Where to Eat on Your
Philmont New Mexico Tour


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There are, of course, the usual chain restaurants as well as many really good places to eat in New Mexico. I have listed my personal favorites.

Fast Food with Local Flavor

Blake's Lotta Burger - With many restaurants throughout the state, Blake's is considered by many New Mexicans to make the best hamburgers in the world. Burgers can be ordered with or without green chile. The Scouts liked our Blake's stop for lunch. With our large group, we called ahead to customer service at the corporate office. They let us know which Blake's on our route could best accommodate our group and made sure they were ready to handle us efficiently.

Mac's Steak in the Rough - Several locations in Albuquerque. A variety of American and New Mexican items. I recommend the taquitas (rolled tacos) and guacamole.

For a Real New Mexican Meal

Be sure to get at least one good New Mexican meal to get the full flavor of the state. This is the food the trappers and traders surely used to crave when they came into Taos or Santa Fe after a long trek through the New Mexico mountains. Try it and you too will be longing for that glorious New Mexico chile flavor when you come off the trail.

With a little care you can arrange a dinner that will be appreciated by all. It is true that some of the authentic local spots serve food that can be spicy hot, and in most places it is probably best to avoid the green chile stew which appeals more to the locals. But restaurants near the Plazas and other tourist areas usually have milder New-Mexican-style dishes or offer alternatives that will appeal to outsiders. The Scouts will probably tend to go for something familiar like tacos. When in doubt order a combination plate which may include a taco, enchilada, rice, and beans. Whatever you order, be sure to get the sopaipillas. These are fried puffed bread shaped like little pillows which often come in a basket with dinner. Bite off a corner, pour some honey inside, and eat 'em while they're hot.

If you are looking for something authentic, perhaps the most traditional of New Mexican dishes is blue corn enchiladas with the tortillas stacked flat like pancakes and topped with red chile sauce and a fried egg. Your waiter may ask you the New Mexico state question: "Red or Green?" which refers to the color of the chile sauce. You can ask which is hotter (it varies by establishment); and you can usually request that the sauce be served "on the side" so you can make your meal as hot or mild as you like.

We set aside one evening for a white tablecloth banquet-type dinner in a reserved private room. A memorable experience for all, mostly for the interaction it facilitated among the crew. For a Boy Scout function, you won't have expenses for alcohol. But you will still need to watch your costs by limiting the menu choices and limiting the number of sodas the Scouts can order. Be sure to allow for any extras and the gratuity in your budget.

Here are some restaurant possibilities for New Mexican food:

Albuquerque

Little Anita's - Good New Mexican style food, many restaurant locations (some with banquet facilities) including one on Mountain Road near Old Town Albuquerque. For locations see Little Anita's.

El Pinto - Large popular New Mexican restaurant with banquet facilities in Albuquerque's North Valley at 10500 4th NW. (505-898-1771) See El Pinto.

Maria Teresa Restaurant - Old Town Albuquerque at 618 Rio Grande NW. Good food in a supposedly haunted historic Territorial building with a bar used by Billy the Kid. A bit expensive, but worked well for our one banquet-type meal of the trip. Phone 505-242-3900

Poncho's Mexican Buffet - midtown Albuquerque - all you can eat reasonably priced. My son Scott's favorite. The kids love it.

Pueblo Restaurant - authentic Pueblo Indian cooking at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center at 2401 12th NW in Albuquerque open 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

Sadie's at 6230 4th NW in the Albuquerque Valley - salsa too hot for most visitors, but this is real New Mexican food at its finest (505-345-5339). See Sadie's Restaurant.

Santa Fe

Blue Corn Café and Brewery - New Mexican food with some alternatives. 133 Water Street, Santa Fe. - Enter about a block west of the SW corner of the Santa Fe Plaza (505-984-1800). See Blue Corn Cafe.

