east side
american
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar: 7956 Gateway East, $$, 598-7006. Chase a warm batch of spicy buffalo wings with the steak-and-riblet platter.
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse: 11905 Gateway West, $-$$$, 633-8300. Nice ambience and good food. The Sweet Pig pizza -- pineapples, Roma tomatoes and ham -- isn't bad.
Blue Iguana: 8838 Viscount, $$-$$$, 595-2530. If you are looking for steaks, this is the place. The salads are humongous and delicious, too.
Cheddar's: 11895 Gateway West, $$, 593-6979. Serves a wide variety of appetizers, steaks, ribs and sandwiches. It also offers a selection of salads, lighter entrees and big ol' burgers.
Frisco: 3111 N. Yarbrough, $, 591-6737. Old-fashioned, homemade burgers are the mainstay. If you want to be adventurous, try the hamburger steak smothered in chili beans, melted cheese and onions.
Fuddruckers: 7942 Gateway East, $-$$, 594-9996. Everything you love about a grilled burger, but you don't have to cook it yourself. A second location is at 5030 N. Desert.
Geske's Fire Grille: 1506 Lee Treviño, Suite C, $$-$$$, 593-3473. The sister restaurant to the West Side's GeoGeske serves gourmet dishes in a relaxed setting. Try the L pasta -- linguine with lemon, leeks and lobster in a cream sauce.
Hooters of El Paso: 1170 Sunmount, $$, 778-9464. Specializes in deep-fried chicken wings, shrimp and fish.
Hot Subs and Tortas: 1831 N. Zaragoza, $, 849-7997. This small diner offers hamburgers and several subs including a Philly, a ham and cheese, a veggie, and a club. The tortas are tops.
Incredible Pizza Co.: 1430 N. Lee Treviño, $-$$, 592-6800. Lots of food for a low price. Loved the chicken pot pie and pizza.
Jaxon's Restaurant and Brewing Co.: 1135 Airway, $$, 778-9696. The Santa Barbara beef still qualifies as Jaxon's signature dish. It's amazing how a small quantity of the specially prepared steak, enriched by a barbecue sauce, can cut into the stomach's usable space.
Mexi Dogs: 11335 Montwood, Suite 82, $, 856-5900. What's not to like about a place that specializes in hot dogs? The bacon-wrapped Mexi Dogs are great.
Pepperoni's Pizza & Deli: 14020 Horizon Blvd., $$, 852-2544. The varied menu includes pizza, sandwiches, diner staples and Chinese food. Try the New Yorker sub, a great meal for a hungry day.
The Rancher's Grill: 9530 Viscount, $$, 598-1266. Down-home cooking. The country-fried steak is generous.
Red Rim Bistro: 1600 Airway, inside the Marriott Hotel, $-$$, 774-6916. Limited lunch menu. The bacon cheeseburger is good -- basic but filling.
San Francisco Oven: 1327 George Dieter, Suite H (in Las Palmas Marketplace), $$, 629-0990. Grab some delicious, brick-oven-baked pizza.
Track One: 1330 Robert E. Lee, $$, 779-2170. The menu has been updated with some excellent new sandwiches, but don't worry -- the great chicken wings are still there.
Tutti Cafe: 11360 Montwood, Suite E, $, 855-4666. The fresh-fruit drinks at this little place will make you wish summer was year-round. Tortas are the main dish at the colorful corner cafe.
Wing Stop: 9530 Viscount, Suite 2K, $-$$, 593-9464. If you love wings -- hot or mild -- this is the place to eat. For something different, try the garlic-Parmesan or Hawaiian barbecue.
barbecue
Smokey's Pit Stop: 346 Lee Treviño, $$, 593-6332. The portions are generous. The baby back ribs were tender, sweet and falling off the bone. Other locations at 9100 Viscount, 2100 Zaragoza.
Buffets
Souper Salad: 8900 Viscount, $, 594-6617. Cold pasta salads, fruit, two kinds of pudding, baked potatoes, four kinds of soup, three kinds of bread and all the drink refills you want.
Coffee bars
Kristoph's Coffees: 1506 N. Lee Treviño, $, 592-5136. Wonderful gourmet coffee, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches are sure to satisfy any hunger.
Lighthouse Coffee Co.: 3021 McRae, $. The menu is limited, but the atmosphere is excellent and the coffee is fine. 594-7879.
Italian
Brick Wall Pizza Co.: 11335 Montwood Suite J, $$, 856-6444. Well-priced, good food. Great atmosphere for game night -- or entertain yourself watching your pizza being made.
Caffe Italia: 1830 N. Zaragoza, inside Angie's Flowers, $$, 857-8200. Great salads, including Mediterranean and Greek. Don't pass on the truffles.
Cappetto's Italian Restaurant on the East Side: 2285 Trawood, $$, 591-8907. Just like the original in Central El Paso, 2716 Montana.
Dominic's Italian Restaurant: 6901 Montana, $$, 778-0011. The former Downtown eatery has moved to the East Side, but it's still serving delicious Italian food. Try the chicken Jerusalem, which is made with artichoke hearts and mushrooms.
Italia Ristorante Italiano: 1188 N. Yarbrough, $$$; 595-0845. Freshly made pasta and wonderful service.
Jando's Italian Cuisine: 1550 Lomaland, $$, 590-6206. Offers a pleasant mix of delicious food and a quiet, warm atmosphere.
Julia's Italian Deli: 6999 Montana Suite C, $-$$, 843-2007. The bread is freshly baked, and the deli meats are delicious. What more could you ask?
Marcello's Ristorante Italiano: 1360 Lee Treviño, $$, 629-7220 or www.marcelloselpaso.com. Upscale food at a relatively low price. The lobster ravioli is delicious.
Michelangelo's Lil' Italy: 3512 N. Yarbrough, $$, 598-3894. Good food, great service. Try the vitello Marsala, a veal cutlet in a cream sauce with a touch of sweet Marsala wine.
Michelino's Italian Restaurant: 3615 Rutherglen, $$, 592-1700. The large, tender veal parmigiana is served with a side of spaghetti with meat sauce and a medium-size green salad. The variations of fettuccine are also stars.
Olive Garden: 8401 Gateway West, $$-$$$, 772-9287. Provides a sure-to-please modern Italian atmosphere.
Trattoria Bella Sera: 9449 Montana, $$, 598-7948. Great meals, huge portions and friendly service.
Mexican
Andale: 9201 Gateway West, $-$$$, 590-5999. This place makes Mexican food like they do across the border. Try the tampiqueña plates.
