El Modelo Mexican Foods is a new mexican restaurant in South Valley, Albuquerque.
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.
Address: 1715 2nd St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
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.
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.
Tia B's La Waffleria on Campus Boulevard in a bungalow in Albuquerque's Nob Hill is the waffle only restaurant.
Why locals love it: Bungalow on a residential Nob Hill side street with waffle only menu, missed by Central Avenue tourists.
Tip: Order the green chile waffle for the New Mexican angle, or the bacon brie sweet waffle with maple syrup for the classic combo.
Vernon's Speakeasy on Fourth Street NW in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is the unmarked steakhouse and Prohibition cocktail bar.
Why locals love it: Unmarked door on a North Valley boulevard hides a steakhouse and Prohibition era cocktail bar with no signage.
Tip: Reservation required, ring the bell at the unmarked Fourth Street door, ask for the speakeasy bar list inside.
Yasmine's Cafe on Central Avenue near UNM in Albuquerque is the Middle Eastern halal counter with shawarma plates.
Why locals love it: Tiny Central Avenue Middle Eastern counter near UNM with a long student regulars line that tourists never join.
Tip: Order the shawarma plate with extra garlic sauce, sit at the counter, watch the chef wrap the wraps in real time.
Pueblo Harvest Cafe at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on 12th Street in Albuquerque is the only modern Pueblo Indian restaurant, missed by museum skippers.
Why locals love it: Inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center museum, missed by most visitors but the only modern Pueblo Indian restaurant in the city.
Tip: Visit at lunch when the Pueblo dancing performances run on the courtyard, then order the buffalo posole and Indian taco.
Golden Crown Panaderia on Mountain Road in Albuquerque is the heritage panaderia since 1972, baking green chile bread and biscochitos in a wood fired oven.
Why locals love it: Mountain Road heritage panaderia bakes biscochitos and green chile bread in a wood fired oven, with a back patio few find.
Tip: Buy a green chile bread loaf to go, then take the biscochitos to the back garden patio for coffee under the cottonwoods.
