Play the Field at Los Poblanos

LOS POBLANOS INN & ORGANIC FARM spirits manager Joseph Simonson has a thesis for the group’s beverage program. “It’s a field-to-cocktail experience,” he says. “The operating question is always, ‘Why can this cocktail only exist here?’ ” 

“Here” begins on Los Poblanos’ historic 1930s property in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, which has become known for its acclaimed Campo restaurant and bar, a 2025 James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Wine and Beverages Program and a 2026 Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award honoree. That place-based ethos extends to the Bar Norte location in Santa Fe and the Town & Ranch distillery and tasting room in downtown Albuquerque, where Los Poblanos began distilling spirits in 2022. 

At the heart of the program are Los Poblanos’ award-winning terroir gins: a traditional Western dry and a lavender-infused variety made with the farm’s signature crop. “We have a lot of unique botanicals growing on the farm,” Simonson explains. “That’s expressed as a very Río Grande Valley gin that’s spicy and earthy.” These one-of-a-kind gins pair especially well with dishes using farm-grown herbs like rose and chamomile and provide the base for popular Los Poblanos drinks, such as the tart, gingery New Mexico Mule and the floral, crème de violette–laced Lavender ’99. But the bar menus aren’t limited to gin.

“I’m really proud of our agave selection,” says Simonson, who admits that when he comes in on a day off, he opts for a pour of mezcal from one of their small, artisanal producers. His team is always on the hunt for expressive spirits that complement herbs, fruits, and other ingredients sourced from the farm or nearby. And that’s also true for zero-proof alternatives like the No-groni. 

The unexpected is something of a rule on Los Poblanos menus. The Long Lost Pal features oregano, bizcochito bitters, and a tomato-leaf infusion, while the Adapt-to-Gin incorporates ashwagandha, turmeric, and local tea. For Simonson, this aligns with his three organizing principles: drinks that are local, seasonal, and meaningful. The first two may come from the farm, but the meaning comes from who’s mixing the drink. 

“Our bartenders each have their own drink that they’ve worked on on the menu,” Simonson says. That sense of ownership extends throughout the organization, where staff from bartenders to dishwashers are invited to learn about the beverage program. “We’re a community-driven operation at the end of the day,” Simonson says.