Las Cruces, New Mexico, a city brimming with culture and history, offers a unique culinary landscape, especially when it comes to New Mexican Food Las Cruces. For those seeking an authentic taste of this regional cuisine, Nopalito Restaurant stands out as a must-visit destination. Steeped in history and flavor, Nopalito offers a dining experience that is both comforting and uniquely Las Cruces.
My own journey with New Mexican food began with the home-style cooking of family, a world where “Mexican food” was simply what Mom and Grandma made – always exceptional, always familiar. Growing up in Northern New Mexico, the distinct identity of New Mexican cuisine, separate from purely Mexican fare, wasn’t always front of mind. It’s a cuisine with roots deeply entwined with Spanish and Native American culinary traditions, a fact that sets it apart. Even the state vegetable, the chile, was once commonly spelled “chili” – a testament to the evolving understanding of our unique food heritage. This culinary evolution became apparent when my sisters ventured to New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.
Returning home, they introduced us to “Mexican” dishes that were delightfully foreign to our Northern New Mexican palates. Sour cream enchiladas? Con queso with Muenster cheese? Green chile salsa? Rolled enchiladas? Gorditas? Were these Las Cruces “Mexican” restaurants culinary innovators or simply off-course? It didn’t take long for us to embrace these novel flavors and eagerly anticipate exploring more of Southern New Mexico’s gastronomic offerings. Among my sisters’ cherished food memories were restaurants like Chope’s in La Mesa, La Posta in Mesilla, and Nopalito in Las Cruces – each a unique window into the diverse food Las Cruces scene. While one sister also developed a fondness for a “fancy steak restaurant” named K-Bob’s (a step up from Penasco’s Furr’s Cafeteria!), it was the distinctive “Mexican” food restaurants that truly captured our attention.
Family trips to Las Cruces soon included pilgrimages to these “radical Mexican restaurants.” Chope’s, La Posta, and Nopalito became beloved for their assertive chile and quirky charm. La Posta’s lobby, with its tropical birds and piranha, was a spectacle. Chope’s, nestled among pecan trees, felt like a family secret. Nopalito, however, offered a different kind of intrigue. The historical timeline inscribed on its foyer walls provided an unexpected glimpse into local history, a captivating feature for anyone interested in the story of New Mexico.
Nopalito’s architecture is unlike any other “Mexican” restaurant in Las Cruces. Built in 1920, it originally served as the Templo Bautista, the first Spanish Baptist church in Las Cruces. Vestiges of its ecclesiastical past remain, adding to its unique ambiance. In 1970, when the church relocated, Jose (J.R.) and Ernestina Gallegos saw an opportunity. The former temple was conveniently located near their original Nopalito restaurant, a small adobe house they had converted in 1964. (Interestingly, Mary & Tito’s in Albuquerque, another New Mexican food gem, also began in 1964). From its inception, Nopalito resonated with diners craving exceptional “Mexican” cuisine in Las Cruces.
Nopalito’s location on Mesquite Street places it along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal Road of the Interior), a historic route stretching from Mexico City to Santa Fe. Expanding in 1974, the Gallegos family opened a second location at 2605 Missouri, also in Las Cruces, constructed by their own Gallegos Construction Company. Further enriching the community, they launched the Nopalito Galleria in 2010, showcasing regional art. The name “Nopalito” itself refers to an edible cactus branch, a staple ingredient in New Mexican food.
During a visit to El Paso in February 2023, Steve Coleman of Steve’s Food Blog, a respected voice in the food world, urged a return visit to Nopalito. A long-time admirer and reviewer of Nopalito, Steve has been a patron since its early days in 1964. His familiarity with the menu is near-legendary. He asserts that “the red enchiladas are comparable to those in northern New Mexico, save for the absence of blue corn tortillas.” Such high praise from Steve held considerable weight for us, solidifying Nopalito as a priority on our Las Cruces food itinerary.
My first visit to Nopalito with Kim was in 2004. Having lived in New Mexico for nine years, she was well-versed in Northern New Mexican cuisine. She was immediately struck by the nuances – both similarities and differences – between Nopalito’s “Mexican” food and her Northern New Mexican favorites. By then, New Mexico was increasingly recognized for its distinct culinary identity – not Tex-Mex, not just Mexican, but uniquely New Mexican. Despite Nopalito’s signage declaring “Mexican Food,” Kim recognized it as authentically New Mexican.
