulping and tugging at their collar. Alibi Recommends: Breakfast: The breakfast wimp; Lunch: The fuego with onion petals, and a funky monkey. Vibe: An airy space with TVs and an outdoor patio that's quite a bit different than the gas station location many know!
Full review: New Laguna Burger location proves as tasty as ever ()
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Need-A-Pita
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
But then the moment of truth came. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes all agreed to shawarma, but how would Dan feel about it? The answer, in a shock to no one, was that I loved it. The beef shawarma platter ($12.45) not only came with a heaping mound of meat and tzatziki sauce, but also a whole helping of rice, a side of hummus, a small salad and some peppers for tasting. The flavor of the meat was just spicy enough to let you know it meant business, but not so hot to warrant needing a glass of water as to. The rice was about the best damn rice I’ve ever had, cooked to just the right consistency where it stuck together well enough to eat, but was never mushy or crunchy. The hummus was a great fit for the rest of the dish, and I ended up using it to pair with the leftover pies to ensure I didn’t miss out on anything.
Full review: Need-A-Pita does Middle Eastern food perfectly ()
Alibi recommends: The beef shawarma, spinach pie, baklava
Vibe: Family friendly and open
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Poki Poki Cevicheria
Thursday 11AM–9PM
Friday 11AM–10PM
Saturday 11AM–10PM
Sunday 11AM–9PM
Monday 11AM–9PM
Tuesday 11AM–9PM
Wednesday 11AM–9PM (hours can change without notice)
Pick your size, ingredients, spice level and add-ons for a tasty poke bowl. Choices range from ahi to shrimp, salmon and even octopus. Very friendly, helpful staff. We recommend the Latin bowl.
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Restoration Pizza
Mon-Wed: 11am-10pm
Thu-Sat: 11am-11pm
Sun: Noon-10pm (hours can change without notice)
For pizza, there are more choices in terms of toppings and sizes than you can shake a stick at. They offer gluten-free crusts, as well as a CauliPower crust, so dietary restrictions are supported here. I opted for the simple traditional go-to, a large pepperoni. At $14.50 for a 16-inch single-topping pizza, the price fit. The crust is solid, with enough crunch to feel sturdy, but the dough above still has some softness to it. The sauce was rich and flavorful, while the cheese was gooey and stretchy. The pepperoni was great, covering the face of the pie sufficiently and allowing me to get a piece in every bite. From the first bite, you can tell that these are all high quality ingredients that come together to create something truly worth devouring.
Full review: Restoration Pizza makes an impact in the community ()
Alibi recommends: Appetizers are amazing, and so is the pizza.
Vibe: Open, friendly, comfortable.
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Rise + Roast
Rise + Roast is New Mexico brewed, committed to quality, + values your time. You can expect fresh donuts + top-shelf coffee, served quickly with a smile. They want to be a part of your day regardless of where you’re going, who you’re seeing, or what you’re accomplishing. They’re dedicated to keeping their donuts handcrafted, coffee hand-pressed, + doing it all with a smile.
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S-A BBQ
Sun-Thu: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-Midnight (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: Barbecue/Soul Food
The last thing I tried was the Smoked Out Spud ($7.99). A good baked potato cannot ever be beaten, and this was no exception. It was very soft by the time it came to me, giving me no issue in eating it. The potato almost fell apart in your mouth because it was so well cooked yet it wasn’t mushy or bad. Just delightful to eat. You can pick your meat (or not), with pork and chicken being free, or brisket and hot links being $1 extra. The whole of it is then covered with a generous helping of butter, cheese, chives, a red chile crema and your choice of BBQ sauce. This was hands down one of the best things I’ve eaten in a long time. The hot links on top with the toppings and the sauce made the whole meal so good, I nearly ended up shoveling it into my mouth because I couldn’t stop myself from going for the next bite before I was done with the current one.
Full review: S-A BBQ brings the smoke to Green Jeans ()
Alibi recommends: Smoked Out Spud
Vibe: Quick and delicious BBQ
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Santa Fe Bite
Tuesday 11AM–9PM
Wednesday 11AM–9PM
Thursday 11AM–9PM
Friday 11AM–10PM
Saturday 11AM–10PM
Sunday 11AM–9PM
Monday 11AM–9PM (hours can change without notice)
Cuisine: American
Once known as Bobcat Bite and located in Santa Fe, word travelled fast that they were serving the best burger you could get in the state. After a rebranding and eventual closing, many thought the dream was gone. So, with a lot of surprise for the general population, they reopened in Nob Hill, giving many Albuquerque residents, myself included, their first taste of the famed burger. You might remember that a few months back, we did a Burger Week, wherein I tackled the mass of burgers in this city with as much determination as I could muster for consuming nine burgers in just one week. I was left drained and feeling over hamburger, but also more knowledgeable and pickier about my needs from a hamburger. This is all to say that, the reopened Santa Fe Bite had a high standard to meet in order to pass the test of getting published here. I’m confident in saying they passed.
Full review: Santa Fe Bite is poised to take Nob Hill by storm ()
Alibi recommends: Definitely the burger.
Vibe: Minimalist burger joint
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