Dining in New Mexico means so much more than partaking of outstanding chile and incomparable New Mexican food. Many restaurants in several genres throughout the land of enchantment have received national acclaim. We’ve been fortunate to have visited many of those and while some didn’t make much of an impression, other nondescript restaurants with little acclaim blew us away. On the list below, I rank (by rating then alphabetical order) my very favorite restaurants in New Mexico. For a review of my rating system, please click here. By clicking on the name of the restaurant for which you wish to know my opinion, you will be magically transported directly to my review of that restaurant.
| Restaurant | Type | Rating |
| Forghedaboudit (Las Cruces) |
Italian |
27 |
| Mary & Tito’s (Albuquerque) | New Mexican | 27 |
| Chope’s (La Mesa) | New Mexican | 26 |
| Geronimo (Santa Fe) | Fine Dining | 26 |
| Blades’s Bistro (Placitas) | Fine Dining | 25 |
| Budai Gourmet Chinese (Albuquerque) | Chinese | 25 |
| Cafe Dalat (Albuquerque) | Vietnamese | 25 |
| Jambo Cafe (Santa Fe) | African | 25 |
| Joe’s Pasta House (Rio Rancho) | Italian | 25 |
| La Boca (Santa Fe) | Spanish | 25 |
| Luminaria (Santa Fe) | Fine Dining | 25 |
| Saigon City (Albuquerque) | Vietnamese | 25 |
| Artichoke Cafe (Albuquerque) | Fine Dining | 24 |
| Burrito Lady (Albuquerque) | New Mexican | 24 |
| Cafe Pasqual (Santa Fe) | Southwestern | 24 |
| Campo at Los Poblanos (Albuquerque) |
Fine Dining |
24 |
| Golden Crown Panaderia (Albuquerque) | Bakery | 24 |
| Kakawa Chocolate House (Santa Fe) | Chocolate | 24 |
| La Choza Restaurant (Santa Fe) | New Mexican | 24 |
| La Guelaguetza (Albuquerque) |
Mexican (Oaxacan) |
24 |
| Los Potrillos (Santa Fe) | Mexican | 24 |
| M’Tucci’s Italian Restaurant (Albuquerque) | Italian | 24 |
| Namaste Restaurant (Rio Rancho) | Indian | 24 |
| Pollito Con Papas (Albuquerque) |
Peruvian |
24 |
| Alqud’s Mediterranean Grill & Grocery (Albuquerque) | Mediterranean | 24 |
| Seasons Rotisserie & Grill (Albuquerque) | Fine Dining | 24 |
| The Shed (Santa Fe) | New Mexican | 24 |
| Sparky’s Espresso, Burgers & Barbecue (Hatch) | Burgers/Barbecue | 24 |
| Sugar Nymph’s Bistro (Peñasco) | American | 24 |
| Sugar’s BBQ & Burgers (Embudo) | Burgers/Barbecue | 24 |
| Talking Drums (Albuquerque) | African/Caribbean | 24 |
| Teofilo’s Restaurante (Los Lunas) | New Mexican | 24 |
Gil,
We love your blog! We are surprised though that you have never reviewed Antiquity. The place is so wonderful. Post COVID, you should go and get the Chateaubriand. You would both love it!
Ben and Steve
Sandia Park
Yo Ben…Thanks for beating that dead horse once again that I’ve whined and cajoled about on several occasions. Obviously, there is some deeply buried quirk within Gil’s soul that eludes attempts to get him into Antiquity. I mean seriously, trying to go outside the ‘realm’ https://tinyurl.com/yxahc4h8 did not budge him.
Elsewise, I must admit that I have not tried The Chateaubriand per being stuck on The Henry IV…a Classic. Picture a chunk of tender and moist, medium Filet (as being a King) seated on a bed of splayed artichoke leaves and then ‘crowned’ with the heart of the artichoke while Bearnaise is drizzled atop it all as a royal cape!?
Indeed, the annihilation/decimation (are they OK to say?) of Covid will be so welcomed to be able to dine-in.
PS Things have not always been faultless. Several years ago, one daughter refused to go for ‘an occasion’ as it rattled her that they did not always keep their plastic plantings properly dusted!
“Chow!”
Well Gil I see you never venture much to southern NM. If you did you’d realize that Forghedaboudit Authentic Italian restaurant brings truly amazing New York cuisine to NM. If anyone by chance would read our reviews on TripAdvisor or Yelp you’d be blown away with reviews from customers who live all across this nation. To experience Forghedaboudit is a must. National chicken wing winner and international pizza competitor in Las Vegas are a few accolades. A hidden gem is an understatement when reading the diverse menu. From frutti demare, traditional carbonara and spicy sausage parms Forghedaboudit isn’t just amazing pizza and wings. It’s in your face flavor and uniquely seasoned dishes do not disappoint. So start your journey and reserve your table today. Reservations’s only on Friday night!!!!
Gil!
538, notable for baseball and political predictions, has gone on a nationwide search for the best burrito. Problem: they don’t know anything about New Mexican food, and certainly not about New Mexican restaurants that aren’t already well known on Yelp.
You should see the site —
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/western-states-are-a-new-frontier-in-the-search-for-americas-best-burrito/
David