The Hatch green chile dominates the flavors of Mexican food in New Mexico, and that’s a good thing. It gives a characteristic taste to traditional Mexican food that you just can’t find anywhere else. The top-rated Mexican restaurants in the state will be among the best you’ve ever had. Dis-cover true Mexican flavor right here in the Land of Enchantment.
This is not just a Mexican restaurant, it’s a destination in and of itself. It’s billed as the “largest single restaurant in the state” with seating for more than 1,000. But how’s the food? Muy bueno! They’re famous for their green chile sauce which they bottle and sell. It’s used in the specialties of the house: green chile stew, biscuit gravy, chicken chowder, crab cakes and corn cakes. Eve-rything is made from scratch daily with local vegetables, including fresh roasted Hatch green chiles. Vegetarian and gluten free menu items available.
Locals know to get here early on the weekends for eggs benedict, not traditionally Mexican but the creamy Hollandaise sauce is spot on. What is traditional are the huevos rancheros, the break-fast burrito smothered in red and green chile sauce, the pollo escondido with tomatillo sauce and the salsa and chips, sprinkled with red pepper.
For more than 50 years the Gallegos family has been serving the local community great Mexican food. Fresh made salsa and red and green chile sauces get started first thing in the morning. This is a menu filled with customary Mexican fare: chile relleños, chile con carne, tostadas, fajitas, tacos, flautas, enchiladas, burritos, chimichangas, gorditas and light, fluffy, sweet sopapillas. Good, honest food, great prices and a local family focused on community are what make this res-taurant worth a visit.
This small, homey restaurant makes food just the way your abuela might have. It’s comfort food Mexican-style. The chorizo egg and potato burrito smothered in green chile is the hot item at breakfast. Lunch and dinner covers some of the other classic favorites like carne adovada and carnitas, a red and green chile plate and combination plates that offer the choice of tacos, tama-les, enchiladas and flautas. Open all day. Look for the water tower when you come into town. You’ll find this quaint place across the street.
Word around town is that the mini street tacos, small handmade tortillas served with a variety of meats, fresh salsa and cilantro, are off the charts good. If you’ve never tried huarache, fried masa topped with green or red salsa, onions, potato, cilantro and a choice of meats, do so here. It’s ex-ceptional. If you’re hungry, get the California burrito Christmas style. You can’t go wrong with the pork chile verde or the chicken enchilada verde. All-in-all, authentic Mexican food done real-ly well.
Chips, salsa and queso made Jalisco-style. Actually, everything is made Jalisco-style which means if you like hot and spicy food this is the place for you. The red posole, made on weekends, will clear your sinuses. If that’s too much, opt for the white. Many diners judge a Mexican restaurant on its chile relleños. This one, a tender, cheese stuffed pepper covered in green chile sauce gets, an A-plus. Don’t miss the Wednesday specials.
If you blink as you’re driving by you might miss this small restaurant. Don’t. Blink that is. You know the adage, good things come in small packages. That defines this quaint seven-table restau-rant. The made from scratch Hatch green chile, on anything they serve here, kicks the whole meal up a notch. If you’re there for breakfast, get the huevos rancheros with red chile sauce or the chorizo scramble with hash browns.
This is the place to eat tamales. They’re 100 percent handmade done the original way, with an old-fashioned family recipe. What you’ll find inside the soft, pliable corn husks is a light, airy masa combined with a hefty, thick filling. Whether you get the red chile pork, green chile chick-en, green chile cheese or green chile veggie, each one is a steamin’ Mexican marvel. Lots of other tempting choices, but this is the place for tamales. Buy one, by the half-dozen or by the dozen. They’ll ship them to you, too!
Meet, perhaps, your first guacamole expert here. Order this avocado appetizer and an expert will come make it right at your table. It doesn’t get much fresher than that. All the best loved Mexi-can specialties are served. Not to be missed is the traditional menudo and chile relleño. Also, the restaurant is home to the popular Taco Tuesday night—no limit, all you can eat beef tacos. Re-freshing mixed drinks, a good selection of beer and wine and bright, colorful aguas frescas that are made daily add to the night-out fun this place is known for.