Eric See is the chef-owner of Ursula, a New Mexican café in Brooklyn. He’s also one of BA’s Heads of the Table recipients for 2021 and an Albuquerque native. We couldn’t think of anyone better than See to guide us through a food-packed day of eating through this high desert culinary gem.
New Mexico is the self-proclaimed Land of Enchantment, but growing up here we called it the Land of Entrapment—we wanted to escape the little-town feel of Albuquerque. Now that I live in Brooklyn, I can never wait to go back. For folks visiting for the first time, or those of us who return, the idea of entrapment takes on a much more magical meaning: Albuquerque’s serene beauty ensnares you in such a way that you want to stay forever.
This is one of the longest continually inhabited places in the Americas, and one of the oldest colonized regions in the nation. Its history is the amalgamation of thousands of years of Indigenous land stewardship, combined with the nearly 500 years it spent suffused with Spanish, Mexican, and, of course, now, American influences.
Through this combination of Mesoamerican, European, Pueblo, and American traditions, the state has developed a very specific and hyper-regional cultural and culinary identity. There is a dialect of Spanish spoken here that you won’t hear anywhere else in the world, along with 23 Indigenous Native communities or tribes: the 19 Pueblos, the Navajo Nation, and three bands of Apache tribes. My own family’s roots go back further than 400 years in the state.
The food in New Mexico, and Albuquerque specifically, is a representation of this history. In addition to the introduction of wheat and domesticated livestock to the Southwest, ingredients like safflower, a cheaper substitute for saffron, as well as anise seeds and citrus, arrived by way of Spain. The famous Hatch chile peppers we now associate with the region are ancestors of peppers cultivated by ancient Mesoamerican communities around 6,000 years ago, before they found their way north and were enjoyed by Pueblo inhabitants. The most notable elements of the food in New Mexico came by way of the American agricultural revolution, as dairy and cattle became two of the state’s largest industries. Cheddar cheese and ground beef, not typically seen as often in the cooking of our neighbors south of the border, are culinary cornerstones in this sunny city.
If you’re visiting New Mexico by air, you’ll land in Albuquerque, the state’s biggest city. Most visitors overlook this high desert gem, favoring its mountainous and picturesque northern neighbors of Santa Fe and Taos. But when it comes to sights and restaurants worth visiting, Albuquerque has a lot to experience. Don’t miss out on all that my very cute, quirky, and historical hometown has to offer.
The Essentials
- The best place to stay is… Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm. It’s a lavender farm tucked into the Rio Grande Valley, with alpacas, peacocks and beehives, and a stunning view of the Sandia Mountains. One of my favorite Albuquerque restaurants, Campo, is onsite, and recently opened a new cocktail bar in downtown Albuquerque called Town and Ranch.
- Don’t forget to pack… Layers and outdoor clothing. As a high desert city, the temperature fluctuates quite a bit when the sun goes down—but you should still plan to spend as much time outdoors as possible.
- Don’t leave town without… Piñon candy from Buffett’s, a family-owned candy store known for their caramels and toffee, New Mexican chile, and traditional Pueblo jewelry and pottery. Make sure you are buying crafts from a seller that directly supports Indigenous artists, like at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, or directly from the artists when they set up blankets to vend in Old Town.
Unrivaled breakfast burritos and inventive pastries
While burritos themselves were not birthed in New Mexico, the breakfast burrito is said to have originated in Santa Fe in 1975, at a restaurant called Tia Sophia’s (210 W San Francisco St). They’re now a staple across the state, and you can find them in steam tables at grocery stores, at most coffee shops, and at any New Mexican restaurant. Frontier Restaurant (2400 Central Ave SE), across from the University of New Mexico, has one of the best versions. The restaurant is over 50 years old and nearly all of its charm has been preserved. When I was in college, it was open 24 hours, and it was the after-hours hot-spot when the bars closed. They aren’t a 24-hour operation anymore, but do still make their tortillas in-house—on full view, to the far left of the counter where you order. Their most famous burrito consists of a freshly made tortilla wrapped around ground beef, green chile, and beans, before being smothered with green chile stew and shredded cheddar cheese.
After breakfast, take a short drive to the Burque Bakehouse (640 Broadway Blvd SE). The former pastry chef of Los Poblanos, Sarah Ciccotello, first started selling green chile croissants and French-style pastries at the farmers market years ago. I’ve been following her work ever since I first tried one of her cannelés. With Burque, she now has a brick-and-mortar location where you can get the city’s most beautiful and inventive pastries and breads, like elotes or carne adovada danishes.
