Book
Now

Blog

5 Great Places for Green Chili in Albuquerque

Chili in Albq

Are you visiting Albuquerque soon, and planning on trying the regional cuisine while you’re here?

It’s all about the green chili so read on for some of the best places to try New Mexico’s favorite dish.

1 – Frontier Restaurant

Frontierrestaurant.com
Hours: 5:00am to 1:00am

The Frontier Restaurant has been an Albuquerque staple since opening in 1971.  Between delicious food, beautiful artwork, and long business hours, it’s found its niche as a hangout for college students and a place to eat some of the best green chili you can find.  Want an interesting take on it?  Try their green chili on an enchilada for a new twist – you won’t regret it.  Or if you only have a chance to stop by for breakfast, you can have roasted green chili peppers put in your breakfast burrito for a real New Mexican breakfast.


2 – Owl Café

OwlCafeAlbuquerque.com
Hours: 7:00am to 10:00pm

A 50s style dinner, Owl Café’s claim to fame is the OwlBurger, a juicy cheeseburger topped with green chili,  that is beloved by locals and visitors.  Their menu has some variety, with dish options from hot dogs to tamales, and the green chili is used in numerous ways, or served as a meal itself.  You can’t go wrong when you grab a meal here.  Just save room for dessert – after all that spice, a chocolate peanut butter milkshake is the perfect ending.


3 – Cecilia’s Café

Cecilias-café.com
Hours: 7:00am to 2:00pm

Cecilia’s is an Albuquerque staple and home to a delicious bowl of traditional green chili stew.  Once featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, this restaurant is well-experienced in handling the heat from the green chili peppers, making every bowl the perfect balance of spicy and mild enabling you to taste the nuance of the ingredients.  If you want a purist version of New Mexico’s favorite dish, Cecilia’s is your best option, as they stick to the basics and execute them well.

View this post on Instagram

Buenos Dias, from New Mexico.

A post shared by b i G🔥E r n (@brisketeater) on


4 – Pueblo Harvest Café

Puebloharvestcafe.com
Hours: 7:00am to 9:00pm

Pueblo Harvest Café is a great option for lunch or to take a larger group to dinner, with their Pueblo feast, which comes with red and green chili stews, enchiladas, and other New Mexican dishes.  The menu is heavily inspired by the Native American Pueblo tribes that lived in the Albuquerque area, and the majority of their ingredients are sourced from tribal communities.  The food is delicious, hearty and filling, and perfect comfort food, no matter your cultural or culinary background.


5 – Cocina Azul

Cocinaazul.com
Hours: 9:00am to 8:00pm

Cocina Azul has probably the heartiest green chili stew in town.  They substitute steak for the traditional pork, and add potatoes, with a side of sopapilla tortillas for dipping.  If you want to avoid red meat, try their green chili chicken soup, which shares a general flavor palette but features chicken and is generally lighter on the stomach.  Either, paired with their shrimp taco salad, makes for a delicious lunch that will keep your energy up without weighing you down.


Let us know what your favorite places are for green chili!

Have you tried one of our suggestions?