13 Best Restaurants in Albuquerque, New Mexico

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 airy, modern EDo neighborhood favorite features locally grown, seasonal specials at reasonable prices. Enjoy such fresh, quality treats as Grove Pancakes with fresh fruit, crème fraîche, local honey, and real maple syrup; a Farmers Salad with roasted golden beets, Marcona almonds, goat cheese, and lemon-basil vinaigrette; or an aged Genoa salami sandwich with olive tapenade, arugula, and provolone on artisanal sourdough bread. Order at the counter, and your meal will be whisked out to you in the light-filled main room or the arbored patio. The market sells a tempting mix of chocolates, specialty salts and mustards, a featured cookbook or two, and other culinary treats.

In an old brick Wells Park-area factory building that has a long history as an alternative art space, Kosmos is where you go for a fun beer and a very good bite. You might try the crispy beer-battered fish-and-chips or a chimichurri-sauced grilled steak sandwich (get it with their spiral Spudnik fires). Desserts, all scratch-made here, change daily. Set near the 2926 AT&SF rail spur, there’s occasional music, a patio, and a timeless lonesome-whistle feel to this special place.

A visit to Villa Myriam is always satisfying, not just for the uber-fresh coffee drinks on offer and its crisply contemporary design, but for the sense of discovery—tucked away as it is in this emerging early 20th-century warehouse area not far from the train tracks. Tasty teas and sandwiches are also served. The view from its north-facing patio often includes an expanse of salvaged neon signage: Albuquerque history in lights, these are ultimately destined for placement in a neon park just a block away, across from the old Glorieta Brewery, the distinctive red-brick edifice that towers to the west.

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.

Beautiful loaves—Old World Rye, South Valley Sourdough, Sunflower Seed Multigrain, and Rustic Baguettes—beckon at the open-kitchen storefront location of Bosque Baking. Tucked away in an historic neighborhood on the western edge of Downtown, it’s helmed by Jim Mecca, the best bread baker in town. While he also keeps a stand at the Corrales Market (on Sunday), visitors come here for great bread, empanadas (both savory and sweet), apricot scones, and perhaps a Ginger Molasses or Red Chile Chocolate Pecan cookie; in winter he’s been known to whip up batches of sublime soups as well.

A smart little walk-up with a few outdoor counter-style stools to perch on (and enough parking to tailgate, as many do), Burque Bakehouse made its name at the local growers’ markets and now focuses on this standalone shop just a few blocks south of Central Avenue in the heart of EDo. The changing menu of freshly baked breads and pastries is scooped up fast—they might shut early when the day’s goods are gone.

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.

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 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.