Ay Cocula: 1435 N. Lee Treviño, $$, 593-3117. Home of authentic Mexican recipes.
Big Al's Wings & Suds: 1201 Airway, $-$$, 779-8242. Specializes in both Mexican and American food. Try the excellent charbroiled burgers, chile con queso, Veracruz-style shrimp cocktails and honey chipotle wings.
Bonny's Cafe: 11660 Montwood, $, 855-2770. A menu overhead calls the burritos "Super Wraps," and you won't disagree -- they're huge and tasty, too.
Chico's Tacos: 1365 George Dieter, $, 592-8484. The most interesting item on the menu are the popular rolled tacos -- an acquired taste. Other locations: 4230 Alameda, 3401 Dyer, 5305 Montana.
Chih'ua Tacos y Cortes: 9135 Gateway West, $$, 598-0900. Specialty taco plates are awesome, as are the frijoles charros.
Dominguez Mexican Food: 1201 Airway Suite C5; $$, 772-2160. If you want great Mexican food and are lucky enough to work nearby, try this restaurant for lunch.
East Side Cafe: 11251 Rojas, $$, 592-9606. This place is an institution. Don't pass on the steak tampiqueña or carne asada.
El Chaparral de Valles: 6128 Montana Suite H. 774-9888. $-$$, It doesn't matter that this restaurant is in a former Taco Bell. El Chaparral provides a variety of favorite meat dishes, the kind that make for a great carne asada. Among the featured items are tacos de res, barbacoa and shrimp cocktails.
El Mesón Fine Mexican & Marisco Restaurant: 1906-C N. Lee Treviño, $$, 595-1030. This small restaurant serves a variety of Mexican dishes, including fish fillet al mojo de ajo. The tasty entree comes with white rice, buttery toast, lettuce and tomato.
El Parque: 1319 George Dieter, $$, 633-1717. Great Mexican dishes. Try the sopa Azteca, a hearty soup made out of chicken broth, vegetables, hominy, grated cheese and tortilla strips.
Franky's: 9828 Montana, $$, 594-4918. This family-style restaurant (with a bar) serves Mexican and American food with fluent ease. Breakfast is especially good.
Las Fuentes: 3130 Lee Treviño, $$, 592-5266. Featuring combination plates, enchiladas and chiles rellenos.
La Casita: 3355 Yarbrough, $$, 592-5819. From the crisp shredded-beef tacos to the combination plates, the food is as authentic as it gets.
Playas Restaurant: 1840 N. Lee Treviño, Suite 101B, $-$$, 590-6518. Traditional Sonoran-style Mexican food. Offers a variety of tacos and probably the best caldo de res on the East Side.
Los Tres Gallegos: 3143 Lee Treviño, $-$$, 592-5243. This eatery has much to offer. The tacos are stuffed with shredded beef, and the crisp flautas have a lot of chicken.
Mike and Ana's Mexican Cuisine: 1850 Trawood, $$, 591-7456. This restaurant has everything you would expect and more from a Mexican food restaurant.
Navajo Cafe: 3120 Trawood. 921-9424. Terrific homemade taste, including chile relleno burritos and milanesa tortas.
Ole Mexico: 1515 N. Lee Treviño, Suite A, $$, 599-2858. Even the pickiest eater will find a treat.
Pampas ASAP: 1201 Airway, $-$$, 775-9935. Chicken breast torta, fresh fruit salad, cantaloupe juice -- what's not to love about this place?
Pirco's: 10740 Pebble Hills, $, 594-4021. The unassuming laminated decor doesn't prepare you for the homestyle cooking, which is simple yet delicious.
Vivar's Villa del Mar: 9788 Gateway East, off the Yarbrough exit. $-$$, 591-1446. If you like the Villa del Mar in Juárez, then you have to eat here. Great service and delicious food are the standard. The fish and shrimp plates are delicious.
asian
Beijing Lili: 10501 Gateway West, $$, 592-8808. Soups, salads and as many trips to the buffet as you can make.
China Wok Restaurant: 2000 N. Lee Treviño, Suite G, $-$$, 629-7708. This is the place to go if you've ever had New York Chinese food. Try the fried rice and the chicken entrées.
Dragon Wok Buffet: 2931 George Dieter, $$, 599-1600. Quality buffet. The Mongolian beef is tasty.
Howah Chinese Restaurant: 8848 Gateway East, $$, 595-6998. Sweet-and-sour chicken and pork, dim sum, egg rolls, and sweet-and-sour soup all taste almost as if they had been cooked at the table.
Koi Sushi: 1421 N. Lee Treviño Suite D6, $$-$$$, 590-2424. Unique sushi dishes for the adventuresome eater.
Makoto Sushi: 12210 Montwood Suite 109, $$-$$$, 855-9717. Best sushi place in the area. Fresh fish, nice atmosphere.
Manila House: 8920 Gateway East No. 7, $$, 860-2828. Authentic Filipino dishes. The food and service are both great.
Pandas Garden Chinese Restaurant: 1160 Airway, $$, 779-6100. This restaurant serves Mandarin, Szechwan and Hunan cuisine. Try the Hunan beef, a stir-fry of beef, broccoli, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and green peppers in a spicy sauce.
Peiting's China Kitchen: 11335 Montwood, $$, 921-6161. Try the pork fried rice and the moo goo gai pan.
Peking Garden: 1810 Trawood, $$, 593-4900; 592-9813. This El Paso mainstay makes good food, fast. Try the orange chicken and soup. Both are tasty.
Pho Tre Bien Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine: 6946 Gateway East, $-$$, 598-0166. Incredible Asian dishes in a classy setting. Try the chicken pho, a rice-noodle soup overflowing with herbs and vegetables.
Quik Wok: 1320 Lomaland, $-$$, 595-0717. This purveyor of Szechwan- and Hunan-style dishes has a lunch buffet with appealing, no-nonsense approach and some unique flavors.
Riyoma Japanese Restaurant: 2000 N. Lee Treviño, $$, 590-8220. New owners, but sushi is still good. Plates are plentiful.
Sakura: 3140 N. Lee Treviño, $$-$$$, 633-6277. This restaurant serves delicious Japanese fare. Don't pass on the shrimp and vegetable tempura, perfectly fried without a greasy taste.
Sumo Sushi: 1344 Zaragoza, Suite C, $-$$, 856-8818. Offers a variety of Japanese favorites, including tempura, yakimeshi, yakisoba, teriyaki and, of course, sushi.
Susaki Lounge Sushi Bar: 1506 N. Lee Treviño, Suite B1A, $$$, 591-9266. An expanded sushi bar and hip ambiance. What else could you want?
