As long as the American gas station has been around, its offspring propagating farther and wider than Johnny’s apple seeds, there have been restaurants attached. In a car culture of convenience over long distances, this seems an unremarkable—even natural—evolution. Food and fuel. Tank and tummy. “Eat and get gas.” 

But one of the first things I found so charming about the Duke City’s particular off-kilter brand of roadside establishments were the other not-always-gasoline-related businesses joined together, carving out corner lots and historic neighborhoods as their own. Apart from the obvious efficiency of it all, there’s something lingering in these businesses that calls to mind a particular kind of quilty American pleasure: a legacy of convenience and hospitality in the most unabashedly discordant of spaces (think a drive-through daiquiri in the heart of New Orleans, or a gleaming casino in the stark desert). 

I rounded up a few of the best for your cruising convenience and hope you’ll see them, like I do, as destinations worthy of visiting in and of themselves, rather than just stops along the way. 

Monte Carlo Steakhouse and Liquor Store

If you want to step through a portal that leads you out of the twenty-first century and straight into the 1970s, we’ve got just the place (minus the haze of cigarette smoke and the Vietnam War). Monte Carlo Steakhouse and Liquor Store evokes another era, complete with cozy wood paneling, neon beer signs, dark booths, Elvis collectibles, and, of course, hefty, juicy, steaks, cooked to order.

Opened in 1972, Monte Carlo features a counter-service liquor store in front and a loungey bar and restaurant in the back. The store is chock full of both standard offerings and surprising extras (ChapStick or Pickle-In-A-Pouch, anyone?), surrounded by handwritten signs in a space so small you have to squeeze if another customer happens to be picking up a six-pack.

Exit and round the corner to the back of the liquor store to find the dining room, which will likely be packed—but service is swift and you can pass the time by taking in the wealth of eclectic and historic treasures, from a giant framed portrait of the original owner’s family to a mounted longhorn head to sports ephemera in glass display cases.

The steak dinners and specials are the way to go, and range anywhere from a very affordable half-pound sirloin to a spendier twenty-ounce porterhouse. All come with a generous selection of sides: a house salad, Texas toast, and a choice of loaded or regular baked potato, fries, or rice. My go-to is the half-pound rib eye, perfectly seared with crusty edges, pink on the inside. If you want to do as Guy Fieri did in his visit to Monte Carlo in Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, there’s always Louie’s Special (half a pound of sliced steak, onions, and cheese on a bun served with fries or baked potato) or the fourteen-ounce all-pork shish kebab, with the same sides.

📍 3916 Central SW, Albuquerque, 505-242-6121

New Mexico Beef Jerky Company / Viv’s Sweet Shop

OK, so this breakfast spot, tucked away on a quiet stretch of Fourth Street, sells their jerky, made on-site, from the same counter as their breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, and—a specialty—chicharrones by the pound. But hear us out: With a separate coffee counter / bakery under the same roof that acts as an almost completely separate operation, there’s a double, or maybe even a triple, space in there somewhere.

Those in the know can swing by this bustling corner adobe for one of New Mexico Beef Jerky’s homestyle but expertly executed breakfasts and grab a brown paper bag of old-school beef jerky for the road. Jerky flavors include lemon and pepper, tangy teriyaki, and chile con limón, but it’s far from your sticky-sweet, pliable gas-station Jack Link’s—the strips are almost crispy, and thin enough to nearly melt in your mouth.

Try the chicharrón breakfast burrito not only for its crunch and heft but for the perfect ratio of potato, egg, and chile of choice. There’s plenty of space to sit—but weekend crowds are the norm, so an early hustle is advised.

At the counter for Viv’s Sweet Shop, service is friendly and fast. There are pastries like danishes and apple fritters to choose from, and you may be asked if you want a dollop of sweet cream cold foam atop your cold brew—go for it if you know what’s good for you. Bonus points: huge, delicious slices of tres leches cake, packaged in a clamshell for later snacking.

📍 1425 Fourth Street NW, Albuquerque, 505-242-6121

2000 Vietnam / Saigon Express Emissions Testing

At the corner of Zuni and San Mateo, the unlikeliest of business pairings are a uniquely Albuquerque delight: You can celebrate passing your emissions test at the Saigon Express Emissions Testing with Vietnamese food that stands out in a city chock-full of great Vietnamese restaurants. 

As the name implies, 2000 Vietnam has been an understated local go-to since the turn of the millennium, but there’s virtually no way to run out of new dishes to try here. Count: 163, and that’s without drinks, boba shakes, and desserts. Go-tos like phở and bánh mì are plentiful and varied, and their nước chấm (served with spring rolls and many other dishes) is seriously addictive.

Consider branching out to a dish less traveled, like their “steamed vermicelli with grilled pork (chicken or beef), fried tofu and fried egg roll.” The steamed vermicelli (bánh hỏi), endearingly dubbed “tiny vermicelli” in an earlier menu iteration, are actually angel-hair-thin vermicelli woven into patty-like disks. The “fried tofu” (tàu hũ ky) nested atop the noodle bundles is bean curd skin wrapped around a funky, savory minced shrimp mixture, fried until crispy, and sliced into bite-sized strips. Grilled beef or pork, deeply marinated and browned, also sits on top. Served with a side of fresh lettuce, cilantro, cucumber, and carrots, and showered with sautéed scallions and crispy fried shallots, there’s a little surprise in every bite.

📍 601 San Mateo SE, Albuquerque, 505-232-0900

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Duran Central Pharmacy

This Albuquerque mainstay may be a triple threat: pharmacy, gift shop, and restaurant, complete with a tiled diner counter and old-school swivel barstools. The food is your standard red-or-green fare, but try the giant made-in-house tortillas, and be sure to order the prickly pear margarita if it’s on special. We have it on good authority that the pharmacy is excellent—no retail chain red tape here—and the gift shop carries a surprisingly nice selection of cookbooks, wrapping paper, souvenirs, and kitchen doodads.

📍 1815 Central NW, Albuquerque, 505-247-4141

Founders / El Rey Liquors

The tiny bar underneath El Rey Liquors on Central hasn’t been secret in a long time (since the management changed hands, anyone who visits their website can request the password), but the cocktails and vibes are still killer. And if the thrill of Meow Wolf’s fridge portal has worn off, Founders speakeasy has their own version: a stairway from the storefront down to the bar is disguised as a walk-in. The liquor store sports a vintage cigarette machine and offers a solid selection of craft beer alongside liquor and more limited wines; prices in the downtown shop lean a little higher than elsewhere in town. The bar downstairs is dark, cozy, packed with seating, and evokes something between Victorian smoking parlor and Twin Peaks’ Black Lodge. Try the banana bread old-fashioned; it’s complex and boozy, served underneath a gently unfurling cloud of hickory smoke, and it packs a not-quite-gentle punch to the central nervous system.

📍 622 Central SW, Albuquerque

T&T Gas n Mart

Has Balloon Fiesta traffic ever sent you adrift in the far North Valley? If you’re lucky, you’ll end up at the T&T Gas n Mart, an unassuming spot on Alameda and Rio Grande serving up unleaded, a scattering of specialty groceries, and delicious bánh mì. Owned by the Nguyens, T&T opened in 2019 and sports a limited menu of inexpensive Vietnamese classics and more than thirty bubble teas, ordered at the same counter as the candy bars and scratch-offs. Per a friend of the owners who was sitting in a corner nook keeping the busy couple company during my last visit, they also cater.

📍 1101 Alameda NW, Albuquerque, 505-508-5420