Visit an important cultural institution
While you’re here, it’s worth making a visit to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (2401 12th St NW). It sits on the mostly razed original site of the Albuquerque Indian School, a boarding school that was in operation all the way until the 1980s. These schools were built with the intent of erasing indigeneity from native youth, forcing them to assimilate into American culture. Knowing this history makes the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center an even more special place; it’s operated by the 19 sovereign Pueblos of New Mexico, and is dedicated to the preservation of, and advocacy for, Indigenous Pueblo culture. Unlike some historical museums and exhibits, it takes a critical look at the effects of colonialism on native people. There’s a cafe inside that serves traditional foods, and a gift shop where you can directly support Indigenous artisans.
For lunch, glorious chicharrones or red chile enchiladas
One of the most underrated ingredients in New Mexican cuisine is chicharron, crisp-yet-chewy bits of pork belly that have been slow-cooked in their own fat. My nana used to have a still-warm plate of them on the table whenever she took care of us after school. My need for them was insatiable, and while most of the burrito acclaim in New Mexico is centered around breakfast, my favorite burrito in Albuquerque comes from Perico’s (multiple locations), a local fast-casual chain known for their tacos and tamales. Here, you can also find the most wonderful combination of refried pinto beans, melted cheese, red chile and meaty, rich chicharron wrapped in a soft flour tortilla. If you are feeling extra hungry, or pork belly isn’t your thing, try a stuffed sopaipilla, consisting of a savory fried bread stuffed with beans, chile, and meat, and smothered with more chile, shredded lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese. It’s a New Mexican specialty, and one I now serve at my own cafe, Ursula, in Brooklyn.
I never skip town without a visit to Duran Central Pharmacy (1815 Central Ave NW). Tucked away in a family-owned pharmacy and gift shop that’s been in business since the ’40s is a soda shop-style diner. It's the kind of place where the same outspoken cast of waiters have been working for the last 25 years, and expressively chew their gum while taking your order. I came out to my mother over a plate of enchiladas here 18 years ago, and a waitress stepped in midway through to ask if I’d like a straw. The menu is very small, but they serve my favorite red chile in town. I’ve had the same order here since day one: red chile and cheese enchiladas, with potatoes instead of beans. If I’m feeling frisky, I get a fried egg on top. I also always order a fresh tortilla with butter. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures, and can’t be missed.
Settle in at a craft brewery or take a hike
For a city its size, Albuquerque has a staggeringly high number of hair salons, corporate chain restaurants, and microbreweries. Fortunately, this city does beer very well. The crown jewel is the craft brewery Bow & Arrow (608 McKnight Ave NW). They have some really unique seasonal brews, and it’s the first Indigenous woman-owned brewery in the country. Their beers integrate native herbs and plants from the surrounding high desert whenever possible, as well as yeast cultivated from fruit and lavender just a stone’s throw away.
If you aren’t in the mood for day drinking, Albuquerque is an incredible place to be outside and take in the sights. The city itself lies in the Rio Grande Valley; it’s flanked by a dormant string of volcanoes and a very arid mesa to the west, and the tail end of the Rocky Mountains to the northeast. If you travel east, you can get some of the most incredible views of the city. And if you’re really lucky, you’ll witness a lightning storm that illuminates the sky over the city. I like to drive to La Luz Trail, a relatively easy hike from the foothills of the mountain—for serious hikers, more intensive trails are available. Once on the trail, you can see a never-ending expanse of sky.
Steak for two or a modern New Mexican dinner
When I was 19, I was fired for the only time in my life, from Applebee’s. It ended up being one of the most important moments of my career because I found my way to my first fine dining job at Antiquity Restaurant (112 Romero St NW). It was this job that sent me down a career path in food 20 years ago. Antiquity is the only restaurant I know of in the city where you can get a charcoal-grilled steak. The husband-and-wife owners Steve and Amy haven’t changed the tenets of the menu since I worked there, and you can still get their signature steak au poivre or chateaubriand—a center-cut beef tenderloin—for two. It’s a quaint and romantic restaurant, as the name suggests.
If you’ve decided to stay at Los Poblanos, you’ll very likely want to stay on the property for dinner and eat at Campo. In a farmhouse setting, you’ll have an incredible meal of modern New Mexican favorites. Expect dishes like a housemade carrot cavatelli in green chile cream sauce, and a grilled beef ribeye with salsa macha. The beef is sourced from the Native American Beef program, which works with longstanding ranches to raise cattle on Native American land.
A nightcap at a queer landmark club
When it comes to Albuquerque nightlife, I like to stick to old faithfuls. While most of the queer spots that I grew up with are long gone, the city’s longest-standing LGBTQ+ landmark remains: Albuquerque Social Club (4021 Central Ave NE). Recently resurrected from an impending pandemic closure, it has been a hallmark of queer life in Albuquerque since the ’80s and is a come-as-you-are kind of place. It’s a fun way to unwind, and the people are always nice. It’s special.