Uncle Bao's: 6065 Montana, Suite C-5, $-$$, 881-8181. Nice East Side location. The Hunan chicken is great.
Other Ethnic
Aloha Hawaiian BBQ: 1831 N. Zaragoza, Suite 115, $$, 857-7900. Lots of flavorful dishes. Try the kalua pork or the chicken katsu, boneless deep-fried chicken strips coated with a sweet sauce.
El Rey de la Empanada Colombiana: 2000 N. Lee Treviño, $$, 599-1283. Interesting cuisine from a different part of Latin America.
Seafood
Pelican's East: 1780 N. Lee Treviño, $$-$$$, 598-5662. Generous portions and fresh fish. Try the calamari appetizer -- tender, breaded squid. Or how about shrimp Monterey -- shrimp stuffed with crab, wrapped in Monterey Jack cheese and bacon, and topped with jalapeño and cilantro?
Playa Azul: 1840 N. Lee Treviño, $-$$, 590-6518. This friendly restaurant has a huge seafood selection, including tasty ceviche, clam chowder and a shrimp scampi with huge shrimp and a delicious garlic-butter sauce.
Señor Fish: 9530 Viscount, $$, 598-3630. Choose from nine styles of fish fillets and more styles of shrimp and whole fish.
Sports Grills
Hiney's Sports Restaurant: 8220 Gateway East, $$, 590-0115. The menu is a nod to the mostly male clientele; sandwiches, steaks and burgers anchor a straightforward selection dedicated to guy food.
Pitchers Brewery: 1600 Airway in the Marriott, $$$, 779-3300. What else would you expect at a sports grill but thick, juicy hamburgers? The restaurant also creates tasty appetizers.
Steaks
Cattle Baron: 1700 Airway, $$$, 779-6633. Serves good, filling meals, complete with bread and salad. Word of advice: Wear loose clothing.
Cattleman's Steakhouse: Indian Cliffs Ranch, $$$, 544-3200; www.cattlemanssteakhouse.com. The long drive is well worth the trip. Try the Cowgirl, a 1å-pound T-bone.
Delaney's Steakhouse: 1545 N. Lee Treviño, $$$, 599-2600; www.delaneyssteakhouse.com. Impeccably prepared steaks and wonderfully attentive wait staff.
Flores Meat Market and Restaurant: 1781 N. Zaragoza, $$, 857-6666. Simple in menu and long on the aroma of sizzling beef. The lunch menu is priced between $7 and $9. Hamburgers are also on the menu.
Great American Land & Cattle Co.: 1345 George Dieter, $$-$$$, 590-5227. The sandwiches are enormous, and to say the steaks are good would be an understatement.
Great American Land & Cattle Co. Steakburger: 2220 N. Yarbrough, $-$$$, 595-1772. If you love burgers, you have to eat here. The half-pound charbroiled burger is outstanding. Two hands are needed.
Logan's Roadhouse: 11865 Gateway West, $$-$$$, 633-9366. Perfectly prepared steaks cooked over an open fire.
Outback Steakhouse: 11875 Gateway West, $$$, 592-5063. With a slew of appetizers, one could make a meal out of the preliminaries.
The Rancher's Grill: 9530 Viscount, $$, 598-1266. Offers down-home cooking. The country-fried steak is generous and covered with a crunchy batter crust.
Texas Roadhouse: 10729 Gateway West, $$-$$$, 591-7427. This place has a large selection of steaks, chicken, ribs and appetizers. Don't pass on "road kill," a 10-ounce chopped steak with onions, mushrooms and Monterey Jack cheese.
Truck stops
Bonita's Restaurant: 1301 N. Horizon, $-$$, 852-4141. Some of the best coffee in the state must be brewed at this truck stop. Start the morning with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, and keep the coffee coming.
lower valley
american
D's Best Burgers: 11071 Socorro Road, $, 858-1757. Great burgers and desserts. The chili burger with cheese was our favorite.
Mexican
Albuquerque Tortilla Co. Restaurant: 7858 San Jose, $-$$, 598-0141. All-you-can-eat buffet or you can order off the menu. The ground beef-stuffed sopaipilla is different and good.
Chile Chipotle Restaurant: 7323 Dale Road, $, 779-3656. A great place that's inexpensive. Try the burgers, foot-long burritos, tortas and tacos.
Ernie's Cafe: 6982 Industrial, $, 778-7285. This is the perfect place for the hard-working man and woman. Don't pass on the burritos -- they're thicker than your wrist and delicious.
Gabriel's: 1270 Giles, $, 591-9800. Perfectly suited for the Sunday morning ritual, complete with pleasant service, mariachis and hearty breakfasts.
Julio's Cafe Corona: 8050 Gateway East, $$, 591-7676. It seems like this restaurant has been around forever -- with good reason. Those in the kitchen know Mexican food. With dishes like the flamed cheese with chorizo appetizer and its robust chicken mole, Julio's is a winner.
Mama's Papas Breakfast and Lunch Café: 7100 Alameda, $-$$, 779-6262. Breakfast is the standout at Mama's Papas: huge burritos; platters of hash browns topped with sausage, bacon, cheese and eggs; and four-egg omelets. The restaurant also serves New Mexican food, barbecue and paninis.
Meson de Oñate: 9993 Socorro Road, $, 860-8288. Traditional and specialty dishes. Chicken Yucatán, a thin chicken breast with mushroom sauce over rice, is delicious.
Pepe's Charbroiled Chicken: 115 S. Americas, $, 790-1050. The charbroiled chicken is tasty and goes a long way packed in corn or flour tortillas and topped with guacamole or salsa. Other locations: 1342 N. Zaragoza, 6951 N. Mesa, 9620 Montana.
Rafa's Burritos: 408 Dodge, $, 779-6221. What could be better than a place where you can get giant burritos with a variety of fillings, including traditional chile colorado, picadillo, chicharrón, carne asada, deshebrada and beef fajitas.
Sombras del Pasado: 10245 Socorro, $$-$$$, 860-2124. Inventive, upscale Mexican restaurant with a rustic atmosphere.
Taco's: 7046 Alameda. $, 843-2141. Just as the name implies, tacos are the game here. The menu is limited, but the quality is excellent. We liked the tripitas and al pastor tacos.
Tortilleria Guadalajara: 10610 North Loop, $, 872-0348. This little place serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It focuses primarily on traditional hearty meats, including carnitas, fajitas and carne asada.
Wyngs: 122 S. Old Pueblo Road, $$, 859-3916. The enchiladas easily live up to their reputation for packing a chile-powered punch.