The Shed Restaurant - 113 1/2 East Palace Ave. Santa Fe. New Mexican food in an adobe hacienda dating to 1692. About a block east of the NE corner of the Santa Fe Plaza (505-982-9030).

Chimayo

Rancho de Chimayo Restaurant - great New Mexican food in a nice restaurant (in Chimayo between Santa Fe and Taos). A good choice if you are in the area at meal time with time for a sit-down dinner. 505-351-4444. See Rancho de Chimayo.

Taos

Guadalajara Grill - Casual setting. Well prepared and tasty Mexican food, but without the traditional New Mexican chile flavor and spiciness. Three locations: two in Taos, one in Santa Fe.

Orlando's Mexican Cafe - north of downtown Taos. A small to medium size restaurant with good New Mexican food and a pleasant atmosphere.

Near the UNM Campus

If you stay at the University of New Mexico, you will find many student oriented restaurants within easy walking distance, mostly along Central Avenue. We liked the Frontier Restaurant - open 24 hours a day, fast and very acceptable, 505-266-0550. You will find also Denny's, Subway, McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy's Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Brothers Bagels, and more.

Cowboy Barbecue

These are really in Colorado, not New Mexico, but I thought they were worth mentioning nonetheless. Bar-D Chuckwagon Suppers in Durango CO (970-247-5753) and Flying W Chuckwagon Suppers & Western Stage Show in Colorado Springs, CO offer cowboy music and entertainment with your barbecue supper. A cowboy barbecue and show is fun, perfect entertainment for a Philmont Scout group, and well worth the time if you come in through Colorado. See: Flying W or Bar-D.

On a family trip we also got good barbecue and a great evening of cowboy entertainment at the Durango Pro Rodeo (970-946-2790). The rodeo runs several nights a week for a few weeks each summer in Durango, Colorado. A memorable experience if your Scouts have never seen a real western rodeo with roping competitions, bronc riding, and bull riding.

Picnics

With a little planning, to arrange food purchase and convenient stopping places, you can save a few bucks by making some of your meals a picnic lunch or supper. The Scouts will appreciate the opportunity to stretch their legs and maybe play frisbee or hacky sack.

The night we camped at Bandelier we had a picnic supper of cold fried chicken, cold cuts, potato salad, fruit, cookies, and watermelon, which we ordered in advance and picked up from the delicatessen at the Smith's Supermarket in White Rock (505-673-3811).

Compared with pre-made sandwiches or party platters, it is cheaper to buy sandwich meats in bulk along other fixin's and paper products, and let the crew make their own sandwiches. Be sure to include fresh fruit and vegetables (celery, carrots, etc.) as you won't see these on the Philmont trail.






"During the night we caught beaver, so we had something for breakfast."
Kit Carson, 1829












"The first food fusion of Santa Fe occurred when the Spanish settlers from Mexico founded the city in 1598, bringing European and Mexican ingredients that were combined with the corn cuisine of the native Pueblo Indians. ... The second food fusion occurred when Anglo-Americans arrived with new ingredients..."
DeWitt and Gerlach
The Food of Santa Fe










"There were so many memorable events to choose from, but my favorite would have to be the events, which took place at the "white tablecloth" restaurant."
James, Troop 51







"The finest tortillas -- large thin round corncakes -- were made from blue corn meal. Three of these layered with slices of pink onions and curls of yellow cheese and sprinkled with green lettuce and swimming in cooked red chile pepper sauce, made a favorite dish."
Paul Horgan on food in Spanish colonial New Mexico
















"The chocolate, and the omelette, and a "hotch-potch," savoring strongly of red peppers, --prepared as my reverend host assured me...by one of the prettiest ninas in the village--proved rather appetizing."
G.D. Brewerton
on dinner with a Father Ignatio in New Mexico in 1848

























"Texans defend the theory that barbecue originated in Texas, having been genetically imprinted onto their double helix right next to their inherent ability to breathe and tell tall tales."
Brittin and Daniel