Returning nearly two decades later, the “Mexican Food” sign remained. However, we suspect most diners understand the truth: Nopalito is New Mexican food at its finest in Las Cruces. The historical display in the foyer seemed untouched by time. Seating options included both conventional chairs and repurposed church pews. While sermons are absent, the service is attentive and helpful, with waitstaff ensuring coffee cups remain full.
The arrival of chips and two salsas was a welcome sight. The green chile salsa, served warm, is a Nopalito signature. Mildly spiced but intensely flavorful with roasted green chile, it’s tempting to forgo the other salsa entirely and focus solely on this green delight. Steve aptly notes, “Salsa is usually an appetizer, but here I find myself continuing to eat it throughout the meal until it is totally consumed.” The homemade-style chips, thick, crispy, and boasting a pronounced corn flavor, are perfect for scooping generous portions of this addictive salsa.
Beyond the salsa, my memory of Nopalito’s con queso was strong. Unlike typical con queso, often a blend of green chile, evaporated milk, and cheeses like Monterrey or Cheddar (or worse, Velveeta), Nopalito’s version is a bowl of green chile generously topped with melted Muenster cheese. Muenster! Las Cruces area New Mexican restaurants, in my experience, serve the state’s best con queso, and Nopalito and La Posta are prime examples. While the green chile in both the salsa and con queso is not aggressively spicy, it is profoundly flavorful. The Muenster cheese, with its subtle Swiss-like notes, provides a surprisingly excellent and unique twist.
As if the superb con queso weren’t enough, the chips are accompanied by a large baked corn tortilla shaped into a bowl, filled with refried beans and topped with melted cheese. These refried beans rival those of Mary & Tito’s, placing them among the state’s best. Steve concurs, praising their homemade taste, aroma, and appearance – likely indicating the use of lard in their preparation. A bowl of these beans is essential during any Nopalito visit.
Steve raves about the red chile enchiladas: “The Red Enchiladas are ones that I would rate as among the best in New Mexico, at least in terms of the chile. I think this chile has the minimum amount of additives for a true chile flavor, and Nopalito left me with one of the most pleasant chile aftertastes in my mouth that I have ever experienced.” Nopalito offers enchiladas both rolled and stacked, catering to personal preference. They are served with beans and rice. “The Works” enchilada features red and green chile, sour cream, a fried egg, and beef or chicken. Enchilada fillings include cheese, beef, or chicken.
My choice, naturally, was stacked enchiladas, the Northern New Mexican home-style. I opted for both red and green chile, a combination our server called “Christmas.” While less common in Southern New Mexico years ago, the term is becoming more widespread. These enchiladas were exceptional, easily among the state’s finest. The red chile lived up to Steve’s praise, leaving a “pleasant chile aftertaste” – not just from heat, but from an earthy, sweet, almost fruity flavor. The fried egg (over easy) added a creamy richness, and there was ample chile to generously coat the refried beans. In hindsight, a double order of beans and no rice might have been even more perfect.
Kim, facing recent dietary changes, needed milder options. Thankfully, Nopalito offers chile-free dishes, including the flauta plate (beef or chicken, with avocado and/or sour cream). Flautas, meaning “flutes” in Spanish, are rolled and fried tortillas filled with savory, spiced fillings. Crispy and flute-shaped, they are more prevalent in the Las Cruces area than in Northern New Mexico. Dipped in creamy guacamole, they are particularly delightful.
Dessert choices include ice cream, fried ice cream, or sopaipillas (plain or cinnamon). The sopaipillas are classic – deep-fried, puffed up like golden pillows, and perfect for drizzling with real honey, not just flavored syrup.
Nopalito truly ranks among the best New Mexican restaurants in the state. Outstanding red and green chile are key, but every dish at Nopalito is crafted with care and tradition, making it a cornerstone of the food Las Cruces experience.
NOPALITO RESTAURANT
310 South Mesquite
Las Cruces, New Mexico
(575) 524-0003
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LATEST VISIT: 27 February 2023
1st VISIT: 7 March 2004
# OF VISITS: 2
RATING: 25
COST: $$
BEST BET: Pork Chops, Sour Cream Enchiladas, Ground Beef Enchiladas, Salsa and Chips, Con Queso and Chips, Flautas, Sopaipillas
