Barela’s Coffee House – Just Good Cooking Here!
Don’t let the name fool you. This is more of a restaurant than it is a coffee house. They do offer a few choices but if you come to Barela’s you’re not coming for the coffee. It’s all about the green chile, the home-made tortillas, and the great service!
1502 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Overall Bites:
Value: I had the Huevos Rancheros which start at $6. The portion size is good and you get a fresh, home-made flour tortilla with it too! Other menu items start at $5 for an egg burrito. Prices go up from there into the low two digits.
Taste: Just like grandma’s home cooking! What better way to start the day than with some frijoles, papas, y con huevos smothered in fresh chile verde! My Spanglish comes out when the food is this good.
Presentation: Nothing too fancy but then again this isn’t a 5 star restaurant. This is New Mexico cooking at it’s finest.
Vibe: You know when everybody gets together for Thanksgiving dinner and it’s loud and everybody is getting along? Yes, it’s like that. At Barela’s you’re treated like family and everybody is having a great time enjoying their meal.
Accessibility: Corner of Fourth and Bridge. Not too far from the Hispanic Cultural Center and just south of downtown. It’s worth the trip! And there is plenty of parking.
So is this a coffee house or not? Well, no, it’s not. The Barela family started the restaurant as a coffee house that would serve muffins and the like. As more people came they expanded their menu to include other foods. They may have changed to cater to their customers but the name stuck. You can still get a good cup of Joe but their specialty is the New Mexican cooking.
I had just registered my daughters for school at CNM and what better way to celebrate the new school year than with a good breakfast. We went to Barela’s, a place I hadn’t been to in over 10 years, and decided to introduce my daughters to an Albuquerque favorite. You can park in front of the restaurant but I would recommend parking across the street (just north of the McDonald’s). You’ll see the parking sign for Barela’s and you’ll find a spot. Be careful as you cross 4th because it can get pretty busy. Once you enter the restaurant you’ll seat yourself and the wait staff will get to you promptly to take your drink order.
I had the Huevos Rancheros and they had the Deluxe version (a tortilla underneath the Huevos with a healthy serving of cheese on top). The Huevos Rancheros come with a home-made flour tortilla which was a little thick but it was also nice and warm and it worked perfectly to spoon up my beans. True Mexican, and New Mexican, food eaters will know what I’m talking about. To look at the plate you wouldn’t think too much of it. I added a little salt and pepper and devoured…I mean I absolutely devoured my plate in a couple of minutes. The green chile, which is Certified from NM, was amazing. This time of year you can go to any grocery store, including Wal-Marts, to find the green chile roasters going. The smell just makes you crave it all day long! Coming to Barela’s hit the spot! You can see from the pictures that this chile looks fresh!
You have to come and taste the food for yourself. I give Barela’s Coffee House 4.5 Bites. The value was good, the food was great, the service was good. The counter where you pay had candy throughout like a convenience store. I’m sure it’s a money maker for them but I didn’t think it fit into the restaurant. I was impressed, don’t get me wrong….but not quite blown away. I’m still hunting for the 5 Bite jewel…stay tuned!
Don’t forget to check out the gift shop that features a lot of New Mexican/Mexican art and tourist type knick knacks. Check out Barela’s Coffee House on Facebook.