ASIAN
Ye Ye Kitchen: 101 S. Americas (near Alameda), $-$$, 872-9993. Good Chinese food in an unassuming little place. Dishes worth noting include the General Tso's chicken and broccoli beef.
Seafood
Cocteles Mazatlan: 3921 North Loop, $$, 590-7242. The aroma of grilled steaks and seasoned fish fillets hits you as soon as you walk in. Don't pass on the jumbo shrimp served either with cocktail sauce or as shrimp Rockefeller.
central
American
Chubby's Bronx Deli: 5630 Gateway East off Paisano, $$, 781-1400. Huge, plate-sized sandwiches (you'll have leftovers). Also, deli salads from New York and Mexican and breakfast options.
Elmer's Family Restaurant: 6305 Montana, $$, 778-5485. The menu is packed with Mexican and American standards. Try the chili -- it can't be beat.
H&H Coffee Shop: 701 E. Yandell, $-$$, 533-1144. This mainstay has endured the changing times, keeping its simplicity, warmth, friendly appeal -- and, of course, its good food.
La Tierra Cafe: 1731 Montana, $$, 533-8890. Delicious food, great service, great decor. The Wild November sandwich -- sourdough bread, basil pesto, Muenster, smoked turkey, avocado and romaine lettuce -- was perfect for lunch.
Rosco's Burger Inn: 3829 Tompkins, $, 564-9028. A favorite hangout that serves good, old-fashioned greasy burgers and incredible onion rings.
asian
Peking Garden: 3306 Fort Blvd., $$, 565-9090. This spot provides an easy choice for nights when you're too tired to cook. Prices are reasonable, and the food is good.
Sam's Chinese Restaurant: 1501 E. Yandell, $$, 577-0961. This new restaurant has some nice dishes, including spicy chicken with fresh basil and Sam's spicy eggplant.
Continental
Caffé Fioretti Coffee and Tea House: 3429 Montana, $-$$, 562-4600. A delightful place for a light meal. Caffé Fioretti has sandwiches, soups, salads and pastries.
New World Cafe: 4100 N. Piedras, $-$$$, 565-2233. Classy dishes for everyday El Pasoans. Try the chicken roasted with sun-dried tomatoes and served with lemon sauce.
Barbecue
Smitty's Pit Bar-B-Que: 6219 Airport, $$, 772-5876. This place has been around since 1955, and the food is still top-notch. Try the slow-cooked tender brisket and the warm, tasty caldillo.
Italian
Cappetto's: 2716 Montana, $$, 566-9357. Serving some of the area's best Italian food since 1956. The pizza melts in your mouth, and the pasta is good, too. A second location is at 2285 Trawood.
Casa Pizza: 1311 Magruder, $-$$, 775-2010. This place doesn't just serve pizza -- it also has wonderful Greek dishes. Try the moussaka -- layers of eggplant, ground beef and onions topped with a bechamel sauce. Oh yeah, the pizza isn't bad, either.
House of Pizza: 2016 N. Piedras, $, 565-7240. A neighborhood institution of Manhattan Heights. The pizza is perfection, and the sub sandwiches are divine.
Italian Kitchen: 2923 Pershing, $$, 565-4041. Authentic Italian dishes including pizza and lasagna. If you're in the neighborhood, you should definitely stop by.
Monteleone's Ristorante Italiano: 3023 Gateway West. $-$$, 566-4320. The menu offers a variety of dishes cooked by the owner. He even makes his own pasta and bread. Don't pass on the pizza -- it's delicious.
Mexican
Amigos Restaurant: 2000 Montana near Cotton, $$, 533-0155. Has great breakfast, lunch and dinner specials.
Ay Caramba: 1926 Montana, $$-$$$, 533-3377. The food is good, and so is the service. Try the guisado arrachera steak.
Burritos Juarez: 4901 Alameda at Raynolds, $, 779-8250. No frills, inexpensive menu with good burritos, tortas, tacos and gorditas.
Delicious Mexican Food: 3314 Fort Blvd., $, 566-1396. Whether you want gorditas or enchiladas, few places can match this restaurant's fare.
Doña Lupe Cafe: 2919 Pershing, $$, 566-9833. This cozy restaurant serves up an awesome bean soup. Try the beef fajitas, too.
Forti's Mexican Elder: 321 Chelsea, $$, 772-0066. The fajita-stuffed baked potato is awesome. And the restaurant's hacienda setting is a great way to relax and enjoy a leisurely meal.
G&R Restaurant: 401 Nevada, $$, 546-9343. One of the best Mexican food joints in the Southwest.
Good Coffee: 810 N. Piedras, $$, 566-5953. The restaurant dishes out El Paso-style home-cooking, and the extensive menu offers a ton of options.
Good Luck Cafe: 3813 Alameda, $, 532-9039. The food is great, the service is quick, and you can eat plenty for less than $5.
Gussie's Tamales & Bakery: 2200 N. Piedras, $$, 566-8209. Fine tamales. On the wall are listings for tamales --red chile, green chicken and chile cheese. That's it.
L&J Cafe: 3622 E. Missouri, $$, 566-8418. Chicken tacos are stuffed and bursting with tender chicken, and the chips and salsa are flavorful.
La Poblana: 4431 Montana, $-$$, 564-5787. It's inexpensive, plentiful and, for the most part, pretty tasty.
La Potranca Restaurant: 6066 E. Yandell, $$, 772-3816. This restaurant serves a good variety of Mexican fare, plus tasty seafood.
Los Bandidos de Carlos and Mickey's: 1310 Magruder, $$, 778-3323. The authentic Mexican ambience of this restaurant makes it a favorite.
The Lucky Cafe: 3831 Alameda, $, 532-2834. Good fortune awaits you on the menu -- delicious item after delicious item, with daily specials to keep you coming back.
Rainbow Tortas No. 3: 6920 Delta, $, 779-5581. Fresh fruit drinks, grilled meat tortas and giant-size shrimp tacos are what you'll find at this eatery.
Sacred Heart Church's tortilleria and restaurant: 602 S. Oregon in the Segundo Barrio, $, 533-8980. Good, homemade Mexican food in the church's gym.
Tacos Santa Cecilia: 5500 El Paso Drive, $$, 772-3435. There is nothing fancy here, but the food is authentic Mexican and absolutely delightful.
other ethnic
Mercedes Food Wagon: 3312 Fort Blvd., $$, 566-8380. Small and friendly, with delicious Caribbean selections like yucca cakes, tostones, and whitefish cooked in coconut milk.
