A mango and jasmine rice danish, a grilled pork noodle bowl from a fast-casual Vietnamese spot, blue corn pancakes served with apple chutney and meringue. You can do eat a lot in just one day in Albuquerque.
Most people I spoke with ahead of the trip advised me not to spend too much time there, relative to other stops on our New Mexico travel itinerary. Though Albuquerque is more urban sprawl than red rocks and wide-open desert, it had plenty to offer in the day and a half we were there.
Ending our New Mexico road trip in Albuquerque (by way of Santa Fe, Taos, and Abiquiu) also made for a relatively seamless return home: no rush to the airport, and a gentle transition from the quiet of the desert back to the rhythms of city life.
- Albuquerque Itinerary-At-A-Glance
- Getting Around in Albuquerque
- Where To Stay
- Where To Eat
- Where To Drink
- Where To Shop
- Add These To Your Albuquerque To-Do List
Albuquerque Itinerary-At-A-Glance
- Day 0.5 (Saturday): drive from Abiquiu to Albuquerque (with a stop in Santa Fe), takeout burritos, check into hotel/motel.
- Day 1: (Sunday): Day: Pastries from Burque Bakehouse, shopping in Nob Hill, lunch at Coda Bakery, shopping in Old Town, snack at Indian Pueblo Kitchen, beers at Bow & Arrow Brewering and Sawmill Market drive-by. Feast of leftovers at our motel.
- Day 1.5: (Sunday): Early breakfast at Campo at Los Poblanos, shopping stops at the Farm Shop at Los Poblanos, Stitchology, Palms Trading Company and Duran’s Central Pharmacy before flying home.
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Getting Around in Albuquerque
Having a car was essential for exploring Albuquerque and its different neighborhoods (we rented ours from the airport). While Old Town and Nob Hill felt the most walkable, much of the city is spread out. We could’ve managed with Uber, but having the flexibility to come and go on our own schedule made a big difference.
Despite the city’s scale on the map, most places were closer than they appeared. Our lunch plan for the day felt far out in the “International District”, but was actually an easy 18-minute drive from our hotel.
Where To Stay
An Honest Review of El Vado Motel
I had high hopes for El Vado Motel. I love an updated motel and boutique concept, which is the impression I got from my research on the place. The white stucco, blue shutters, and curated merch signaled a branded experience. I was also drawn to El Vado’s proximity to Old Town without it being right in Old Town. However, our stay didn’t quite deliver against expectations.
Our first room had the unmistakable scent of mold or water damage in the living area. The second room smelled slightly better, though we’d come to learn that the damp, musty odor was just concentrated in the bathroom instead of the bedroom. We changed rooms twice before landing in a suite (a room upgrade at no extra charge, at least).
Inside, the décor leaned moody (navy and charcoal tones), in contrast to its bright façade. The door too our room was glass with a roller shade, which didn’t offer full privacy – exposing us slightly to courtyard passersby. It appeared someone had tried to reinforce it with tape at some point, with limited success.
The vibes aim for boutique motel destination – complete with logo glassware and growlers – but service felt stretched. At check-in, the front desk attendant doubled as bartender and greeted us with a flat “How can I help you?” which was not exactly the warm welcome you hope for when arriving with luggage in tow. While they did accommodate our requests for a room transfer, they did not seem proactive or ultimately concerned with our comfort as guests when we informed them of the mildew smell.
The in-room guide promised a heated pool, but it was locked with a chain. Our complimentary welcome drink turned out to be one drink to split between two guests. Each room had just one robe hanging in the closet, though our reservation was clearly for two people.
A second robe, a second beer and a little more hospitality could have made a difference. There was complimentary entertainment in the outdoor courtyard the night we arrived. We devoured our burritos while a cover band played Sweet Caroline, and shared a pint of beer.
More Places to Stay
Hotel Parq Central. This boutique hotel is housed in a restored former railroad hospital and located between Downtown and the University of New Mexico near the Convention Center. The property is known for its Apothecary rooftop lounge, a popular spot for craft cocktails and panoramic views of the city.
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. This was a top contender for its walkable location to Old Town’s historic plaza and Sawmill Market. The property has a more traditional, Southwestern look – a local “classic.” Ultimately, I opted out due to the additional nightly parking fee.
Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm. If budget isn’t a concern, you have a rental car, and you’re open to staying farther from the city center, this is the place. Located north of Downtown and Old Town, Los Poblanos feels like a serene retreat within city limits. As we turned off Rio Grande Boulevard, driving past rows of lavender bushes toward the property, it felt like we’d arrived in an entirely different part of Albuquerque.
Even if you’re not staying overnight, Los Poblanos is worth a visit. Book a meal at Campo, the on-site restaurant focused on field-to-fork dining, or enjoy some pampering at the Hacienda Spa.
