10 Top Restaurants in Albuquerque

Published in Time Out national, on August 2, I head to Albuquerque for my list of 10 top spots to eat, new and old.

As New Mexico’s (NM) most populated city, Albuquerque marries semi-desert with one of the higher elevations of any US city, ranging from 4900 to 6700 feet and marked by the great Rio Grande river. Southwestern food is a unique mash-up of hearty rancher fare, Mexican and Native American cuisines with NM’s ever-so-important contribution of the red and green chile (dubbed “Christmas” when you order a combo of the two sauces), most notably the Hatch chile.

While the dining scene is decidedly old school and behind many a US city (the ubiquitous cocktail renaissance has yet to hit, though a beer scene is slowly emerging, while third wave coffee is limited to the likes of Humble Cofee and Prismatic), sticking with classic NM fare is where you’ll find the most hits, while the charming Old Town area keeps historic New Mexican culture alive.