Seafood
Señor Benjo's: 3504 Alameda, $-$$, 534-4375. A charming spot that specializes in Mexican-style seafood dishes. The coctel campecho, a seafood cocktail in a cold tomato-based sauce, has mussels in addition to the more usual crab and shrimp.
northeast
American
Brown Bag Deli: 4319 Fred Wilson, $-$$, 562-2399. The menu features 31 combinations, and sometimes there are specials thrown in. In a hurry? No problem.
Mulligan's North Bar & Grill: 10710 Gateway North, Suite A-1, $-$$, 822-9366. The specialty here is the Mulli-burger.
Tugboat Fish & Chips London Style: 5501 Dyer, $$, 566-2878. Light, tasty deep-fried dishes seafood and chicken.
Barbecue
Mo's Bar-B-Que: 4011 Fred Wilson, $-$$, 562-8172. This friendly, attentive eatery serves delicious slow-smoked barbecue. Plates of pork ribs, beef brisket, pork and sausage are served with your choice of beans, potato salad or coleslaw.
Italian
Buon Giorno Caffe: 4727 Hondo Pass, $$, 751-8820. Lots of sandwiches, salads and other goodies. Try the Sofia salad -- field greens, fresh pears, walnuts and feta cheese topped with a raspberry vinaigrette.
Sorrento: 5325 Dyer, $$, 565-3937. The Royal Topper (large pizza) is piled with cheese, pepperoni, salami, sausage, jalapeños, shrimp, hamburger, mushrooms and bell peppers.
Mexican
Carnitas Tio Juan: 10059 Dyer, $$, 751-4444. Tasty homemade Mexican dishes. The soft tacos asado (pork in red chile) and shrimp quesadillas are musts.
Casita Linda: 5315 Hondo Pass, $$, 757-9025. Offers all your Mexican favorites, including fabulous fajitas, flautas and tampiqueña steak. The combo plates are quite a deal, too.
El Sarape: 8100 Dyer, $$, 751-9223. Delicious traditional dishes, including caldo de pollo and green chicken enchiladas. Don't forget the flan.
La Playita: 9865 Dyer, $$, 757-3742. Seafood and Mexican dishes crowd the menu at this tiny, clean restaurant. Inexpensive meals are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Carryout service is available.
New Clock Family Restaurant: 8409 Dyer, $, 751-6367. A great place for huge servings of comfort food. Get the Fernie Burger, a two-fisted hamburger loaded with mushrooms, onions, bacon, cheese and green chile.
Victoria's: 8949 Dyer, $$, 751-6276. The menu is extensive, though not necessarily consistent. Try the huge quesadillas or the steak picado ranchero.
ASIAN
Chinese Cafe: 9659 Dyer, $, 755-3366. One of the few El Paso Chinese restaurants without a buffet, the Chinese Cafe makes everything fresh and specializes in spicy food.
Howah Chinese Restaurant: 9868 Dyer, $$, 755-6998. Welcome to the all-day buffet. Well-seasoned, good-quality food at a reasonable price.
Kee's Teriyaki: 3910B Dyer, $$, 566-8999. Dishes are well prepared, though the menu is limited.
Korea Garden: 9861 Dyer, $$, 751-7207. This place goes beyond Korean culinary mainstays bul-koki and kimchee. The pan-fried dumplings are among the best. Not too soft, not too crispy.
Matsuharu Japanese Restaurant: 4886 Hercules, Suite B, $$, 751-9355. Home-style dishes, casual atmosphere. Try the yuke, chunks of sashimi tuna marinated in soy sauce and shiso leaves.
True Thai: 4309B Fred Wilson, $$, 564-4300. Start with the tempura squid appetizer. Try the pahd king, a noodle dish with fresh ginger, mushrooms and lots of garlic.
Young Vin Restaurant: 5600 Dyer, $$, 562-4404. All meals start with a Korean-style pancake appetizer filled with green onions, potatoes and other goodies.
Other Ethnic
Eva's Old Heidelberg: 4601 Hondo Pass, $$, 755-0844. Good, hearty German fare.
Steaks
Edge of Texas Steakhouse & Saloon: 8690 Edge of Texas, $$, 822-3343. Great atmosphere and ambience.
Great American Land & Cattle Co. Steakburger: 9800 Gateway North, $$, 759-9314. Stands out for its ambience and scenery. You can see the majestic mountains from almost any place you sit.
downtown
American
El Paso City Grill Patio Restaurant: 504 S. Mesa at Third Street, $, 875-1883. Fresh, creative, delightful and affordable breakfast and lunch.
Joe's Wingshack: 700 E. Overland, $$, 351-1729. Great, simple food and great wings.
Medallions Restaurant: 501 Texas Suite 16, $$, 351-6023. This restaurant has an American and French twist. Don't pass on the grilled chicken with lemon-butter cream sauce.
R.E.H. Original Blimp: 1310 Texas, $, 351-9593. The original is back with lots of delicious sandwiches.
Ruli's International Kitchen: 318 N. Mesa, $$, 541-9992. Delicious and filling paninis, salads, soups and pastas, plus tapas on Friday nights. Breakfast hours, too.
Coffee bars
Pike Street Market: 207 Mills, $$, 545-1010. Not just for coffee drinkers and newspaper junkies. Enjoy a wide selection of sandwiches, salads and fresh-baked pastries.
Continental
Café Central: 109 N. Oregon, $$$, 545-2233. Well-rounded wine list, balanced menu, pleasing atmosphere and impeccable service.
Dome Restaurant: 101 S. El Paso, inside the Camino Real Hotel, $$$, 534-3000. The menu has wide selection of upscale dishes. Duck two ways -- a duck breast and a duck confit in a spring roll -- was perfect.
Italian
Luigi's Home Style Pizza: 321 Mills, $$, 544-0444. Serves a flavorful pizza. Inexpensive lunch buffet features a variety of pizza, pasta and salads.
Mexican
Alberto's Mexican Restaurant: 209 E. Mills, $-$$, 351-8700. Formerly called La Potranca. The fajita tacos are outstanding.
Alexandro's: 414 E. San Antonio, $$, 351-6966. Offers homemade flour tortillas and a lunch special buffet.
Azulejos: Inside the Camino Real Hotel, $$, 534-3020. This spacious restaurant has a decent menu.
La Catrina Mexican Grill & Cantina: 317 E. Mills, $-$$, 546-9300. Good, authentic Mexican food, including tacos and burritos using freshly made tortillas.
La Norteña y Cafe Deluxe: 212 W. Overland, $$-$$$, 351-8775. This Downtown restaurant has reopened with new owners. Good chicken enchiladas and steak tampiqueña.