Where To Eat
The Burque Bakehouse. Burque Bakehouse opens at 8:00 AM. We took our time and rolled up around 9:30 (the website noted that the canelé come out of the oven around 10:00). We walked out with a small pastry haul around 25 minutes later.
We rationed our pastries over the course of one day. We had the cannelé first (the shell was a bit tougher than expected). The artichoke danish was golden, flaky, and delicious – a great savory choice over the customary green chile croissant. Leah ordered a burnt honey latte topped with bee pollen, which she very much enjoyed.
After our noodle bowl lunch, we dove into the mango and jasmine rice danish cup. It was not too sweet and the sticky rice gave the pastry heft. We saved the passionfruit croissant encased in soft chocolate and topped with a tart, reddish-pink gelee for last, following our dinner of leftovers.
My only regrets were not getting the coconut coil and one of the savory breads (particulary the piñon pepper and parmesan).
Campo at Los Poblanos. What. A. Feast. I snagged an early breakfast reservation for Monday at 8:45 two days in advance (book ahead). We requested an indoor table, thinking it might be to chilly to breakfast al fresco. The outdoor patio boasts a lovely view of the lavender farm.
To start, I ordered a creamy chai while Leah sipped on a café latte. We split the rhubarb and cream brioche bun, essentially an gourmet jelly donut.
For the main meal, we shared the chilaquiles and pancakes. The chilaquiles were served with a sausage patty and a generous side of smashed potatoes. And while it’s hard to beat chilaquiles, the white wheat blue corn pancakes were the star. Unique and unexpected, these thick flapjacks came with apple chutney and a smear of sweet meringue.
Coda Bakery (International District). This 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery is located in a strip mall. When we rolled up, everybody there was descending on this casual Vietnamese eatery. For a Monday afternoon, Coda was hopping. The line was long but moved fast, and as you wait, you get to scope out all the baked goods, among them banh bo nuong, pate chaud, and expertly formed baguettes.
I was lured into grabbing a sesame ball (banh cam) to tide me over until our orders were up. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and generously filled with just-right, not-too-sweet mung bean.
We both went for pork vermicelli noodle bowls and shared an appetizer of giant summer rolls with peanut sauce. Half of the appetizer and noodle bowls came back to the hotel with us for our final hodgepodge dinner in Albuquerque. Coda left such an impression that Leah swung by once more to grab the pork banh mi for her flight.
Indian Pueblo Kitchen. A fellow traveler on my inbound flight to New Mexico who lives along the Turquoise Trail tipped me off to Indian Pueblo Kitchen’s black cherry Kool-Aid brined blue corn fried pickles. After a quick browse through the gift shop at the cultural center, we grabbed an order to go and brought them with us to a local craft brewery. The tangy pickle chips, dusted with cornmeal, paired perfectly with a zesty green chile ranch sauce.
Perico’s. After a jam-packed day which included a morning walk, gallery browse, brunch, a tour of Georgia O’ Keefe’s home in Abiquiu, a visit to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, and a stop at a music festival in Santa Fe… we were craving a dinner plan we did not have to get dressed up for.
Perico’s came through with grab-and-go burritos. I demolished a chicarrón burrito with green chile and we treated ourselves to an order of six mini sopapillas (which turned out to be seven in all, consider us lucky) for dessert. Dusted with cinnamon and sugar, Perico’s even sent us off with packets of honey for drizzling onto the piping-hot pillows of dough to-go.
Sawmill Market. We were too full to eat here during our visit, but we stopped in for a peek. Sawmill Market is a vibrant food hall that’s become a local favorite since opening in 2020. Located near historic Old Town, it houses over 25 local vendors.
We were tempted by popsicles from Paleta Project (chile mango is my jam) and the Taiyaki ice cream from Neko Neko- a fish-shaped Japanese waffle filled with custard. Little Bear Coffee has an outpost here, so you can grab a caffeine fix while wandering.
Where To Drink
Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. After securing the famous fried pickles from Indian Pueblo Kitchen, we posted up at Bow & Arrow, the first Native American, woman-owned brewery in the US. Their Denim Tux blue corn pilsner sipped like smooth lager – crisp and easy.
It was a cloudy, rainy Sunday afternoon, so the brewery felt a little sleepy, mostly families with kids. I sampled the Funksloth foudre-fermented rustic farmhouse ale before grabbing cans of Denim Tux to-go. It was the perfect companion for our dinner of leftovers while binge-watching the finale of Season One of Ransom Canyon.
