Explore the Flavors of Ethiopian Fare at Talking Drums Restaurant

Planning tonight’s dinner out in Albuquerque? Taste something exciting at Talking Drums Restaurant, a local favorite that features all of the most popular dishes from Ethiopia and all across Africa. Whether you’re already a fan of this style of cuisine or you’re just feeling adventurous, you’ll love the robust flavors and unique style of dining that involves eating each dish with flat, spongy injera bread instead of utensils.

Everything on the menu at Talking Drums Restaurant is served on a large platter so that you can easily scoop it up using the injera, and the most popular dishes include tender lamb served with jalapenos and onions, stewed lentils, and grilled chicken with warm tomato sauce. Regulars recommend ordering the meat or vegetarian platters in order to try a variety of dishes in one sitting, and because these are large enough for two, it also makes an affordable date night out!

Talking Drums Restaurant
1606 Central Ave SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 792-3221
www.yelp.com/biz/talking-drums-restaurant-albuquerque-2

Saggios: Grab a Slice With a Beer on the Side

If you love pizza (and really, who doesn’t?), Saggios is one of the tastiest and most unique pizzerias in town. When you first enter its doors you’ll notice the colorful murals of scenes from classic movies, as well as the vintage Mercedes Benz that serves as a soda fountain.

Order a handcrafted pie with your choice of toppings from the full-service ordering counter, or if you’re not in the mood for pizza, try one of Saggios’ hearty sandwiches, calzones, pastas or salads. Of-age guests like to enjoy beer or wine with their meals, but if you bring the kids, the decadent cheesecake is just as tasty. Whether you’re looking for a spot to go for dinner with the family or a laid-back place that can accommodate a large group, just about everyone loves Saggios.

Saggios also offers takeout and online ordering on all of its menu items.

Saggios
107 Cornell Square
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 255-5454
www.saggios.com

Monroe’s Restaurant: Feast on Mexican Fare for Less

While Monroe’s Restaurant began as a small drive-through Mexican restaurant in Old Town Albuquerque, today it is a very popular brick-and-mortar eatery with fans all across the country. The restaurant hasn’t forgotten its humble beginnings, however, and it still maintains the same relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and menu of traditional dishes made with old-fashioned recipes.

For breakfast, the restaurant offers a menu of classic Mexican and American dishes, including enchiladas and eggs served with hot coffee. For lunch, you’ll find hearty cheeseburgers and other styles of sandwiches, Monroe’s famous chili, and classic Mexican fare platters served with Spanish rice, beans, and sopapillas for one low price. There are even vegetarian dishes for guests who don’t eat meat.

Monroe’s is easy to find because of the large heart-shaped sign situated out front, and once you step inside, you’ll find a spacious dining room with lots of small tables perfect for a party of four.

Monroe’s Restaurant
6051 Osuna Road NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
(505) 881-4224
www.monroeschile.com

Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café: Everything But the Meat in Albuquerque

At Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café, you’ll find a wide variety of unique dishes that are worlds away from your standard vegetarian fare. Both vegetarians and meat eaters alike will fall in love with the bold flavors and authentic ethnic dishes at this local favorite, which has locations all across the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas.

Dine on locally grown dishes created based on the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, which is a 5,000-year-old system of healing that promotes longevity and good health through balanced foods and fresh herbs. For breakfast, Annapura’s offers warm quinoas, tofu scrambles and vegan baked goods, while the lunch and dinner menus switch over to traditional Indian specialties made without meat. You’ll find Thaali plates, saag paneer, and protein-packed dal, as well as sandwiches and wraps that you can easily eat on the go.

With affordable prices and convenient takeout ordering, it’s easy to eat healthy when you stop at Annapura’s.

Annapura’s World Vegetarian Café
2201 Silver Avenue SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 262-2424
www.chaishoppe.com

Satellite: A Locally Owned Coffee Chain in Albuquerque

Coffee, pastries, light fare, and music combine to create Satellite Coffee, a hip and trendy cafe in Albuquerque. With several locations in town from which to choose, the ambiance is always the same: laid back and casual with an '80s throwback vibe.

At this locally owned cafe, coffee beans are roasted in-house in small batches to ensure a great cup every time. Whether you prefer espresso, iced coffee, hot spiced chai, or hot cocoa, the friendly staff will whip up the right blend for you. For breakfast, the cafe serves bagels, muffins, yogurt parfaits, and a number of egg dishes. Later in the day, try the vegetarian wrap, the turkey and havarti melt, or the hummus and veggie sandwich.

Satellite's location in Nobhill is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Special events are scheduled throughout the month at all locations.

Satellite
3513 Central Avenue NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
(505) 256-0345
www.facebook.com/SatelliteCoffee
www.yelp.com/biz/satellite-coffee-albuquerque

Order From the Chalkboard Menu at The Grove Cafe & Market

The next time you’re wondering where to have lunch in Albuquerque, pop in to The Grove Cafe & Market. This European-style cafe is sparse and modern inside, with cozy wooden tables underneath the exposed beams in the dining room.

