{"id":141,"date":"2011-07-16T03:59:02","date_gmt":"2011-07-16T09:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=141"},"modified":"2026-04-05T14:30:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T20:30:29","slug":"el-farolito-el-rito-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=141","title":{"rendered":"El Farolito &#8211; El Rito, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<figure style=\"width: 366px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 366px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 366\/413;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"366\" height=\"413\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">El Farolito: Tiny restaurant, Huge Flavors<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">The most contentious seasonal difference of opinion between Northern and Southern New Mexico residents isn&#8217;t whether Chimayo produces better chile than Hatch (though this will forever be in dispute). The great civil debate dividing the Land of Enchantment has all to do with semantics. More specifically, it has all to do with the appropriate name for the little paper bag lanterns which house a votive candle and light the way for the Holy Family on Christmas Eve. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Misguided citizens of New Mexico&#8217;s lower half (just about anywhere south of and including Albuquerque) mistakenly call those lanterns <em>luminarias<\/em> while their more enlightened Northern brethren call them <em>farolitos<\/em>. Luminarias&#8211;stacked and crossed pi\u00f1on boughs ignited on Christmas Eve to light the Holy Family&#8217;s path to shelter&#8211;were brought to the new world from Spain, first to Mexico then to the American Southwest.\u00a0 When delicate paper lanterns made their way from China to the Southwest via Mexico, they were called <em>farolitos<\/em>, or little lanterns.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 444px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 444px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 444\/333;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito02.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"444\" height=\"333\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">El Farolito&#8217;s cramped, but cozy interior<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">No one seems to know for sure how farolitos came to be called luminarias and even a children&#8217;s book by Rudolfo Anaya, one of New Mexico&#8217;s most prolific novelists, didn&#8217;t illuminate the truth.\u00a0 His book &#8220;<a title=\"The Farolitos of Christmas\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Farolitos-Christmas-Rudolfo-Anaya\/dp\/0786800607\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>The Farolitos of Christmas<\/em><\/a>&#8221; is a fictional telling of a New Mexican girl using her ingenuity to devise the paper-bag lights as a replacement for the traditional Christmas Eve luminarias.\u00a0 Anaya, a stickler for history and tradition, is in the camp of northern New Mexicans like me who wince when the paper-bag lights are referred to as luminarias.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">El Rito&#8217;s world famous El Farolito has people from all over the world blazing a path to a one of the first Spanish settlements in Northern New Mexico in quest of some of the best New Mexican food in the state, hence, the world. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 444px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 444px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 444\/323;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito03.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"444\" height=\"323\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Salsa and Chips at El Farolito<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Who says it&#8217;s among the best? How about <em>Gourmet<\/em> magazine which featured the restaurant in a 2003 edition? Not good enough? El Farolito&#8217;s praises have also been sung loudly by Michael and Jane Stern of <a title=\"Roadfood\" href=\"http:\/\/www.roadfood.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Roadfood<\/em><\/a> fame as well as by <em>Sunset<\/em> magazine, <em>Travel &amp; Leisure<\/em> magazine, the <em>New York Times<\/em>, <em>New Mexico<\/em> magazine and in 2004 by <em>Rand McNally<\/em> which recognized it with a &#8220;Best of the Road&#8221; award, making it the only restaurant in the state to be accorded with such an honor during the year. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">My friend Lesley King, author of the wonderful &#8220;<a title=\"King of the Road\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmmagazine.com\/kingoftheroad.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">King of the Road<\/a>&#8221; columns in <a title=\"New Mexico Magazine\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmmagazine.com\/\">New Mexico Magazine<\/a> began her feature on El Rito with a confession: &#8220;<em>I&#8217;ll drive hours for good chile.\u00a0 Not that I ever have to in New Mexico where it&#8217;s almost as common as sunshine.\u00a0 But the idea is that I can, and the journey is, of course, half the fun<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 We&#8217;re quite simpatico in that sentiment.\u00a0 Many of my own explorations throughout the Land of Enchantment have started as a quest for red or green chile of some repute.\u00a0 Rarely have I been disappointed.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 444px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 444px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 444\/385;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito04.