13 Best Restaurants in Albuquerque, New Mexico

With pink light rising on the Sandias and lavender fields aglow, dining at Los Poblanos—its menu wholly committed to finely prepared dishes made from organic and locally sourced ingredients—can be a transcendent experience thanks to the pastoral setting of Albuquerque’s historic North Valley. The seasonal menu is a tantalizing mix of distinctive farm-to-table flavors crossed with Southwestern cooking traditions that together have been become the basis for Rio Grande Valley cuisine. Start with tangy sweet potato pierogi, then move on to a superb field or lemon za'atar salad, then the braised lamb birria, beet risotto, or a special tamale adovada. Or try one of the house-made pastas (carrot cavatelli is a favorite, and, as with most dishes here, they will always accommodate non-meat-eaters with a wholly satisfying variation). Wine, spirits, and microbrew selections, local and regional, are well-chosen. Campo ("field" in Spanish) diners enter its high-ceilinged open space—brilliantly transformed from a one-time dairy barn building—through the charmingly tiled and whimsically lit Bar Campo; dining outdoors is a treat as well since the weather here cooperates just about year-round. Find a somewhat smaller menu at the bar, or come for a memorable breakfast or brunch throughout the week.

A favorite of old-timers who know their way around a blue-corn enchilada (and know that Duran's deeply authentic New Mexican red is the chile to pick for it), this welcoming spot serves fine, freshly made and warm flour tortillas, too. Duran's harkens to the days when every drugstore had a soda fountain; it's got cold beer and a full kitchen now, serving up breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with your choice of counter stools, cozy tables, or the little shaded patio right off old Route 66. By the way, the pharmacy itself still offers the personal care it did since its founding back in 1942, and the traveler will find just about any sundry they might have a need for—as well as a sophisticated selection of New Mexico–centric books and gifts.

This eatery may look like a set in search of a script, but it's the real deal: folks come from all over the city to sup in the longtime New Mexican--style chile parlor in a historic Route 66 neighborhood south of Downtown. You may notice looks of quiet contentment on the faces of its many dedicated diners as they dive into their bowls of Barelas's potent red chile. It's nothing fancy here, just the comfort of familiarity and the very pleasant option of seating on their shaded patio. The staff treats everybody like an old friend—indeed, many of the regulars who come here have been fans of Barelas since it opened its doors in 1978.

The fajitas at this welcoming local spot with a romantic garden patio are a favorite here, and are served-up in generous portions. The burger wrapped inside a sopaipilla is another specialty, as are the chimichangas packed with beef. As always with New Mexican cuisine, diners will be asked if they would like their dish with red or green chile (or Christmas); the sauces are both pork-based here, so vegetarians will want to skip them and ask for roasted green simply chopped instead. The charming restaurant occupies a late 19th-century Territorial-style adobe house. If there's a wait, enjoy a Negro Modelo (with lime, please) at the pleasant bar.

This traditional adobe eatery features New Mexican--style family recipes, which happily feed streams of hungry tourists. Locals, too, are drawn here, especially for the alfresco dining in the lovely courtyard (and in the mosaic-bedazzled great room looking out to it), amid trellises of sweet grapes and flowers, and further enhanced by the occasional accompaniment of a classical and flamenco guitarist. Buttery guacamole, with just a bit of bite, is the perfect appetizer to prep one's palate for the tender carne asada main. Try the house specialty, chile rellenos stuffed with pork and cheese, or a portobello-and-bell-pepper fajita. Traditional desserts and hearty breakfast choices are also offered.

A staple in the city, each outpost of this locally owned order-at-the-counter-first café suits its neighborhood (some have patios and allow pets). At the original spot here in Nob Hill, the university crowd digs into a creative mix of American and New Mexican dishes (plus several types of wine and beer). Options include rosemary chicken with couscous risotto, a tossed Cobb salad with tangy tomatillo dressing, a green-chile loaded turkey-and-Jack cheese on toasted sourdough, and an egg- and chile-packed "graburrito." Count on a tempting array of desserts, from a bite-size salted caramel blondie to a Nike-sized coffee-cream-filled éclair.

This definitive student hangout—it's directly across from UNM and has been since 1971—is open seven days from 5 am until late, and hits the spot for inexpensive diner-style American and New Mexican chow. A notch up from a fast-food joint, the chile's good (vegetarian and non), the breakfast burritos are fine (the burgers are, too), and who can resist a hot, melty oversize Frontier cinnamon sweet roll? The sprawling space features some oddly eye-catching John Wayne and Elvis artwork that has been there since the start.

Tucked between Old Town and the Wells Park neighborhood, this aromatic, down-home-style bakery opens early but is especially well known for two things: its hearty green-chile bread and its hand-tossed (thin-crust) pizzas made with blue corn, peasant, or green-chile dough. You can also order hot cocoa, cappuccino, an award-winning local IPA or lager (or wine), some biscochitos (the official state cookie), fruit-filled empanadas, sandwiches, and a popular coffee milkshake. Take out or dine in (perhaps on the pet-friendly patio).

A local standby for any meal, the Range Café has a high comfort quotient with hearty dishes like their blue corn or fresh spinach enchiladas with black beans and arroz verde, biscuits and gravy, burgers, and the generously plated salmon-berry salad. Breakfast, served until 3 pm, has fans for its house-made green-chile turkey sausage and huevos rancheros. The food is fresh and well made, with dessert options heavy on pie and cakes. The Old Town–area outpost (like its other locations around town) takes its cues from the still-supreme Bernalillo original, with road trip–inspired decor, local art, and comfy booths.

A coolly modern glass-framed dining spot across from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Sixty-Six Acres serves up satisfying locally sourced dishes that riff freely on New Mexican and Asian traditions. The generous bowls, grilled sandwiches, and salads here—from green-chile cheeseburgers to Korean chicken bites to salmon and Himalayan rice and farro with fresh spinach salad—are flavorful, often gluten-free, and make vegetarian dining easy. A sweet patio with a sweeping Sandia Mountains view, a bar featuring local craft beers, and a casual, welcoming atmosphere complement your experience here—another winning inspiration from local dining force, Myra Ghattas (Slate Street Café).

A stack-up of mural-painted shipping containers houses a Santa Fe Brewing Co. taproom, an arcade, and a changing set of Albuquerque-based food vendors (Guava Tree Cafe's warm-pressed Caribbean sandwiches, Cake Fetish, and Amore pizza are some highlights). But it's really about the views and indoor-outdoor hangout nooks here. The outdoor spaces are especially refreshing; the view over the desert west oddly enough trumps the mountain view to the east.

Excellent, authentic Vietnamese food is served up in this compact, modern, bamboo-accented restaurant (once inside, it's easy to ignore the fact that it's within one of Albuquerque's ubiquitous strip malls). Consider the popular pho variations, order the tofu (or chicken or shrimp) spring rolls with tangy peanut sauce, dig into the spicy lemongrass with chicken, and all will be well.

Salads are the thing at Vinaigrette, just as they are at owner Erin Wade's popular original outpost in Santa Fe. Fresh, local greens are featured, but heartier add-ons (from seared tuna and panko-crusted goat cheese to hibiscus-cured duck confit and flank steak) will satisfy the hungriest in your party. Soups and a sweet range of desserts, as well as a brief but well-selected wine list, round out the menu. The industrial-style ceiling lends an airy feel—the place brims with natural light—but the unmuffled acoustics that result can make conversation a challenge.