By Ron Stern, Travel Photojournalist
Foodie cities are now popping up everywhere. San Francisco, L.A. and New York, however, don’t have a lock on that title anymore. In the Southwest corner of America, Albuquerque is blazing a trail of its own on the culinary scene. So much so, in fact, that even the Food Network has taken notice and filmed segments about some of the city’s most eclectic eateries.
From hot and spicy New Mexican cuisine to upscale dining, here are a few of Albuquerque’s most popular dining hotspots for you to enjoy next time you visit.
Sadie’s of New Mexico started in 1965 as a 9 seat diner, Sadie’s has grown to 4 locations in Albuquerque. The family-style restaurant serves up New Mexican cuisine featuring big portions with many dishes using variations of the famed Anaheim pepper.
Corn Maiden at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa was a 2014 James Beard invitee, and feature updated Southwestern cuisine using fresh, loccaly sourced ingredients from their own on-site garden and bee farm.
The Cube BBQ is located right on the old Route 66, now Central Avenue Owner Manny Aka acquired his barbecue expertise at a young age from his grandfather while growing up in the South.
In that short time, he’s already caught the attention of the Food Network, who featured his smoked meats on one of their shows. Manny’s secret to success is his passion for real food using high quality meats and making everything from scratch.
Located at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and owned by the 19 pueblos of New Mexico, Pueblo Harvest combines traditional recipes of the past fused with contemporary tastes. Their top selling item is their blue corn crusted onion rings served with green chile ranch dressing and homemade salsa.
For more information: www.visitalbuquerque.org