7 ABQ spots where you can get your fresh tortilla fix

Alaina Mencinger, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·5 min read

Jan. 11—If you're craving homemade tortillas, you can mix up a dough, let it rest, divide the dough, roll the pieces into disks, fire up the griddle and cook them to brown-speckled perfection.

Or, if you're in Albuquerque, you could just stop by one of many restaurants that sells their homemade tortillas in bulk.

Earlier this week, the Journal put out a call online to readers to share their favorite places to get a homemade tortilla. Here is a non-comprehensive list of local spots, sourced from our readers and newsroom staff:

With a side of celebrity: Barelas Coffee House

For decades, Barelas Coffee House has delighted homegrown New Mexicans and tourists alike — including celebrity customer Barack Obama, who stopped by the restaurant in 2010. Opened by Barelas resident Mike Gonzalez in the 1970s, the coffee shop has grown along with the neighborhood. While coffee is in the name, the menu is filled with New Mexican classics, including a side of corn tortillas or flour tortillas with butter.

Location and hours:

1502 Fourth SW

Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Sunday: Closed

For late nights on Central: Frontier

It's as New Mexican as green chile. In 2021, Frontier celebrated its 50th anniversary in its location on Central across from the University of New Mexico campus. Since Larry and Dorothy Rainosek opened the restaurant in 1971, Frontier has grown both in size and fame, becoming an Albuquerque tradition — it was the first restaurant I ate at when I moved to New Mexico. Besides its tortillas, which are sold by the dozen, Frontier sells its chile, pozole, sweet rolls and more in bulk.

Location and hours:

2400 Central SE

Monday — Sunday: 5 a.m.-12 a.m.

When you're on the go: Golden Pride

Golden Pride is Frontier's slightly younger sister restaurant; opened in 1972 by Larry and Dorothy Rainosek, it's served Albuquerque for 51 years, next to Frontier's 52. Although Golden Pride gained fame as a BBQ restaurant, it's also known for its burritos — burritos wrapped in Golden Pride's tortillas. You can pick up a dozen at one of Golden Pride's four locations, and even grab a stack at their drive-thru.

Locations and hours:

10101 Central NE

5231 Central NW

1830 Lomas NE

3720 Juan Tabo NE

Monday-Friday: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

Saturday: 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

With a dash of exclusivity: Duran Central Pharmacy

Opened in 1942 as a pharmacy, Duran Central Pharmacy has been a landmark of West Downtown for decades. Still family owned, the pharmacy opened a restaurant in the late 1960s, which has become renowned for its red and green chile and from-scratch tortillas. Due to the popularity of the restaurant and the time to make tortillas, customers are unlikely to leave with a dozen tortillas, but the tortillas are featured in the meals. According to the general manager, depending on how busy it is, customers might be able to leave with a few tortillas to-go if they're lucky — but don't count on it.

Location and hours:

1815 Central NW

Sunday-Tuesday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wednesday-Saturday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

For tortillas 94 years in the making: El Modelo

Started in a three-room family home in 1929, El Modelo has had decades to perfect its flour and white corn tortilla recipes. Carmen Garcia, the restaurant's founder, turned one of her home's rooms into a "factory," waking up at 2 a.m. to make tortillas for the breakfast crowd. To this day, El Modelo serves breakfast all day.

Location and hours:

1715 Second SW

Monday-Sunday: 7 a.m.- 7 p.m.

A familiar favorite: Garcia's

Garcia's is a force in Albuquerque, with six locations and almost five decades of cooking for Duke City. Although the original location, opened by Andrew "Andy" Garcia, closed in 2020, the restaurant has continued to expand since its 1975 start, and would-be customers still have plenty of locations to choose from. Tortilla enthusiasts can buy their goods by the dozen as part of their family style menu.

Locations and hours:

6390 Coors NW

Sunday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

1736 Central SW

Sunday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

4917 4th NW

Sunday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

3601 Juan Tabo NE

Sunday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

2924 San Mateo NE

Monday: Closed

Sunday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Tuesday-Saturday: 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

8518 Indian School NE

Sunday-Monday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Tuesday-Saturday: 7 a.m. -9 p.m.

To try something new: Tortilla Kitchen

Tortillas: it's in the name of one of Albuquerque's newest New Mexican restaurants, and in an interview with the Journal, co-owner Mike Montoya said that tortillas are the "anchor" of the menu. Tortillas are hand rolled and griddled to order, coming to the table piping hot in tortilla warmers. A dozen tortillas sells for $5 at the Northeast Albuquerque restaurant.

Location and hours:

6550 Holly Ave NE

Monday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-2 p.m.