Where To Shop
Nob Hill. This neighborhood east of the University of New Mexico is where we killed time between our breakfast pastry run and lunch plans. We rummaged through the racks at Buffalo Exchange. Little Bear Coffee looked like a chill spot worth coming back to. At & Stuff retail collective, I spotted the colorful Caroline Clark puzzles I’d admired at the Ghost Ranch gift shop.
It was the perfect way to walk off breakfast pastries and work up an appetite for lunch. Plus, it was nice just walking around and checking out the giant retro signs.
The Farm Shop at Los Poblanos. A beautiful store filled with affordable Los Poblanos swag, such as tea towels and bandanas featuring San Ysidro, the patron saint of farmers and gardeners. The terracotta foot scrubber and lavender lotions and potions were at the top of my wish list. We were too stuffed to be tempted by the bakery and pantry items.
Indian Pueblo Store. While the selection at this gift shop at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center was less overwhelming than at Palms Trading Company, above all, I still preferred the selection at other mercantiles found along the Turquoise Trail and High Road to Taos. Though it was worth stopping by for the fried pickles.
Lapis Room (Old Town). Lance, the lovely owner of Luna y Luz, tipped us off to this art gallery/shop in Plaza Don Luis connected to Noisy Water Winery’s Old Town Tasting Room. You can sip wine while soaking in rotating exhibitions and browse a solid selection of art prints for sale.
Luna y Luz (Old Town). Lance, the owner, somewhat recently transplanted from Brooklyn, was an absolute delight to chat with. I tried on a vintage-size ring featuring square turquoise and delicate silver beading which fairly priced and full of character. The mini lunette necklace from Horsethief also caught my eye.
The shop offers a small but carefully curated vintage collection. I tried on a heavyweight linen 80s button down shirtdress that was all about the shoulders (unfortunately, a little too much shoulder for my frame). They’re moving to a bigger space soon with plans to offer craft classes.
Palms Trading Company. We visited late in the trip in hopes to find some affordable jewelry. We felt a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of merchandise. They did have bags of piñon nuts (a variety of pine nut native to New Mexico) for $25/lb. – the only place aside from roadside vendors I spotted selling them.
The Silver Artichoke (Old Town). A small but thoughtfully curated selection of contemporary Navajo-made pieces, affordably priced. I bought a pair of oval-shaped silver studs with a tiny turquoise dot nestled in a shadowbox setting.
Stitchology. After our visit to Los Poblanos, we headed back downtown along Rio Grande Boulevard and happened to pass this charming “sewing parlor and fabric boutique”. With some time to kill before heading to the airport, we decided to pop in.
Stitchology has a well-curated selection of textiles, including a decent sale section. Leah walked out with a vibrant Alexander Henry print straight off a sale bolt, perfect for a loungewear or pajama set. A fun and unexpected stop for a crafty sewist.
Teko Gallery (Old Town). Fine jewelry crafted by independent designers. Leah was charmed by a pair of roly-poly studs by Alexis Pavlantos, available in sterling silver and 14kt yellow gold.
Add These To Your Albuquerque To-Do List
Frontier Restaurant. A University of New Mexico mainstay, this sprawling, retro diner-style restaurant has been serving up green chile breakfasts and gargantuan burritos since the ’70s. The decor leans kitsch (think Western murals and cozy booths).
We had just done our breakfast pastry run and were saving space for lunch (and we’d had burritos for dinner the night prior) but if you have an appetite for hearty New Mexican fare – specifically, burritos – this is the place to be.
Gruet Winery. I had no idea this well-known brand of sparkling wine hailed from New Mexico. While Gruet was on my possible hit list, we didn’t end up having time to visit any local wineries on this trip. I noticed Gruet featured on many restaurant menus throughout our the state, and we enjoyed their Brut Rosé and Blanc de Blancs along the way.
Their sparkling wines are made using the Méthode Champenoise, the traditional method used in France’s Champagne region. If you’re a fan of bubbly wines and have time in your itinerary, Gruet has tasting rooms in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Town & Ranch. Operated by the same folks behind Los Poblanos, this cocktail bar and bottle shop in Albuquerque is housed in a handsome mid-century building near Old Town. Unfortunately, they were closed both Sunday and Monday during our stay (and they’re only open until 9:00 PM).
Though we missed our chance to sample their botanical cocktails and curated selection of spirits, I did have a cocktail made with their house botanical gin at dinner in Arroyo Seco. The Los Poblanos group also operates Bar Norte in Downtown Santa Fe if you’re planning to hop between cities.
Albuquerque may not strike you as a destination in and of itself. For a day and change, it fed us very well. It’s an easy destination to pair with Santa Fe if you’re planning a long weekend. Though the scenery didn’t move us the way other parts of New Mexico did, I could see myself returning for the Balloon Fiesta, and another opportunity to feast.
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