Charming chalkboard menus display the restaurant’s ever-changing menu. For breakfast, you’ll find hearty oatmeal, eggs, and a seemingly endless assortment of fresh-baked pastries, while the lunch and dinner menus offer kale salads and gourmet sandwiches that are anything but ordinary. Like any good cafe, The Grove employs skilled baristas who prepare a mean espresso that pairs perfectly with any meal. Whether you want to catch up on work or socialize over lunch with friends, you can do both at this local favorite!

The Grove is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

The Grove Cafe & Market
600 Central Avenue SE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 248-9800
www.thegrovecafemarket.com

High Finance Restaurant & Tavern: Take the Tram to Dine at 10,378 Feet

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience in Albuquerque, High Finance Restaurant is a great choice. To get to this sky-high eatery, you first have to take a tram more than 2.5 miles up through several climate zones before finally reaching the restaurant, which is situated at an elevation of 10,378 feet!

Once you reach the restaurant, with its handsome bar and wood decor, you’ll dine on gourmet burgers, New York strip steaks, and hearty pasta dishes. Look out over the incredible view as you enjoy lunch or dinner at this popular local eatery, and be sure to order a glass of wine or a stiff cocktail with your meal.

Make a reservation at High Finance at the restaurant’s convenient website. The restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

High Finance Restaurant & Tavern
40 Tramway Road NE
Albuquerque, NM 87122
(505) 243-9742
www.sandiapeakrestaurants.com/high-finance

Vinaigrette: Freshly Plucked Produce in Every Forkful

Ask an employee at Vinaigrette where the ingredients in your beautiful, colorful salad come from, and they'll have a pretty good idea. Most of the vegetables hail directly from the farm cultivated by Vinaigrette's owner Erin Wade, sprawling across 10 acres in Nambe (about 20 miles north of Santa Fe). She grows the produce organically and ships it straight to her restaurants, so that the veggies are served within hours of being plucked.

Locals can taste the difference in the high quality ingredients, particularly in the popular Nutty Pear-fessor salad. Like all of the entree salads on the list of signature dishes, it features a unique blend of sweet and savory ingredients: grilled Bosc pears, toasted pecans, bacon, and Maytag bleu cheese over a bed of greens, all tossed with ruby port vinaigrette. Try it topped with hibiscus duck confit. You can also opt for a more classic salad (think Greek or Caesar) or take a chance on one of the seasonally inspired salads, which are just as carefully prepared as the standard entrees.

Vinaigrette
1828 Central Avenue
Albuquerque, NM 87104
(505) 842-5507
www.vinaigretteonline.com
www.yelp.com/biz/vinaigrette-albuquerque-2

Order the Cubano at Guava Tree Cafe in Albuquerque

If you've yet to eat at the Guava Tree Cafe, regular diners would likely advise you to order the Cubano sandwich. Served on fresh-baked bread, tangy mustard melds with melted Swiss cheese, ham, pork, and pickles. The sandwich spends a few moments in a panini press, then joins a pile of fresh yucca fries in a serving basket lined with wax paper.

According to fans of Guava Tree Cafe, the Cubano best represents the food on offer here. After all, this Nob Hill eatery centers around Latin American fare, from the hand-shaped arepas to the made-from-scratch sweets. Speaking of sweets, you'll want to save room for dessert at Guava Tree Cafe, even if only to get acquainted with the Pastelillo de Guayaba y Queso. This Caribbean sweet encases tropical guava paste and cream cheese within its buttery, flaky layers.

Visit Guava Tree Cafe on Facebook to learn about the restaurant's specials and events.

Guava Tree Cafe
118 Richmond Drive NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 990-2599
guavatreecafe.com/gtcwp
www.yelp.com/biz/guava-tree-cafe-albuquerque-2

Taqueria El Paisa: A Hidden Gem for Mexican Fare in Albuquerque

Taqueria El Paisa may not look like much from the outside, but what it lacks in curb appeal, it more than makes up for in its kitchen. This little spot has earned a loyal patronage through authentic Mexican taqueria-style cuisine that's made to order — and at prices that are easy on the wallet.

Keeping with its humble decor, the menu sticks to the basics: tortas, burritos, gorditas, and tacos, the latter of which are served upon corn tortillas and sprinkled with chopped onions and cilantro. That said, the tacos are a real crowd-pleaser at Taqueria El Paisa, but first-time diners would be also well-advised to order the mole burrito or the gordita de chicharron. Your meal will be accompanied by a little spice, but it's nothing that can't be curbed by a sip of ice-cold agua de melon.

Taqueria El Paisa is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The eatery is cash-only, so be sure to stop by an ATM on your way over.

Taqueria El Paisa
820 Bridge Blvd. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87105
(505) 452-8997
www.facebook.com/pages/Taqueria-El-Paisa/164961693618143
www.yelp.com/biz/el-paisa-albuquerque

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