GREAT places to eat in Las Vegas, New Mexico

            

"Red or Green?" ...the State Question!

            

Visitors to Las Vegas, New Mexico, usually want to try the local cuisine. New Mexican food has some unique dishes including sopapillas - a fried-dough that you douse with honey, red and green chile, green chile stew, and the best Huevos Rancheros east of the Pecos!

If you are stopping in Las Vegas, New Mexico, don't miss these wonderful restaurants:

Charlie's Spic and Span on Douglas Ave in New Town serves breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. The restaurant closes at 6 pm, so plan ahead. Try the Spanish skillet, which has eggs and papitas smothered in fresh green chile with a side of pancakes. Another great dish is the carne adovado enchiladas - spicy pork in red chile wrapped in corn tortillas and smothered in red or green chile. Charlie's makes their tortillas in the restaurant - you can watch the tortilla machine roll fresh dough, while a cook fries the tortillas on a hot grill. The service is always friendly and kind at Charlie's.

The Hillcrest on Grand Ave is a Las Vegas institution. Mayor Sanchez and his cronies eat here every weekday morning. Sit near the corner table and catch the best political gossip in town! The Hillcrest has a dish called "Hermit's Peak," a pile of hashbrowns smothered in red chile with two eggs any style and a big slice of country ham. Yummy!

Smiling Faces is new to town. Situated on the South side of town on Grand Ave, the building is covered in wild yellow happy faces. The menu is extensive, and they make the best sopapillas in town. Huge portions, too! A great family restaurant.

Estella's Cafe on Bridge Street near the historic Plaza has been serving Las Vegas families for decades. Some of the best red and green chile in town, plus a great place to meet folks whose families have lived in this area of the country for over 400 years.

The Plaza Hotel, on the Las Vegas Plaza, sports an elegant dining room called the Landmark Grill that serves wonderful reasonably priced dishes. The huevos rancheros come with blue corn tortillas and the spiciest green chile in Vegas. Many of the people who eat in the restaurant are traveling through town, so it's a great place to meet out-of-towners. To be honest, I really love the green chile at the Plaza Hotel's Landmark Grill and think their huevos are the most elegant in town, but won't eat there anymore unless I can be assured that the service is under review. I've had bad - and slow - service on a couple of recent occasions. I sure hope they work on improving service, as I miss their breakfast.

La Risa, in Riberra, is my favorite restaurant in the Las Vegas area, hands down. The food is savory, with complex flavors in their red and green chiles. Owned and operated by a local family, the restaurant  is located off of I-25, twenty minutes toward Santa Fe. It is housed in an old adobe, and decorated with paintings and iron sculptures from local artists. The reasonably-priced menu includes chicken enchiladas with blue corn tortillas and some incredible, hearty pancakes.

Talita's Bakery, at 525 Grand Avenue, is owned by Beatriz Gibbs, a native of El Salvador. She makes incredible sweet breads, pan dulce, tres leches cakes, and molasses breads. Beatriz is charming, funny, and a wonderful cook. She's expanding her menu to include tortas - sandwiches made on homemade bread and filled with savory treats. Please visit Beatriz and tell her Birdie sent you!

Mary Ann's Famous Burritos at 528 S Grand Ave is run by Las Vegas icon Mary Ann. She makes incredible burritos filled with green chile, red chile, chiccarones, guacamole, beef, chicken, vegetables - you name it! Breakfast burritos only cost two dollars (I still can't believe how inexpensive and yummy they are), and have scrambled eggs, potatoes, and your choice of meat and chile. Mary Ann will make anything else you like, too. She sometimes whips up fresh homemade soups, and offers plate meals as well. The restaurant is homey, simple. Walking inside Mary Ann's is walking back five decades in time.


Updated January 26, 2008! I will continue to refine, change, and add to this list as my experiences dictate. I will also be profiling some of my favorite restaurants and showcasing their dishes with some photographs. Look for this soon!