Frontier, Albuquerque

The Frontier is no less than Albuquerque's heart and soul, packed from dawn till past midnight with an admirable cross-section of the city's population. Over the decades, the diner has expanded into neighboring storefronts, so it occupies the better part of a block, and each room is decked out with some form of Southwestern art. "Meet me in the rug room," a local might say, or "I'm at the table under the John Wayne portrait—the biggest one." And what about the food? It's so good the employees eat here on their days off: hearty, chile-and-cheese-laden New Mexican platters, flame-broiled burgers, fresh-squeezed orange juice and cinnamon rolls that make your heart stop just by looking at them. There's also a vat of green chile on the condiment station, and a tortilla machine to watch while you wait for your order to be called.

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