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"444\" height=\"385\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Two ala carte tacos<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">El Farolito occupies a simple adobe building that from the outside looks abandoned. In fact, if you&#8217;re even slightly exceeding the at-a-crawl speed limit of 25 miles per hour, you&#8217;ll miss the restaurant&#8217;s weathered plywood sign and will have to turn around and slow down to find the restaurant. Inside, seven picnic tables constitute El Farolito&#8217;s dining area. It&#8217;s certainly not ambiance that made this restaurant world famous. It&#8217;s the green chile which won the blue ribbon at the New Mexico state fair for three years running (1987-89) and was once named &#8220;best chile&#8221; by the International Chile Society. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">With all those impressive credentials and accolades, El Farolito has a lot to live up to, but it&#8217;s been doing so for more than four decades.\u00a0 El Farolito is listed among <a title=\"New Mexico Culinary Treasures Trail\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=8051\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New Mexico&#8217;s Culinary Treasures<\/a>, a New Mexico Tourism Department initiative to introduce tourists and locals alike to mom-and-pop restaurants which have stood the test of time to become beloved institutions in their communities and beyond.\u00a0 El Farolito was also listed&#8211;both in 2009 and in 2011&#8211;on the Tourism Department&#8217;s <a title=\"New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=6085\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail<\/a>, a listing of the Land of Enchantment&#8217;s most outstanding green chile cheeseburger restaurants, drive-ins, diners, dives, joints, cafes, roadside stands and bowling alleys.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 444px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 444\/344;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito05.jpg\" alt=\"Frito Pie, one of New Mexico's best\" width=\"444\" height=\"344\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">A green chile cheeseburger at El Farolito&#8217;s is not quite the size of a Frisbee, but it&#8217;s a handful.\u00a0 Stacked high in between two golden buns, one smeared with mustard, are crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, onions and New Mexico&#8217;s favorite fruit, green chile.\u00a0 The green chile isn&#8217;t especially piquant, but it has a nice flavor.\u00a0 It&#8217;s easy to see why so many people tread off-the-beaten-path for one of these delicious burgers.\u00a0 It&#8217;s one of the ten best green chile cheeseburgers in New Mexico, one very much reminiscent of the green chile cheeseburgers you&#8217;ll find at the annual parish fiestas in Northern New Mexico&#8217;s small villages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Though El Farolito&#8217;s reputation has been built on the flavor of its green chile, its red chile is no slouch in the flavor department.\u00a0 Ladled on generously on the restaurant&#8217;s <em>Frito pie<\/em>, the chile has a pleasant piquancy and a depth of flavor that honors its simplicity.\u00a0 This red chile isn&#8217;t adulterated by cumin or other additives.\u00a0 There&#8217;s no need for such ameliorants as you can&#8217;t improve on perfection. The Frito pie is served in a rather large bowl large enough to share or to constitute an entire meal.\u00a0 As with all New Mexican food served at El Farolito, shredded cheese is a standard and plentiful ingredient.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 444px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 444px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 444\/407;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito06.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"444\" height=\"407\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Green Chile Beans<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Similar in size, meaning meal-sized, is a bowl of <em>green chile beans<\/em> (red chile beans are also available).\u00a0 The beans are of a soupy consistency to which chunks of pork, tomatoes, shredded cheese and of course, El Farolito&#8217;s amazing green chile are added.\u00a0 More often than not, green chile beans are made with whole pinto beans.\u00a0 The difference between whole beans and soupy beans is more than textural.\u00a0 Soupy beans are more similar in flavor to refried beans than to whole beans, meaning they have a prepared with lard flavor.\u00a0 The green chile and pork chunks are plentiful and the bowl is served hot, making it a perfect elixir for a blustery day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">The <em>salsa<\/em> has a pureed texture, like a thick tomato soup.\u00a0 In fact, it&#8217;s got a similar rich red color to tomato soup.\u00a0 The salsa is just a bit runny and may run off the chips, but it&#8217;s a delicious salsa you&#8217;ll want to consume by the bowlful&#8211;make that, two or three bowls full.\u00a0 As in so many New Mexican restaurants, the salsa is the most piquant item on the menu and similar to an increasing number of restaurants, it&#8217;s not complimentary.\u00a0 Pay the pittance.\u00a0 It&#8217;s an excellent salsa.\u00a0 The chips are crisp and low in salt, formidable enough to scoop up Gil-sized portions of salsa.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 444px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 444px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 444\/274;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito07.