I am aware that dining out all the time is a lucky position in which to find oneself, and I never take for granted that most folks likely won’t be doing it up in local restaurants like I do. Someone’s gotta do it, though, and I understand that people need to prioritize where to spend their hard-earned bucks, so I thought it might be helpful to close out the year with a rundown of my most favorite dishes of the year presented in a sort of chronological order beginning last January and running through to today.
Alex De Vore
Galisteo Grilled Cheese @San Francisco Street Bar & Grill
50 E San Francisco St, (505) 982-2644
When a group of former San Francisco Street Bar & Grill employees reopened the fabled downtown eatery, it was imperative to find out if the grilled cheese held up—and it did. Served on black bread with a trio of cheeses, it’s the king around here.
Green Chile Cheese Smash Burger @Ortiz
308 W San Francisco St., (505) 988-2811
I’ve been touting the most excellent smash burger at Ortiz so hard this year that it -almost feels like way more than 11 months since I first went to town on that most excellent dish. Served with New Mexican flair on a brioche bun, I’ve had this thing about 10 times in 2024 and would have it 10 more times if I could.
Butterscotch Pudding @Joseph’s Culinary Pub
428 Agua Fría St., (505) 982-1272
Everybody wants you to fall in love with the duck fat fries as Joseph’s, and for good reason—but for my money, there’s no beating the butterscotch pudding. It transported me to childhood with its salty/sweet combo and I still think about it to this day.
309 W San Francisco St., (505) 995-4530
Though I’ve heard that Agave chef Antonio Sandoval has since moved on from the restaurant inside the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, I still dream about his take on the pork chop—particularly the included chorizo and Brussels sprouts. No word on where Sandoval will land yet, but I hope he takes the pork dish with him.
Alex De Vore
The caprese pizza at Oshia's inside CHOMP did so right by us that we've been fantasizing about the next one.
505 Cerrilos Road, (505) 699-7982
Oshia Golden’s caprese pie merges mozz and tomato and balsamic glaze for a weirdly refreshing pizza (who would have thought pizza could be refreshing?). It doesn’t hurt that Golden has the most delicious Casear salad dressing in town.
410 OId Santa Fe Trail, (505) 603-8100
Be aware that the Ramirez family behind Torogoz serves up pupusa special every Wednesday, but also that their torta salvadoreña made this writer cry with its taste. Granted, it was precisely the same taste and style as a family friend from El Salvador’s version, but a quality sandwich is a quality sandwich. The guac was excellent, too.
Alex De Vore
The beef momo at Tibet Café satisfies without being over-salted or greasy.
720 St. Michael’s Drive, (505) 227-5400
Trainer and meal prep proponent Palden Digkhang added a sit-down element to his Midtown restaurant in 2024, and the fried beef momo (dumplings, basically) was easily one of the finest dishes I ate all year. Digkhang’s whole fitness angle means the food is fresh and not super-oily.
Elote @Capital Coal Neighborhood Eatery
326 S Guadalupe St., (505) 772-0192
Though Dr. Field Good’s French dip knocks Capital Coal’s version off my list this year (more on that in a sec), chef/owner Dakota Weiss’ take on Mexican street corn with queso fresco and Tajin was a revelation of goodness. Find new New Mexican items, too.
Literally Everything @Market Steer Steakhouse
213 Washington Ave., (505) 365-1010
When chef/co-owner Kathleen Crook and co-owner Kristina Goode (also spouses) moved out of the Hotel St. Francis and into the former El Mesón space earlier this year, everyone assumed the new iteration of Market Steer would rule—and they were right. To date, I’ve only attended a soft opening, but everything from the mocktails and steaks to wine service with a dedicated decanting station ranks among the best this town has ever seen.
Alex De Vore
The Frenched crisped chicken breast is easily the best chicken dish this writer has tasted in this or any town.
Frenched Chicken @Dinner For Two
106 N Guadalupe St., (505) 820-2075
I made sure to apologize to Dinner For Two owner/chef Andy Barnes as publicly as possible earlier this year after I finally dined at the upscale eatery following years of assuming it sucked. It unequivocally does not suck, and I need everyone to visit and order the Frenched chicken—a technique of cutting the breast that keeps the bone in the mix—because I want to talk about it so much.
California Burrito Plate @El Rigoberto’s
2207 Cerrillos Road, (505) 428-0406
You likely already read a bit about this burrito in our cover story this week, but I’m putting it here, too, because it was that good. El Rigoberto’s took over the former Fast ’n’ Real/Burrito Spot location on Cerrillos, and its commitment to offering up a taste of Mexico/Southern California means everything to a guy like me who claims New Mexico but grew up out West.
Mocktails and Tacos @Escondido
1101 Paseo Corazón, (505) 316-4718
I’ve written a lot about chef Fernando Ruiz’s rise from ex-con to celeb chef, and that’s pretty much because I love the tale of a person who finds their thing and kills it forever. Ruiz’s new spot was popular from the instant it opened earlier this year, and though the ceviche and steaks are solid, I’m all about those mocktails and various tacos—including the veggie one.
304 Johnson St., (505) 989-1166
Last year I was obsessed with chef Eduardo Rodriguez’s Zacatlán—which earned him a James Beard Award nomination, btw—and this year I’m all about TerraCotta. Rodriguez took the downtown fine dining restaurant over just as the fall was falling, and despite an early-days issue with the liquor license (which has since been resolved), he came out swinging with exciting appetizers like beets and burrata, as well as my personal favorite—an absolutely massive pork tomahawk that was easily in my top three favorite restaurant meals of all time. Rodriguez started in kitchens as a dishwasher, so I’m very much here for that, too.
Alex De Vore
Where have you been all my life, shouyu pork ramen with red chile miso broth!?
Shoyu Red Chile Miso Pork Ramen @REMIX Audio Bar
222 N Guadalupe St., (505) 803-7949
I’m starting to see a real pork trend on this list, but when a chef like Joel Coleman develops a menu alongside REMIX owners Julie Grace and Justin Ray, you try that ramen. While you can mix and match meats and veggies and broths to your liking, I cannot recommend the red chile miso enough, nor will I ever get over the semi-sweet pork that came alongside it, the tender ramen noodles or the flavorful charred veggies with just the right amount of crunch.
Teriyaki Beef Bento @Tokyo Café
Similarly to my Dinner For Two blindness, so, too, did I spend years ragging on Tokyo Café because I’d had a so-so meal there eons ago and never bothered to update my knowledge. I was so wrong. Everything at Tokyo Café is crazy-fresh and delicious. And though the sushi is definitely top-notch, the value of the teriyaki beef bento dish is unparalelled. Crammed with the aforementioned beef in all of its tangy and sweet glory, the dish also comes with an order of California rolls—with real crab, no less—plus shrimp tempura, a small salad and a clear soup full of savory, warming goodness. Just writing this makes me want to get back there ASAP.
