By Sara Atencio-Gonzales. The Paper. – Albuquerque Restaurant Week is returning, offering diners a chance to explore the city’s diverse food scene while supporting local businesses during a slower season.
The 10-day event, which runs April 17 through April 26, features restaurants across the city offering special prix-fixe menus designed to attract new customers and highlight what makes each establishment unique.
For Carol Wight, CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association, the goal is simple. “The main goal is to highlight all of the great restaurants in Albuquerque,” says Wight.
Wight explains that the timing of Restaurant Week is intentional, taking place during what she describes as a slower period for the industry.
“It’s what we call a shoulder month, which means it’s not the holidays where restaurants get used a lot, and it’s not the summer when we have lots of tourists, so restaurants aren’t that busy,” says Wight.
Wight adds that the event helps restaurants maintain stability during that lull. “We wanted to highlight restaurants doing their very best. We want them to be able to hang on to their employees and show off the best of the best to local folks,” says Wight.
Restaurant Week also serves as a coordinated marketing effort, bringing increased visibility and foot traffic to participating businesses. “Basically, we pool their money and then do a big marketing push, and therefore they get a lot of extra traffic,” says Wight.
According to Wight, that effort has already shown results.“Last year, our restaurants were talking that they had 35% more traffic and 15% more engagement than they have seen in years past,” says Wight.
For local restaurant owners, the event offers an opportunity to connect with new customers and showcase their menus.
At Copper Canyon (5455 Gibson Blvd. SE), owner Richard Armijos explains that the decision to participate this year came after passing on the opportunity in the past.
“Last year, we were new to the ownership of the business and didn’t really have our feet under us. So, we passed last year, but we thought it’d be a pretty interesting event to be part of,” says Armijos.
Copper Canyon will offer a special menu during the event. “We have a fixed menu for the event. It’s like a three-course meal. You have appetizers to choose from. You have three items from our lunch special to choose from, and then you have desserts,” says Armijos.
Menu items at Copper Canyon include a selection of comfort foods, with appetizer options like green chile cheese fries, main dishes such as chicken fried steak, and desserts including coconut cream pie or apple pie.
For Armijos, the event is also about changing perceptions and drawing attention to his neighborhood on the edge of the International District. “We’ve been in business for 25 years, and we’re in an area of Albuquerque that gets much attention only for negative,” says Armijos.
Arimjos hopes visitors leave with a new perspective. “We want people to know that there are still some places out in this area. That they could still come and bring their families to and still enjoy a wonderful experience,” says Armijos.
Not far away, The Chancla (1248 San Mateo Blvd. SE) is also participating, bringing a more casual brunch-focused approach to Restaurant Week.
Co-owner Jeremy Jourdian, who runs the restaurant alongside his partner Candace Billy, explains that the restaurant joined again after a successful first year.
“Well, we did it last year. Last year was our first opening, and it was pretty awesome. It did really well,” says Jourdian.
Jourdian adds that participation also helps bring attention to the International District. “It’s really just trying to get more awareness to the International District of the cool places we have here,” says Jourdian.
Instead of a traditional upscale menu, The Chancla is offering a customizable brunch experience. “What we did is that we kind of give, like, a breakfast spread. You can pick any one of our entrees on the menu and then you also get a choice of a smaller portion of our French toast,” says Jourdian.
Jourdian explains that the restaurant prides itself on quality and inclusivity. “What we lack an ambiance we make up for in our quality of food. Everything’s made in-house, everything’s made fresh, and we’ve been chefs for 20 years.”
Jourdian also emphasizes the variety of options available to diners. “We have a lot of variety that people can choose from. And we have a lot of gluten-free options, vegetarian options,” says Jourdian.
For Wight, that diversity is exactly what makes Restaurant Week special. “What I’m excited about is the variety. We’re really trying to highlight the variety of food you can get in Albuquerque,” says Wight.
As the event continues to grow, organizers hope it will encourage residents to explore new restaurants and support the local dining community. This year, at least 30 local restaurants, all over the Albuquerque area, are participating – from Church Street Cafe in Old Town to Herencia in the Northeast Heights, from Urban Hot Dog in Nob Hill to Bien Shur at Sandia Resort and Casino.
For those looking to take part, Albuquerque Restaurant Week offers an easy way to explore the city’s diverse food scene by visiting participating restaurants and trying their special prix-fixe menus. Diners can find a full list of locations and offerings on the event website (abqrestaurantweek.org) and plan their week around new culinary experiences.