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"444\" height=\"274\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">One of the very best green chile cheeseburgers in New Mexico and a mainstay on the New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana;\">The hard-shell <em>tacos are<\/em> thoroughly enjoyable&#8211;engorged with well seasoned beef, crisp shredded lettuce, salsa and generous amount of shredded Cheddar cheese.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana;\"> If it rankles you to pay premium entree prices at most restaurants for skinny tacos, El Farolito offers<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana;\"> ala carte tacos for a reasonable cost.\u00a0 These tacos are quite good and not just for the money.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">Some entrees such as the green chile beans and Frito pie are accompanied by <em>sopaipillas<\/em> hot off the fryer. The honey is also served hot. They&#8217;re so hot to the touch that you&#8217;ll have to let them cool off a bit before you can enjoy them.\u00a0 Tear into them and wisps of steamy flavor will escape, moreso when you pour some honey into the cavity you cut into the pillowy puffs of deliciousness.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 444px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 444px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 444\/249;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/nm\/newmexican\/Images\/ElFarolito08.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"444\" height=\"249\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Sopaipillas<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">El Farolito is a wonderful establishment respected and cherished by people who, like Lesley King and me, don&#8217;t mind driving for hours for outstanding chile and the adventure the quest for it will bring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #000000;\"><strong>El Farolito<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\">1212 Main Street<br \/>\n<strong>El Rito, New Mexico<\/strong><br \/>\n581-9501<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;\"><strong>LATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 16 July 2011<br \/>\n<strong>1st VISIT<\/strong>: 20 March 2004<br \/>\n<strong># OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2<br \/>\n<strong>RATING<\/strong>: <strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Very Good<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013\u00a0Good to very good food; generally solid; delivers consistent quality, strong technique, and a comfortable, enjoyable dining experience<br \/>\n<strong>COST<\/strong>: $<br \/>\n<strong>BEST BET<\/strong>: Green Chile Cheeseburger, Frito Pie, Green Chile Beans, Tacos, Sopaipillas, Tacos<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The most contentious seasonal difference of opinion between Northern and Southern New Mexico residents isn&#8217;t whether Chimayo produces better chile than Hatch (though this will forever be in dispute). The great civil debate dividing the Land of Enchantment has all to do with semantics. More specifically, it has all to do with the appropriate name for the little paper bag lanterns which house a votive candle and light the way for the Holy Family on Christmas Eve. Misguided citizens of New Mexico&#8217;s lower half (just about anywhere south of and including Albuquerque) mistakenly call those lanterns luminarias while their more enlightened Northern brethren call them farolitos. Luminarias&#8211;stacked and crossed pi\u00f1on boughs ignited on Christmas Eve to light the Holy Family&#8217;s&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[112,141,581,574,588,5631],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-mexican","category-new-mexico","category-new-mexico-culinary-treasures","category-new-mexico-green-chile-cheeseburger-trail","category-new-mexico-green-chile-cheeseburger-trail-2011","category-very-good"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>El Farolito - El Rito, New Mexico - Gil&#039;s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=141\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"El Farolito - El Rito, New Mexico - Gil&#039;s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The most contentious seasonal difference of opinion between Northern and Southern New Mexico residents isn&#8217;t whether Chimayo produces better chile than Hatch (though this will forever be in dispute). The great civil debate dividing the Land of Enchantment has all to do with semantics. More specifically, it has all to do with the appropriate name for the little paper bag lanterns which house a votive candle and light the way for the Holy Family on Christmas Eve. Misguided citizens of New Mexico&#8217;s lower half (just about anywhere south of and including Albuquerque) mistakenly call those lanterns luminarias while their more enlightened Northern brethren call them farolitos. Luminarias&#8211;stacked and crossed pi\u00f1on boughs ignited on Christmas Eve to light the Holy Family&#8217;s&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=141\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gil&#039;s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-07-16T09:59:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-05T20:30:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/ElFarolito06.gif\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"444\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"407\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/gif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=141#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=141\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\"},\"headline\":\"El Farolito &#8211; 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