Las Carretas: 1932 W. Paisano, $, 740-6335. This restaurant has low-priced Mexican fare that tastes like the food Mom used to make.
Tejanos Cafe: 205 Mills, $$, 532-8411. There is plenty to choose from including gorditas, combination plates and carnitas.
Tejas Cafe: 204 Mills, $$, 532-8411. This place is a perfect Downtown spot to grab a quick lunch. Don't pass on the caldo de res.
west side
American
2900: 2900 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 544-1400, www.goto2900.com. Quality food in a great atmosphere.The menu changes weekly, so check the Web site.
Adventure Zone: 251 E. Redd, $, 585-9663. This West Side spot features the tacos made famous by former McCrory Pharmacy patrons.
AJ's Diner: 7102 N. Mesa $$, 584-2514. 1950s-60s diner decor. The food, shakes and service make it the envy of theme restaurants in El Paso.
Applebee's: 5800 N. Mesa, $$, 833-8899. Follow a warm batch of spicy buffalo wings with the steak-and-riblet platter.
Basil Garden International Cuisine: 5360 N. Mesa, Suite 4-D; $$, 842-9040. Simple but well-prepared lunch entrees. The paella Valenciana is chock-full of mussels, shrimp, chicken and pork.
Big Town Hero: 2900 N. Mesa, Suite K; $$, 544-4376. Great place for a sandwich. The Avocado Delight includes cheddar cheese, avocado, cream cheese, sprouts, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Mmm.
Butterflies of Wisdom: 3233 N. Mesa, Suite 101, $$, 577-9080. Tasty sandwiches and excellent smoothies. Try the chili -- spicy, thick and good.
Cracker Barrel: 7540 Remcon, $$, 581-9742. Southern variety: grilled pork chops, country-fried steak and old-fashioned desserts.
Flambé Bistro -- 150 E. Sunset inside Nash Gardens. $$-$$$. Breakfast, lunch and a lovely Sunday brunch buffet in a garden nursery setting. 581-9100.
Frankie's Sports Grill: Fiesta Lanes, 5850 Onix, $, 842-9696. Friendly service and great-tasting sandwiches and salads.
GeoGeske: 2701 N. Stanton, $-$$, 544-4242. The menu is gourmet food at its best. Try the smothered grilled chicken -- a mound of white cheddar and freshly cut veggies that are grilled and sautéed.
Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn: 111 W. University, $$-$$$, 351-2121. Small lunch menu; larger dinner menu. We loved the Garden Inn Burger: grilled portobello mushroom, alfalfa sprouts, green chile strips, avocado and Swiss cheese with a dried-tomato pesto.
International Bakery & Deli: 6415 N. Mesa, $-$$, 584-2626. This deli cafe has the same wonderful features as the now-defunct Lomart deli. Try the Philly sandwich.
JB's Cafe: 5801 N. Mesa, $$, 581-7999. Located where Bryar's Deli used to be, this restaurant has plenty of salads and sandwiches. Try the barbecue chicken salad -- a huge flavorful entree with jicama, barbecued chicken and a zesty dressing.
The Magic Pan: 5034 Doniphan, $$-$$$, www.magicpanrestaurant.com or 581-2121. This cafe offers relaxed dining either inside or outside on the shaded patio. The food is terrific. Try the Emperor's Secret Salad, with romaine, hearts of palm, artichokes and bleu cheese with a light Dijon Caesar dressing.
Mesa Street Bar & Grill: 2525 N. Mesa, $$$, 532-1881. Nice restaurant for lunch or dinner. Try the rib eye.
Nothing but Noodles: 630 Sunland Park, $$, 581-9290. We fared better with the Italian selections than with the Asian ones. Non-noodley salads are great.
The Original Jaxon's: 4799 N. Mesa, $$, 544-1188. The restaurant's charm comes from its rustic yet modern atmosphere, quality service and consistently tasty food.
Ripe Eatery & Market: 910 E. Redd, Suite A, $$, 584-7473. Delicious comfort food made with fresh ingredients. The tender Italian meatloaf melts in your mouth.
Split Peas Soup Café: 7500 N. Mesa Suite 302; $$-$$$, 307-3705 or www.thesplitpeas.com. Soups and sandwiches for lunch; dinner menu is upscale. Great food, open kitchen, classy look.
Sunset Brewery and Pizzeria: 4176 N. Mesa, $-$$, 532-2700. The bianca alla verdura pizza is a wonderful change of pace from those tomato-sauce-laden pizzas.
Thyme Matters: 5857 N. Mesa, Suite 24, $$-$$$, 585-0309. With great menu options and wonderful desserts, you can't go wrong with this eatery. Order the roasted salmon with red peppers, black beans, corn relish and mixed greens. It comes with a terrific side of Parmesan mashed potatoes.
Toro Burger Bar: 2609 N. Mesa, $$, 533-4576. Delicious burgers and chips in a nightclub atmosphere.
Barbecue
Famous Dave's: 7501 N. Mesa, $$, 760-5355. This barbecue and rib restaurant is outstanding. The pit-smoked, St. Louis-style spareribs are messy but tender.
Rib Hut: 2612 N. Mesa, $-$$, 532-7427. Reasonably good barbecue at reasonably good prices. Try the huge Hut Burger, meant for big appetites.
Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q: 6401 S. Desert, $$, 587-8397. This San Antonio-area favorite is now in El Paso. The barbecue is flavorful.
State Line: 1222 Sunland Park, $$, 581-3371. A vast array of delicious smoked and barbecued meats. Bring a big appetite to one of El Paso's best barbecue spots.
Buffets
Cici's Pizza: 7500 N. Mesa, Suite 22, $, 833-4900. The buffet features all the pizza, pasta, salad and dessert pizza you can eat for less than $5.
Veggie Good: 3800 N. Mesa, Suite B7, $, 544-1321. As the name says, this buffet is a great place to load up on veggies. You also can get sandwiches, wraps and fruit.
Continental
Greenery: Sunland Park Mall, $$, 584-6706. A nice place for a date. Try the bruschetta appetizer and the grilled half-chicken.
Italian
Andre's Pizza: 3233 N. Mesa, $, 543-3233. The prices are low, the food is good and there's lots of it.
Ardovino's Desert Crossing: 1 Ardovino Drive in Sunland Park, $$-$$$, 575-589-0653 or www.ardovinos.com. Great place to have romantic dinner. Try the pan-seared salmon fillet or chicken diavolo. For a nice appetizer, order the roasted olives. Fantastic.
