Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in New Mexico

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in New Mexico? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Arroyo Vino

4.9

4.9 (1886)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Santa Fe

About the restaurant

Arroyo Vino serves an ever changing seasonal menu of Contemporary American fare. We source the best seafood, meat and produce from local purveyors and farmers. In addition we have a full bar serving Santa Fe's best craft cocktails.

Top review

JimVIP

Dined 2 days ago

We had a great experience at Arroyo Vino. The food, cocktails, and service were outstanding. We had the farrow salad, foccacia, and chicken, all excellect. And we got 2 bottles of wine in the Wine Shop. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Allia for her great service!

Blades' Bistro

4.8

4.8 (1855)

$30 and under

International

Placitas

About the restaurant

Chef-owned, Blades' Bistro features innovative international cuisine known for its open kitchen, quality menu offerings, and attentive service in a casual, country setting. Specialties include Grilled Salmon, Chicken Française and Roasted Beets topped with Goat Cheese, Fried Calamari and world class French Onion Soup along with salad courses, daily specials, seasonal entrees, and homemade desserts. The owners are committed to use fresh ingredients and support their Local Farmers whenever possible. Look for exciting Wine Dinners pared with wines from regions from all over the world. Blades' Bistro is a classy blend of classic, whimsical; it is an oasis of sophistication thriving in Placitas. Everything about Blades' Bistro is nicer than you expect, in the best possible way. The dining room is refined and the exhibition kitchen classy. By Andrea Lin For the ABQ Journal

Top review

Joseph

Dined 2 days ago

As always service, food and atmosphere were outstanding.

Joseph's Culinary Pub

4.8

4.8 (2561)

$31 to $50

Continental

Santa Fe

About the restaurant

Chef Joseph Wrede is a Food & Wine Best New Chef, the winner of several AAA Four Diamond Awards, several DiRoNA Awards and has received both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast distinctions. Joseph’s Culinary Pub is a creation of Chef Wrede and his creative and business partners. This is the third incarnation of Wrede’s original Joseph’s Table, conceived in Taos, New Mexico, not quite 20 years ago, for which he is well known and loved within the region and beyond. Joseph’s Culinary Pub is designed to be a platform for Chef Wrede’s unique and uncompromising vision on traditional and contemporary cuisine, both regional and international. Regarding the restaurant as a process much like theater, Wrede envisions the experience of dining in his restaurant as an interactive play between the pub and the public, with his sights aimed at rivaling high art.

Top review

JohnVIP

Dined 1 day ago

We thoroughly enjoyed the chard ratatouille salad,Buratta salad,Lamb curry and steak. Huge portions!

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JoeChef's Rabbit Bolognese Lasagna

Beef and Leaf Cafe

4.8

4.8 (71)

$31 to $50

American

Los Alamos

About the restaurant

Enjoy reimagined comfort foods that incorporate seasonal ingredients and a touch of whimsy into dishes we all know and love - paired with unique wines, craft beers and creative cocktails.

Top review

BryanVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Great! Wine dinner was outstanding. Thx.

M'tucci's Italian - Albuquerque

4.7

4.7 (1222)

$30 and under

Italian

Albuquerque

About the restaurant

M'tucci's Italian is a celebration of la dolce vita -- serious food in a warm environment. Gather, eat, talk, laugh, connect with your community over a delicious meal. If you ate it here, we made it here. Why? Because hand-crafted food made from the best ingredients is the Italian way. The M'tucci's way.

From lunch to dinner, we have dishes that will please any palate. Can't decide between our calamari and our mussels or maybe between our fresh pasta and homemade pizzas? Our servers can give you a suggestion for a meal that's sure to amaze. If you're looking to impress for a party or meeting, we can bring the sweet life to your event with our onsite and offsite catering. Taste, savor, and enjoy, Albuquerque. We can't wait to welcome you!

Top review

rebecca

Dined on Apr 29, 2025

I always appreciate it when I order something. It’s made the same every time it meets my expectations is repeatable and always taste good!

El Nido

4.7

4.7 (2306)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Italian

Santa Fe

About the restaurant

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS. HONEST COOKING. UNPARALLELED AMBIANCE. At El Nido we present exceptional ingredients from sources we know and trust. Our menu follows classic cooking with intelligent innovation. Wood-fired pizza, steaks and seafood cooked on the Argentine grill along with homemade pastas are the basis for our food. Our seasonal craft cocktails and Sommelier procured wine list compliment our diverse selections.
With many options we are sure you will find amazing ambiance in this historic building. You can enjoy the relaxed vibe of the Zozobra Bar or dine al fresco on our beautiful covered patio during the temperate Santa Fe summers. In the colder months you can keep warm and enjoy one of three fireplaces in our dining rooms, or dine at our Chef's Counter and view our open flame grilling. Something for everyone. We hope to see you soon, come relax and enjoy the best hospitality and ambiance in Tesuque!

