Richie B’s – Albuquerque, New Mexico

If you’ve ever wondered why New Yorkers fold their pizza slices in half lengthwise (aka the “fold hold”) and if you’ve ever attributed that practice to Big Apple quirkiness, you owe it to yourself to visit Richie B’s, a New York-style pizzeria on Montgomery and Louisiana. Now, the Albuquerque metropolitan area has plenty of claimants to New York-style pizza, but can you name a single one in which you’ve actually HAD to utilize the fold hold to eat a slice? New Yorkers have mastered the fold hold because true New York-style pizza is thin-crusted and cut into wide slices (usually wider than your face) which taper down to a perfectly pointed (and invariably “floppy”) bottom.

I’ve seen friends and colleagues employ the fold hold simply to double the amount of pizza they can consume in one bite (then wonder why they finished off their pizza twice as fast). I’ve also seen them utilize “The Travolta” method—layering one slice on top of another and eating both simultaneously—again, to double the amount of pizza in each bite. I’ve also seen the more “civilized” (or haughty) among us (Former New York City Mayor di Blasio should have been impeached for doing so) use knives and forks on a slice; they’ve obviously forgotten or don’t care that God intended for pizza to be a finger food. NOTE: If you’re not acquainted with “The Travolta” method, you may not have been paying close attention to the opening sequence of Saturday Night Fever.

At Richie B’s, each slice is so large and so wide that the holding and eating method which makes most sense is the fold hold. It’s not only the best way to trap the prodigious toppings, gooey cheese and dripping sauce within its crusty confines, it’s also the only way to avoid the mess made by an overloaded pizza on a thin-crusted slice. At Richie B’s, the slices are very thin, very wide and very overloaded. That’s especially true of the aptly named Monster Slice, a beauteous behemoth topped with the ingredients of your choice.  Social media has made the Monster Slice famous.  So has a phalanx of XY-chromosome blessed guests who like to prove their manliness to eat more than some developing nations.

It’s humanly impossible to pick up, hold and consume the Monster Slice unless you actually fold it in half lengthwise. For one thing, the only triangle-shaped man-made object that’s larger is the Great Pyramid of Giza.  If you doubt the veracity of my contention, make sure to check out the photos of the Monster.  A “life-sized” photo is shared on the west wall by the counter where you place your order.  Some of the napkin caddies include photos of hapless diners attempting to munch down on a Monster slice.   Because of the length and width of each slice coupled with the generosity of ingredients piled on, physical laws dictate that each foldable slice flops, not unlike a fish out of water. This is the antithesis of the ironing board stiff pizza crust that won’t buckle under a ten-pound weight. Not even the cornicione, an Italian term for the “lip” or puffy outer edge of the pizza, is stiff.

We’ve established that Richie B’s pizza is long, wide and floppy. That’s a given for many New York-style pizzas. “How does it taste?” you ask. Ann Marie Allen, who first called me out on Zomato and recommended I get myself “over here pronto and review this place” says it’s “fantastic and the best pizza I’ve ever had!” Similar rousing endorsements adorn both Zomato and Yelp. My preliminary assessment is that this is a very good pizza, but it’ll take a few more slices to gauge its nuances. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

As for its authenticity, Richie B’s is true New York by way of Dothan, Alabama brought to you by an Albuquerque native. That would be Preston Smith who was working as a contractor at Fort Rucker, Alabama near Dothan where he discovered the original Richie B’s and “the best pizza I’ve ever tasted.” He also struck up a friendship with the owner, an entrepreneur-showman whose career path included a ten-year stint portraying Conan the Barbarian at Universal Studios. Before moving back to Albuquerque, Preston purchased the naming rights and recipes. The rest, as the proverbial “they” say, is history.

In the summer of 2019, Chuck Ruiz took over Richie B’s.  To say he’s passionate about pizza is an understatement. To say he’s got a creative bent is even more so.  In addition to the Monster Slice, shortly after he took over, Chuck introduced the “Thanksgiving Pizza.”  Picture a slice or five topped with lumps of mashed potatoes, roasted turkey, stuffing…even gravy.  Some say it’s the best thing to happen to happen to Thanksgiving leftovers.  Similarly, potatophiles appreciate when a loaded potato pizza is a Richie B’s special.

Richie B’s menu lists ten custom pies available in 12-, 18- and 25-inch sizes. Also available are three twelve-inch sub sandwiches:  Philly Cheesesteak, Veggie, Meatball. The real standout is a Philly cheesesteak. Also on hand are a garden house salad and a number of sides (including whole garlic pickles and stuffed cherry peppers) as well as cannoli and New York-style cheesecake. Although not expressly stated on the menu, Hatch green chile (from the Young Guns folks) can be added to virtually anything else on the menu.

12 June 2015: You won’t find a Green Chile Philly at Richie B’s, but you can certainly request chile on the restaurant’s twelve-inch Philly Cheesesteak (grilled top sirloin, onions, mushrooms and sweet peppers topped with mozzarella and Provolone cheese served with a side of Viper Sauce). It’s a very good sandwich bringing together ingredients meant to be together.  In its annual Food & Wine issue for 2018, Albuquerque The Magazine awarded Richie B’s a Hot Plate Award signifying the selection of its Philly Cheesesteak as one of the “delectable treats that are must-haves for any foodies.” Considering the thousands of potential selections, to be singled out is quite an honor. The Viper sauce, while more than interesting, is wholly unnecessary. It’s an excellent dip for the onion rings, one portion of which will serve a family.

17 December 2025: A few years ago, Chuck Ruiz and his gang of mad scientist pizzaioli (professional pizza makers) conceived of another unique pizza offering: the tamale-crust pizza.  This unique pie is offered as a counter to winter’s cruel bite.  It starts with fresh masa from La Mexicana  Tortilla Company, which is spread onto the dough.  The doughy canvas is topped with homemade red chile pork before the dough is rolled over to form the crust.  According to Ruiz, the masa finishes in the crust during the baking process which means you have tamale on the inside.  Garlic butter is added to add even more flavor.   Customers can choose their toppings, such as pepperoni or green chile, before the pie is baked.

On December 12, 2025, KOAT’s pulchritudinous weekend anchor Sasha Lenninger aired a segment dedicated to the tamale-crust pizza.  Frankly, Sasha could recommend drink straws covered in marinara and most of Albuquerque’s red-blooded men would run to Richie B’s to try that anamalous creation. The day after her segment aired Richie B’s sold out of the tamale-crust pizza. On the day my Kim and I visited, Kim was the only woman on the premises. All but one guest ordered the tamale-crust pizza. Trust me, this isn’t just a novelty pizza. It’s quite good, especially if you order it with green chile and pepperoni. There’s real bite on both the green chile and the accompanying red chile dip.

Richie B’s is located at Louisiana Plaza in a storefront that’s somewhat obfuscated from both Montgomery and Louisiana, but Duke City pizza paramours–especially those of us with an adventurous bent–will return in droves for a pizza they’ll have to employ the fold hold to eat.

Richie B’s
7200 Montgomery Blvd, N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 312-8579
Web Site | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 17 December 2025
1st VISIT: 8 June 2015
# OF VISITS: 5
RATING: 19
COST: $$
BEST BET: The Supreme, Green Chile Philly, Onion Rings, Italian Sub, Tamale Pizza