Culinary Treasures Trail
Any Road Trips Foodie who’s wandered New Mexico knows what a wealth of cuisine is hidden in that state. Fortunately, the New Mexico Tourism Department has noticed our dilemma, and has launched a new online Culinary Treasures Trail.
In the restaurant world, “new” and “hot” tends to grab the attention, but it’s the older places that create the character of an area, and that provide the foundation on which more recent dining establishments can thrive. On the trail are restaurants that have stood the test of time — independent spots that have become beloved in their neighborhoods and beyond. Many of these are operated by the founding family, or by someone handpicked by the founders to carry on their legacy. In all cases they are still family-owned and operated.
Personal or family hospitality is among the pluses of Culinary Treasures, so the tourism folks stipulated that the restaurant could have no more than one “sibling”, which left out a few other favorites that are now small chains.
With the advice of the New Mexico Restaurant Association, the Tourism Department picked 40 years of age as the milestone New Mexico’s Culinary Treasures must have reached. They put out the word statewide, received nominations and then convened a team of culinary experts to confirm the final list, running from Abiquiú to Tucumcari.
A digital map makes it easy to check out what’s along visitors’ routes, plan a tasty detour, or grab some friends and plan a whole itinerary around these personality-filled spots.
The Trail also provides a snapshot of each restaurant’s history, style and food. There’s a complete list online and a map of the trail, too.