TWO HUNDRED THIRTY MILES. That’s the distance I’d go for Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbecue. Add another hour and a half waiting in line just to get inside the Cloudcroft BBQ joint in mid-November? Absolutely. For pitmaster James Jackson’s low-and-slow smoked brisket, pulled pork, and turkey? Happily—no, joyously. At that point, a piece of peach and berry cobbler doesn’t feel like an indulgence, it feels like a necessity.
And so it was, an entire weekend trip to the mountain town centered around several pounds of meaty heaven. My wife and I did other things too: shopping along Burro Avenue, checking out the Mexican Canyon Trestle bridge, and hoping for a ghost sighting at the Lodge at Cloudcroft. While the weather scuttled some hiking plans, it gave us more time to eat and drink—wood-fired pizza at Cloudcroft Brewing Co. and a glass or two at Noisy Water Winery.
It’s not surprising. Food often features prominently in most travel plans, whether it’s a weekend getaway or summer vacation. Where you’ll eat is often just as important as where you’ll stay. That’s especially true in a place as culinarily rich as New Mexico, where food is a flavorful expression of who we are and what makes this place so enchanting.
Mad Jack's meats are smoked overnight and sliced fresh the next morning.
Photograph by Douglas Merriam.
This month’s “Worth the Trip” feature goes beyond spots to add to your next itinerary. There are plenty of worthy restaurants in every corner of the state, whether you’re seeking blue corn enchiladas from the Shed in Santa Fe, a green chile cheeseburger (and a shake) from Sparky’s Burgers, Barbecue & Espresso in Hatch, or chile rellenos from Rancho de Chimayó. While we included a nice selection of classics—green chile cheeseburgers, Frito pies, blue corn dishes, chicharrones, and frybread, we also sought out a heaping helping of dishes that are moving us right now. We’d gladly hit the road for pecan ramen from Oni in Albuquerque, game meat sausages from Black Bird Saloon in Los Cerrillos, Three Sisters Tacos from the Skillet in Las Vegas, or honey lavender ice cream from Vanilla Moose in Aztec.
While our culinary adventures range from James Beard–nominated spots to once-a-year food festivals, there’s also an emphasis on local sourcing, creative twists on old favorites, and building on tradition.
The one ingredient they all seem to have in common, however, is something Coyote Cafe executive chef Dakota Weiss told me about what makes her mussels posole special: “It’s the amount of love that goes into it.” Because that translates across any distance.
Read more: From roadside gems to James Beard Winners, these New Mexico dishes are worth every mile—and every mouthful.
