When the state question is about your preference of chile, you know you’ve come to a good place to find great food. What you may not know is Albuquerque, New Mexico is one of the most vegetarian-friendly places you can eat in the entire country. Whether you’re looking for traditional New Mexican cuisine or something further outside your comfort zone, Albuquerque won’t leave you disappointed.
Most restaurants use the freshest ingredients they can find to ensure each dish, meatless or not, is full of signature ABQ flavor. With a host of nationally recognized vegetarian-friendly restaurants, the city is bound to leave meat eaters wanting to eat their veggies – and then some!
Enjoy our picks for coolest vegetarian restaurants in Albuquerque, New Mexico – and be sure to tell them we sent you!
Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café
A local vegan restaurant specializing in Indian cuisine, Annapurna’s specializes in Ayurvedic vegan fresh food. It’s all organic and made from local ingredients. Each dish is meant to target six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent, which means every vegan and vegetarian dish is bursting with flavor. Desserts abound, too, even featuring a vegan sweet potato pie. And if you need a more centered take on happy hour, join them for Chai Daily Happy Hour.
Yelp Rating – 3.5 out of 5 stars
Find Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café: Website – Twitter – Facebook
El Patio
Though it’s tiny, El Patio is one of the top places to find traditional New Mexican cuisine. Its green chile (a New Mexican staple) comes highly recommended. That’s a high honor from the citizens of a state with an official state question: red or green (chile)? El Patio serves plenty of dishes for the vegetarian crowd including enchiladas, chili relleno, and burritos that will have even meat-eaters wishing for seconds.
Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars
Find El Patio: Website – Facebook
Mint Tulip Vegan Café
With a rotating menu of vegan soups, cupcakes and other classic American fare, Mint Tulip Vegan Café is a relatively new addition on the Albuquerque dining scene. It opened in 2024 and has been delighting customers with treats like vegan carrot cake and pumpkin empandas ever since!
Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars
Find Mint Tulip Vegan Cafe: Website – Twitter – Facebook
Java Joe’s
Java Joe’s may look intimidating with its graffitied walls, but inside is a coffee shop serving up traditional fare like coffee and tea, sandwiches, salads and soups. That menu includes plenty of vegetarian options, too, and orders can be customized to fit customers’ dietary needs. If the food won’t draw you in, Java Joe’s features local artwork and live musical performances.
Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars
Find Java Joe’s: Website – Facebook
Monroe’s
Though it started as a small drive-in, Monroe’s has grown over the years into a recognized restaurant that still focuses on high-quality, reasonably priced food. At first glance it may not seem like the most vegetarian-friendly place, but Monroe’s happily caters to any special dietary needs. A dedicated veggie menu serves up the likes of whole bean veggie tostadas, calavicitas tacos and fajitas, and the breakatarian – a loaded sopapilla stuffed with hashbrowns, eggs, beans, and chili sauce.
Yelp Rating – 3.5 out of 5 stars
Find Monroe’s: Website – Twitter – Facebook
Frontier Restaurant
Frontier is located directly across the street from the university, something immediately apparent when entering. With a decor and vibe that screams eclectic, Frontier is a must-stop for anyone traveling through Albuquerque. It features a variety of vegetarian options, and most dishes can be customized. The melt-in-your-mouth homemade tortillas and fresh squeezed orange juice come highly recommended.
Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars
Find Frontier Restaurant: Website – Facebook
Did we miss your favorite? Let us know at @DietsInReview.
Images from abqtopten.com, albuquerque.about.com, gadling.com, nmgastronome.com, theguardian.com