“Sing a song of sixpence
A pocketful of rye
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.”
One interpretation of this English child’s 16th Century nursery rhyme posits that it was written about entremet, an Old French term referring to dishes served between courses of a meal. “Dishes” had a very figurative meaning and could represent anything from edible scenic displays to foods designed to amuse or surprise. One of the more popular amusements was to place live birds in a pie. An Italian cookbook from 1549 (translated into English in 1598) actually contained such a recipe: “To make pies so that birds may be alive in them and fly out when it is cut up“.
I didn’t actually ponder whether or not the pulchritudinous pastries at the Blackbird Coffee House were stuffed with blackbirds, but the notion of entremet did come to mind. Sadly, when many of us contemplate amusement between or during courses of a meal, it’s the sophomoric practice of a food fight that comes to mind. That, and maybe filling donuts with mayonnaise or substituting the cream filling in an Oreo with toothpaste. Obviously when it comes to food pranks and amusement, Americans fall woefully short compared to French and Italian food hijinks.
Blackbirds transcend culture and distance as symbols in spirituality, legend, mythology and nursery rhyme. In Navajo mythology, blackbirds–including crows and ravens–are seen as messengers and guides, and are linked to a vital resource, and to the underworld. Druid legend has it that listening to a singing blackbird transfers you to the otherworld or a higher place of existence. Celtic belief is that if you place blackbird feathers under someone’s pillow they will tell you their innermost secrets. In Japanese folklore, blackbirds are connected to the idea of guiding souls to the afterlife, which could be interpreted as a positive or negative omen depending on the specific belief. Similar beliefs and traditions exist across the globe.
Albuquerque’s Blackbird Coffee House does not celebrate the ubiquitous blackbird in poem or prose, but the intimate space does festoon its walls with colorful art depicting the Turdus Merula (yes, that’s its actually Latin binomial). There’s so much to see at what may well be the Duke City’s most picturesque artisan coffee house. The Blackbird Coffee House is indisputably one of the city’s best coffee houses…and when it comes to coffee, denizens of the Duke City know of what they speak. Travel & Leisure ranks it among the best coffee cities in the country.
The Blackbird Coffee House is recessed from San Felipe and the merchants who have hawked their wares on adjacent sidewalks for generations. It’s ensconced in an adobe-style building preceded by a historic Old Town courtyard. You’ll want to take in the beautiful flowers, towering shade trees, water well and sumptuous shrubbery as well as all the shops lining the brick walkway. Immediately upon entering the comfy confines of the coffee house, you’re greeted by a pastry case replete with temptation. Although the Blackbird has plenty of comfortable seating, the patio beckons for al fresco dining.
Joining me on my inaugural visit to the Blackbird Coffee House was the brilliant writer Tom Neiman whose delightful podcast “Mañana Cafe” can be found on your favorite podcast app (make sure you subscribe). In weekly episodes, Tom and his friend Jim Tritten have shared their insights on about 150 restaurants in the Albuquerque area. Their format is simple and you don’t have to wade through half-a-million words (hint to self) to find out what they think of a particular restaurant. Each podcast includes video and is about five minutes long. Tom and I had made several efforts to get together before agreeing on the Blackbird Coffee House which neither of us had previously visited.
Welcoming us was the delightful Kelsey who’s been at the Blackbird since shortly after its 2018 launch. Kelsey is ambassadorial in her enthusiasm for the Blackbird’s coffee, gleefully offering recommendations to newcomers. As is my penchant during an inaugural visit to any coffee shop, I sought out a coffee offering similar to Cafe Bella’s red chile mocha, an elixir to which I was once inextricably addicted–to the point that it raised my blood sugar levels. Many coffee shops in the Duke City area have an offering similar to the red chile mocha, but only at Tempe’s Black Rock Coffee have we found any coffee nearly as good.
7 July 2025: Fittingly Blackbird’s version is called “Blackbird” (espresso, dark chocolate, red chile and milk). Kelsey assured me the Blackbird wouldn’t be nearly as sweet as other similar coffee offerings. The difference, she shared, is the dark chocolate. Indeed, the dark chocolate did offer just a hint of sweetness and it paired exceptionally well with the red chile. It brought to mind the fifty (yes, fifty) cups of hot chocolate the emporer Montezuma drank every day. He added red chile to that hot chocolate, but none of the sugar that can make some coffee and milk chocolate cloying.
7 July 2025: Kelsey’s most enthusiastic recommendation, her very favorite cup of coffee at Blackbird’s is the curiously named Bison (espresso, buttered toffee, sea salt and milk). Even without red chile, it was one of the best cups of coffee to ever cross my lips. The combination of buttered toffee and sea salt is magical. This is a swoon-worthy cup masterfully poured with latte art as good as some of the art sold in nearby galleries and stores. Tom had two cups of this outstanding cup of coffee.
1 August 2025: It’s not all about coffee at the Blackbird Coffee House. There’s also a “Treats and Eats” menu that showcases a number of savory and sweet pastries, all made daily to ensure freshness. The variety of pastry deliciousness changes every day. Savory treats include quiche, breakfast burritos and savory croissants while sweet treats may include donuts, chocolate croissants, scones and cinnamon rolls. Gluten-free options are available for both savory and sweet pastries. During my first two visits, the breakfast burritos had already been spoken for by the time I decided I really needed to start my day with one.
One of the most surprising pastry options on the (occasional) menu is the carne adovada croissant. The croissant is buttery and flaky, but substantial enough to hold in a generous amount of carne adovada and cheese. Carne adovada isn’t usually a very piquant New Mexican offering, but this one is…and regular readers know how much I love hot coffee with even hotter chile. This croissant is proof that carne adovada isn’t just for burritos any more. At the other end of the sweet-savory spectrum is the orange scone which is actually endowed with the orange flavors. It’s surprisingly light despite being rather dense. Moreover, it’s delicious.
Handcrafted coffee from Old Town’s Blackbird Coffee House is reason enough for locals to frequent this historical district. Visiting with Kelsey and enjoying one of the best patios in town is another.
Blackbird Coffee House
206 San Felipe, N.W.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 944-6789
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 1 August 2025
1st VISIT: 7 July 2025
# OF VISITS: 2
RATING: 23
COST: $$
BEST BET: The Blackbird, The Bison, Carne Adovada Croissant, Orange Scone
REVIEW #1477