Sadie's of New Mexico ★ 4.6
Sadie's of New Mexico on Fourth Street in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is the heritage New Mexican family room since 1954, famous for the stuffed sopaipilla.
Signature: Stuffed sopaipilla, Carne adovada
History
Sopaipillas trace to Albuquerque's Spanish colonial era. The New Mexican version is square, hollow inside when fried, and served at the end of the meal with honey to tame the chile. Sadie's of New Mexico, El Pinto and Mary and Tito's serve them with every plate. The Mexican sopapilla by contrast is generally flatter and often dressed with cinnamon sugar.
Common allergens: Gluten
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 500g all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons shortening or lard
- 300ml warm water
- 1 liter neutral oil for deep frying
- Local honey, for serving
Method
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening with fingers until pebble texture.
- Add warm water gradually and knead 5 minutes into a smooth dough. Rest 1 hour covered.
- Roll the dough out to 5 mm thick. Cut into 8 cm squares.
- Heat oil to 190 C / 375 F. Fry 2 to 3 squares at a time, pushing down with a spider so they puff. They should rise hollow.
- Flip after 30 seconds. Fry 30 more seconds until golden. Drain on paper.
- Serve immediately with honey for drizzling or pouring inside the pillow.
Tip from the editors. Oil temperature is the make or break: too cool and the dough soaks; too hot and they brown before they puff. Use a thermometer for the first batch.
Where to eat sopaipillas
Sopaipillas in Albuquerque
El Pinto ★ 4.5
El Pinto on Fourth Street NW in Albuquerque's North Valley is the ten acre mission compound serving New Mexican since 1962, with red and green chile.
Signature: Carne adovada, Stacked enchiladas
Mary and Tito's Cafe ★ 4.7
Mary and Tito's on Fourth Street in Albuquerque is the James Beard America's Classic 2010 winner serving carne adovada turnovers and red chile enchiladas.
Try: Carne adovada turnover
Papa Felipe's Mexican Restaurant ★ 4.4
Papa Felipe's on Menaul Boulevard in Albuquerque runs weekend brunch with huevos rancheros Christmas, breakfast burritos and unbeaten sopaipilla baskets.
Order: Huevos rancheros Christmas with sopaipillas
Sopaipillas in Santa Fe
Tomasita's ★ 4.4
Tomasita's has done sub-$20 stuffed sopaipillas and chile combo plates since 1974; the line is part of the deal, the kitchen never rushes you.
Try: Chile combo plate
La Choza ★ 4.8
Sister of The Shed, La Choza has plated Northern New Mexican on Alarid Street since 1983; voted #1 New Mexican by Santa Fe Reporter readers repeatedly.
Signature: Carne adovada burrito, Blue corn enchiladas, Green chile stew
Maria's New Mexican Kitchen ★ 4.5
Maria's has anchored Cordova Road since 1950 with 150-plus hand-shaken margaritas, 170 tequilas and chile-laced plates served with hand-rolled tortillas.
Signature: Green chile enchiladas, Carne adovada plate, Hand-rolled tortillas
Atrisco Cafe & Bar ★ 4.2
Atrisco builds family-recipe red chile from sun-dried whole pods at Devargas Center, served with local Santa Fe lamb, beef and honey-glazed sopaipillas.
Signature: Sun-dried whole-pod red chile, Carne adovada plate, Sopaipillas with raw honey
More cities are in research. Want sopaipillas covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.