Eat in South Valley, Albuquerque

El Modelo Mexican Foods ★ 4.5

El Modelo Mexican Foods on Second Street SW in Albuquerque is the heritage Barelas counter since 1929, with carne adovada plates and red chile tamales.

Signature: Carne adovada plate, Red chile tamales

Cervantes Restaurant and Lounge ★ 4.3

Cervantes on Gibson Boulevard in Albuquerque is the longtime South Valley New Mexican family room with carne adovada burritos and a separate bar lounge.

Signature: Carne adovada burrito, Red chile enchiladas

El Modelo Mexican Foods ★ 4.5

El Modelo Mexican Foods on Second Street SW in Albuquerque is the heritage Barelas counter since 1929, with carne adovada plates and red chile tamales.

Signature: Carne adovada plate, Red chile tamales

Cervantes Restaurant and Lounge ★ 4.3

Cervantes on Gibson Boulevard in Albuquerque is the longtime South Valley New Mexican family room with carne adovada burritos and a separate bar lounge.

Signature: Carne adovada burrito, Red chile enchiladas

Barelas Coffee House ★ 4.4

Barelas Coffee House on Fourth Street SW in Albuquerque is the family New Mexican counter since 1978, with breakfast burritos and posole on the heritage.

Signature: Breakfast burrito, Posole

El Modelo Mexican Foods ★ 4.5

El Modelo on Second Street SW in Albuquerque is the heritage Barelas takeaway counter since 1929, wrapping carne adovada burritos in butcher paper.

Try: Carne adovada burrito on butcher paper

Pop Fizz ★ 4.5

Pop Fizz at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Fourth Street SW is the Alvarez family paleteria with organic popsicles and ice cream tacos.

Try: Paletas and frozen treats

Rail Yards Market ★ 4.5

Rail Yards Market in the 1914 Santa Fe Locomotive Shops on First Street SW in Albuquerque runs Sundays May through October, with 90 vendors and live music.

El Modelo Mexican Foods ★ 4.5

El Modelo on Second Street SW in Albuquerque is the Barelas heritage counter since 1929, with red chile tamales.

Try: Red chile tamale plate

Barelas Coffee House ★ 4.4

Barelas Coffee House on Fourth Street SW in Albuquerque is the family New Mexican counter since 1978, with breakfast burritos under $10 and a posole bowl.

Try: Breakfast burrito and red chile

El Modelo Mexican Foods ★ 4.6

El Modelo on Second Street SW in Albuquerque's Barelas neighborhood is the carne adovada counter since 1929.

Why locals love it: 1929 Barelas takeaway counter wraps carne adovada burritos in butcher paper, tourists miss the South Valley turn.

Tip: Order one of everything from the counter case, eat at the picnic tables outside or take it down to the Rio Grande bosque.

Pop Fizz at the National Hispanic Cultural Center ★ 4.5

Pop Fizz at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Fourth Street SW is the Alvarez family paleteria with organic Mexican popsicles since 2013.

Why locals love it: Storefront paleteria tucked inside the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Fourth Street SW, overlooked by tourists chasing Old Town.

Tip: Order the cucumber lime paleta or an ice cream taco, then walk into the NHCC galleries next door for a quiet afternoon.