Ardovino's Wine Gourmet: 206 Cincinnati, 865 Resler, $$, 532-9483, 760-6000. Not only does this pizzeria have a nice selection of wines, but its pies are fabulous. Have a small personalized pizza for one; your tummy will thank you. The kitchen is open late.
Bella Napoli: 6331 N. Mesa, $$, 584-3321 or http://bellanapoliristorante.com. Offers a variety of luscious Italian dishes, including veal parmigiana and chicken Jerusalem.
Biagio's: 5222 Doniphan, $$, 585-9100. Astonishingly fresh vegetable and seafood dishes.
Cafe Italia: 6705 N. Mesa, $$, 832-0587. Everything is made fresh, including the mozzarella and the bread. The antipasti are fabulous.
Hello Pizza: 1071 Country Club, $$, 581-5000. Handmade New York-style pizzas, with your choice of Neapolitan or Sicilian crust and a great selection of ingredients.
il Posto Italiano: 7130 N. Mesa, $$, 585-2221. Good food and a nice atmosphere. Give the lasagna a try. It's a generous serving.
Italian Kitchen West: 450 Thorn, $$, 842-0775. This is a second location for this El Paso institution, and the food is just as good. Try the chicken parmigiana.
Marcello's West Ristorante Italiano: 5380 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 833-7800. Great addition to the West Side. Pasta sauces are light and perfectly made.
Mi Piaci Ristorante Italiano di Cosimo: 5411 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 875-0034. Chef Cosimo Battaglia uses a light touch to create wonderful, innovative dishes.
Olive Garden: 740 Sunland Park, $$$, 585-1097. Provides a modern Italian atmosphere that's sure to please.
Pasta Avanti: 8001 N. Mesa, Suite A (Crossroads Shopping Center), $$-$$$, 875-0002. The menu proclaims "Italy and El Paso meet" and they do, sometimes unexpectedly. Jalapeño on the rigatoni was good. Chicken parmigiana with a chile-relleno-like batter coating just seemed strange.
Mexican
Avila's Mexican Food: 6232 N. Mesa, $$, 584-3621. Stands out in a town that demands a lot from Mexican food.
Ay Caramba Tacos Y Carnitas: 6874 Doniphan, $-$$$, 877-2112; 8001 N. Mesa, Suite G, 581-5565. Both restaurants prepare authentic, traditional Mexican food. Don't pass up the milanesa -- a thinly breaded steak topped with lettuce, tomato, asadero cheese and guacamole.
Barrigas: 664 Sunland Park, $-$$, 845-1627. The restaurant offers a variety of great-tasting Mexican dishes. The green chicken enchiladas are great.
Bonny's Cafe: 3737 N. Mesa, Suite D-2, $-$$, 838-8357. Enormous burritos, good nachos, tasty enchiladas. It's a '50s-style diner with a Mexican twist.
Carnitas Queretaro: 6516 N. Mesa, $$, 584-9906. Offers something many others don't -- fresh, hand-made corn tortillas, enhancing the superior food.
Casa Jurado in Kern Place: 226 Cincinnati, $-$$, 532-6429. New owners but still good food. The menu features an extensive enchilada section. Try the Sabores Jurado plate, which will give you a bit of everything.
Casa Jurado on Doniphan: 4772 Doniphan, $-$$, 833-1151. A great starter is the salpicón -- a cold dish of shredded flank steak garnished with cilantro, jalapeños, cheese and onions.
El Cabo Cantina Deluxe: 205 Cincinnati, $$, 317-5430. High-quality food in a laid-back atmosphere. Tapas and appetizers take up the better part of the menu. The enchiladas de camaron are thick and spicy.
Little Diner and Tortilla Factory: 7209 Seventh St., Canutillo, $, 877-2176. This restaurant serves some of the biggest, brassiest food the region has to offer.
Los Tres Gallegos: 4400 N. Mesa, $-$ $, 351-8130. This restaurant has great Mexican food, including tacos, green enchiladas, chiles rellenos, chicken fajitas and carnitas.
Lucy's Restaurant: 4119 N. Mesa, 544-3922. Has five El Paso locations and an extensive menu featuring a wide variety of Mexican foods.
Real Burrit-O: 4172 N. Mesa Suite B, $, 543-9470. Talk about your big burrito. This place has many choices. Try the rajas and pollo a la Mexicana.
Red Peppers: 910 E. Redd, $, 584-9266. The gorditas are absolutely delicious.
Red Rooster Cafe: 209-A W. Washington, Anthony, $-$$, 886-3663. Try any one of its three huge delicious combination plates.
Riviera Restaurant: 5218 Doniphan, $$, 584-1542. It features red New Mexico chile beef or chicken enchiladas and an 8-ounce steak topped with green chile, as well as great tacos.
Rosa's Cantina: 3454 Doniphan, $, 833-0402. A restaurant where a meal costs you $5 at most.
Rose Garden Restaurant: 26 E. Washington, Anthony, $$, 886-2029. Offers a variety of homestyle Mexican and basic American breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees.
San Isidro Mission Café: 6135 Westside Drive, $, 877-7082. This restaurant -- housed in a former church -- makes down-home Mexican dishes. The enchiladas are outstanding, and the soups are flavorful.
So-Cal Baja Grill: 2900 N. Mesa, $$, 351-9779. Great Baja-style seafood. Try the Rosarito burrito, which has shrimp, fish, red cabbage, rice, salsa fresca, guacamole, sour cream and black beans. Yum.
Taco Fish: 7500 N. Mesa, $, 833-9061. The eatery is famous, in a way: Texas Monthly magazine has named its octopus tacos one of 63 tacos in the state you should eat before you die. Besides octopus, try the other combination seafood tacos.
Taco Grill: 4131 N. Mesa, $, 533-8586. It's too bad the slogan "fast food that doesn't taste fast" is already taken, because that's the perfect way to describe the Taco Grill's meals.
Tia's Mexican & Seafood: 6507 N. Mesa, $-$$, 845-1665. The service is excellent. Forgo the seafood and have the mighty tasty tacos, which are the classic shredded-beef style.
ASIAN
Beijing Lili West: 5860 N. Mesa, Suite 130, $$, 577-0888. With a new location, this restaurant now offers a more upscale Chinese cuisine. Try the Hunan chicken. It's chock-full of vegetables in a spicy sauce.
Golden Buddha: 7933 N. Mesa, $-$$, 351-2606. This place is perfect for Chinese takeout. Try the broccoli and beef -- thin-sliced, juicy beef and perfectly tender steamed broccoli.