Top review

Rev. Emily

Dined today

Fabulous food! Wonderful service! Love the atmosphere as well!

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Popular dish

Caesar Salad

Experience

Mother's Day Brunch @ El Nido

Experience

Mother's Day Dinner @ El Nido

Trombino's Bistro Italiano

4.6

4.6 (1416)

$31 to $50

Italian

Academy West

About the restaurant

SERVING "MANGIA" & "ABBONDANZA" FOR OVER 34 YEARS! Welcome to Trombino's Bistro Italiano, since 1979 a long standing favorite among Albuquerqueans, business travelers and tourists alike. Our restaurant is an ideal location for your lunch, dinner, or important client meetings. A comfortable Trattoria that has that inviting feeling of an old Italian neighborhood! More than just a place to eat, but rather, a gathering place where you, your friends, family and business associates can slow down, enjoy a great meal and reconnect. Trombino's serves signature dishes of authentic Italian-American cuisine. Our menu is large and varied, offering a great selection of homemade pastas, signature salads, prime steaks, fresh fish and memorable desserts, including these delectable choices... Gorgonzola Crusted New York Strip Steak, Veal Piccata, Veal Marsala, Chicken Caprini, Shrimp fra Diavolo, Fruitti di Mare & House-made Tiramisu Cake. The bar offers a first class wine list, and Decadent Martinis.

Top review

Marsha

Dined 1 day ago

The food was above average. The service was superb!

Mission Winery

4.4

4.4 (37)

$30 and under

American

Albuquerque

About the restaurant

At Mission Winery, our menu is a tribute to the vibrant flavors of New Mexico, skillfully intertwined with classic Americana dishes.

We pride ourselves on sourcing fresh, organic ingredients from local farms and artisans, ensuring that every bite is a true reflection of our region’s bounty.

Our culinary team artfully crafts each dish to pair seamlessly with our handcrafted wines, creating a dining experience that is as memorable as it is delicious.
Imagine indulging in slow roasted baby back ribs with a red chile bbq glaze, green chile hush puppies, red chile fried chicken, or a green chile smash burger – all designed to highlight the unique flavors of New Mexican cuisine while elevating them with a contemporary touch.

Every visit to Mission Winery is an exploration of the senses, where you can enjoy a curated flight of our award-winning wines or savor a leisurely multi-course meal.
Each selection we offer is perfectly complemented by our wines.

Top review

Ellen TeresaVIP

Dined on Apr 27, 2025

Loved our drinks and delicious food! Suggest that an additional server be added as the one guy needed more help.

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Experience

Mother's Day

Pranzo Italian Grill

4.3

4.3 (787)

$30 and under

Italian

Santa Fe

About the restaurant

Since 1987 Pranzo Italian Grill has been serving the community of Santa Fe, New Mexico and tourists from all over the world. Something that we want to give everyone is a fantastic family experience. We are a casual fine dining restaurant.
Our seafood is always fresh from Above Sea Level. Our mussels are from the pristine Atlantic waters off the coast of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island mussels are known for their jet-black shells and sweet flavor. Our halibut and salmon wild caught and sourced from Alaska.

We work with many local nonprofits such as Kitchen Angels, and the Santa Fe Animal Shelter. Chef Steven Lemon also Works with Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

We have beautiful private dining rooms and our bar area available for private parties. We invite you to come and visit us to enjoy those special moments with the people you love and care about! Thank you for all your years of patronage!

Top review

JonnaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Glad we finally tried Pranzo. Good food, acceptable wine list, warm and friendly staff.

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4.3

4.3 (134)

$30 and under

Italian

Santa Fe

About the restaurant

We invite you to experience the quality and authenticity of our mouth-watering lunches, dinners and desserts, and we look forward to sharing our passion for the cuisine of the Bel Paese with you!

Top review

KRISTINEVIP

Dined on Apr 27, 2025

A wonderful gem tucked into an unassuming location. Food was amazing and the staff was very attentive and offered excellent recommendations. I will definitely be going back.

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Experience

Mother's Day Weekend!

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