Cafe Pasquale for breakfast - their Breakfast Burrito is the best. Can’t go wrong with Geronimo, Coyote Cafe or Santacafe for dinner. The Pink Adobe was also a favorite of mine.
I don’t know if it’s still a thing, but Friday night used to be the low rider cruise in downtown Espanola.
My anxiety-driven research shows that there are frequent exits between ABQ and Santa Fe. Does that sound right? lol
Also, any suggestions for a place to grab carry out lunch near ABQ that isn’t fast food while we wait for the last of our group to arrive?
Thanks.
What do you mean by exits and why do you ask? It’s your usual highway with a few exits and nice scenery. What part of ABQ will you be in? The city is pretty big and we wouldn’t want to send you all over in search of lunch.
We were in Madrid on 4th of July and it has some fun shops. The parade was a bit underwhelming but still fun to see!
The turquoise trail was fun to drive. We returned via the low road and a stop at the gorge is highly recommended. I remembered that we camped there back in the early 1980s.
The airport
I just like to make sure there are ample places to stop for the restroom. lol
The drive between Albuquerque and Santa Fe isn’t much more than an hour if that. There are exits, but it’s not like you are going to find shopping malls or a Starbucks. There is at least one exit with a casino that has bathrooms.
@WayOutWestMom might have some suggestions about food places in or near the ABQ airport.
It’s a fairly short drive unless there’s an accident, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Do you have to have carry out? Will you have a car? How long do you have to wait? Sounds like it might be a hassle to leave the airport just to bring food back.
The Flying Star Cafe isn’t too far, but call ahead because it can be busy. The Sawmill Food Court is a bit further but offers many options.
We will have a car. If everyone is on time there is only an hour wait until the last person arrives.
@groundhog74 if there is only an hour wait…just stay in the airport.
ETA…by the time you pick up a rental car, drive out of the airport, and find a place to eat…it will be time to drive back (without eating). Grab a snack in the airport…and then meet the rest of your party when they arrive. Get the car, and go.
I agree that the Turquoise Trail is a nicer drive to Santa Fe. But the main freeway from ABQ to Santa Fe is actually a pretty quick drive, under an hour for sure. We stopped at the petroglyph national monument - Google Search
That’s an easy walk with a lot of petroglyphs which are readily visible. We went there before heading to Santa Fe. There are decent toilets there too. I’d stop there if you really want something to do between the two cities.
Cervantes Restaurant is pretty close to the airport. Long, established New Mexican restaurant with a full bar. it’s east of the airport at the corner of Gibson and San Pedro.
It’s favorite of mine. Good food and good margaritas.
Giovanni’s Pizza is a couple of doors north of Gibson on San Pedro. It has NY style pizza that is quite good. (Really!) The AF base crowd piles in at lunch time. though.
There are bunch of chain restaurants (Chili’s, Village Inn, Fuddruckers, Dennys’, Applebee’s etc.) on Gibson between Yale Blvd and I-25. Skip those. Go to Cervantes. it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it’s very cozy inside with huge wood burning fireplace. Sit in the dining room, rather than the lounge if you can.
++
All rental car pick ups are off site at the ABQ airport , so it won’t be quick trip to the rental counter.
Airport food is airport food. Several of the airport restaurants were closed when I was there before Christmas because they are rebuilding the airport. There may not be any food services available except inside the security area.
I you’re look for something quick for lunch, go to Blakes Lotaburger on Gibson. It’s a statewide burger chain. Their breakfast burritos are huge and delicious; their burgers are pretty good too. Get a Lota Burger w. green Chile and cheese.
++
There are exits between ABQ and Santa Fe on I-25, but except for the 2 casinos (Sandia Pueblo and Santa Ana Pueblo), you aren’t going to find much. Maybe a gas station or two, but not shopping or restaurants. Not even fast food. Once you get north of Bernalillo much of the land I-25 traverses is part of Native American reservations and the tribes restrict commercial development so they can maintain their privacy on their traditional homelands.
Bernailillo has couple of good places to eat-- Prairie Star is fine dining, modern American cuisine. Then there’s the original The Range Cafe for casual meals. They have great green Chile.
We did a (part) day trip from Santa Fe to Chimayo, a small town just north of Santa Fe. We visited a very old church–Santuario De Chimayo and a local art gallery/weaver. The best part, we had a great meal at Rancho de Chimayo.
In Santa Fe, spent lots of time in the galleries on Canyon Rd and really enjoyed the Nedra Matteucci Gallery.
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.