Farm & Table is honored to be featured in Eater’s feature on the 25 Essential Albuquerque Restaurants!
Green chile cheeseburgers, Christmas chile-smothered enchiladas, and more of the best things to eat in ABQ by Justin De La Rosa Updated Jan 9, 2023, 9:01am EST
At the intersection of I-25 and I-40 (the interstate that largely replaced Route 66), Albuquerque represents a Southwestern crossroads of culture, food, art, music, and film. Commonly called the “smallest big city,” the bustling mini-metropolis of nearly 600,000 residents is more than just a pit stop in the middle of the desert. The vibe is funky, fun, and laid-back (another joking nickname is the “land of mañana”), and it can hold its own when it comes to attractions and charm.
The Duke City’s culinary appeal reaches beyond red, green, or Christmas chile-smothered enchiladas. While the whole city offers delicious bites, a stretch of Route 66 in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill neighborhood is especially exciting, quietly becoming a culinary powerhouse in its own right. Several standout corners along the area’s Central Avenue that sat vacant even before the pandemic are now buzzing with some of the best bars and restaurants that the city — and the country — has to offer. But Albuquerque’s food landscape also spans beyond Route 66, with byways branching out into the north and south valleys of the city. Wherever you find yourself in the Duke City, these are the restaurants that are blazing the trail.
Justin De La Rosa cut his teeth as a writer at Local iQ Magazine in Albuquerque where he earned a Local Hero Award for Edible’s Best Food Writer in 2014. He spent time in Denver writing for 5280 Magazine, The Denver Post, 303 Magazine, and Denver Life Magazine. Today he is a beverage manager, writer, and marketer in his hometown of Albuquerque.
Farm & Table
While the label of farm-to-table dining gets applied pretty broadly these days, Farm & Table, located on a farm in the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, is true to the practice. Owner Cherie Montoya entered the spotlight 10 years ago serving new American dishes with locally sourced touches, like a New Mexico rib-eye with radish, potatoes, eggplant, garlic, and sumac. Since then, many chefs have cut their teeth manning the burners here (including Steve Riley at Mesa Provisions and Sean Sinclair at Kin in Las Vegas, New Mexico), and Montoya has celebrated Farm & Table alumni with guest spots. While far off the beaten path of Route 66, Farm & Table has influenced the paths of many in the Albuquerque dining scene.