Golden Buddha: 2606 N. Mesa, $-$$, 760-6888. This place is perfect for Chinese takeout. Try the broccoli and beef -- thin-sliced, juicy beef and perfectly tender steamed broccoli.
Grand China Buffet: 655 Sunland Park, $, 585-3688. The place is clean, the service is fast and friendly, the selection is extensive, and the food is OK.
Japanese Kitchen: 4024 N. Mesa, $$, 533-4267. This restaurant is an action-filled evening of flying knives, flipping shrimp and sizzling sprouts.
Koze Teppan Grill: 6127 N. Mesa Suite B, $$$, 727-1671. Japanese teppan restaurant (with food cooked tableside). The experience is entertaining, but it's the food that stars.
Moon Day Chinese Restaurant: 6600 N. Mesa, Suite 501, $$, 587-7115. A simple restaurant that serves up tasty Chinese fare. The Hunan shrimp is delicious.
Moon Star Chinese: 7040 N. Mesa, $$$, 842-8238. Upscale, interesting, sometimes intensely flavored Chinese food. The broccoli chicken is a garlicky delight with lots of vegetables.
Ohashi Japanese Restaurant: 3800 N. Mesa, $$, 533-4468. The food is excellent, though the menu is confusing: The restaurant serves Chinese food all day, plus sushi at lunch and other Japanese food after 5 p.m.
Okazuri: 865 N. Resler, $$-$$$, 581-7733. This restaurant has a floating bar and a large variety of seafood plates, including salmon and crab. Don't pass on the teppanyaki plate of steak and shrimp.
Paco Wong's Chinese Restaurant: 7111 N. Mesa, $$, 581-7111. Same owners as Juárez's Shangri-La, with some of the same menu items. Try the chicken wings in oyster sauce, combination fried rice and almond duck.
Pei Wei Asian Diner: 7500 N. Mesa Suite 101, $$, 581-8540. With a shorter, less-expensive menu than P.F. Chang's, this eatery has a mix of Asian dishes. Try the pad Thai or the sweet and sour chicken.
P.F. Chang's China Bistro: 760 Sunland Park, $$-$$$, 845-0166. This is upscale Chinese food at its best. Try Chang's chicken wrapped in lettuce leaves or the crispy honey chicken. And don't pass on the Great Wall of China -- a massive six-layer chocolate cake with raspberry sauce.
Saigon Taste Vietnamese Cuisine: 6940 N. Mesa, Suite B, $$, 760-6026. Interesting, authentic Vietnamese fare. The menu doesn't always describe the food accurately. The spring rolls are delicious.
Singapore Cafe: 4120 N. Mesa, $$, 533-2889. The flavors are clean and crisp. If you want to slip out of the Chinese food buffet doldrums, this is the place.
Sushi Express: 5700 N. Mesa, Suite F, $$, 581-3841. Lots of good sushi, including tempura rolls, sashimi and the tasty Philadelphia.
The Sushi Place: 2604 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 838-8088. Try the San Antonio roll with Tampico paste at this sparsely decorated sushi bar.
Yamato Japanese Restaurant: 2500 N. Mesa, $-$$$, 351-2415. This latest addition to the Kern Place area features good Japanese food, including a teriyaki chicken and salmon rolls; yaki soba -- thinly cut beef and noodles; and futomaki roll -- crab, dried seaweed, cucumber, egg masago and avocado.
Other ethnic
Aloha Hawaiian BBQ: 5004 N. Desert, Suite D $$, 858-8868. Lots of flavorful dishes. Try the kalua pork or the chicken katsu, boneless deep-fried chicken strips coated with a sweet sauce.
Al-Zaituna Restaurant: 4172A N. Mesa, $-$$, 838-1260. Good food and fast service is the key to this Middle Eastern restaurant. Start with a falafel and end your meal with gyros or shish kebab. You can't go wrong.
Chut-ney Authentic Indian Cuisine: 5435 N. Mesa Suite B, $$, 587-7788. Indian food with great flavor combinations. The vegetables korma, in a creamy coconut-and-onion sauce, is wonderfully spicy.
Greek and Arabic Mediterranean Cuisine: 4111 N. Mesa, $$, 542-1012. It's one of those hidden treasures hard-core eater-outers hate to share. It's that good.
India Palace: 5380 N. Mesa, $$, 833-2245. Indian food is back in El Paso. The restaurant has many favorites -- including samosas, tandoori chicken and curry dishes -- and wonderful nan bread.
Jerusalem Grill: 5360 N. Mesa, Suite H, $-$$, 231-9600. Good, tasty dishes from the Middle East. Try the hummus and the chicken shawarma.
Koo-bah Cantina: 2609 N. Mesa, $, 533-4576. This place has a casual atmosphere and great prices. Try the coconut shrimp and fried plantains. It comes with a pineapple-chile sauce that's lip-smacking good.
Sinbad Restaurant: 2716 N. Mesa, $$, 351-1350. A small and comfortable place that brings Mediterranean flavors home at a very affordable price.
Seafood
Pelican's Restaurant: 130 Shadow Mountain, $$$, 581-1392. Try the New York steak and shrimp.
Steaks
Billy Crews Dining Room: 1200 Country Club Road, $$$, 575-589-2071. Great cuts of meat, great service and a great wine list make this one of the area's most enduring classic steakhouses.
Dane's Steakhouse: 2711 N. Stanton at Cincinnati, $$$, 313-9765 or www.danessteakhouse.com. Upscale ambience. The steaks are high-class, too.
juárez
Aroma: 7104 Parque Industrial near the corner of Vicente Guerrero and Tomás Fernández, $$$, 011-52-656-87-87-01. Fresh food, impeccable service. The paella is a triumph.
Barrigas Bar and Grill: 7814 Gomez Morin, $$, 011-52-656-18-34-33. The menu's wide selection includes botanas and appetizers, but the best by far are the tacos suizos.
Degá Restaurant Bar: Rio Grande Mall, $$, 011-52-656-13-98-35. Good, down-to-earth food is what you'll get at Degá, a quaint restaurant at the center of it all.
Doña Chole Restaurant: Top floor of the Mercado Cuauhtemoc, Vicente Guerrero and Mariscal streets, $, no telephone. Good basic Mexican dishes at a cheap price.
Don Fon Restaurant Bar: 5854 Paseo Triunfo de la Republica, $$, 011-52-656-13-28-88. The pu pu platter includes two of each: fried wontons, ribs, chicken wings, beef strips cooked over a tiny grill in the middle of the platter, egg rolls and fried shrimp.
El Nuevo Martino's: 412 N. Avenida Juárez, $$, 011-52-656-12-33-70. If you're very hungry, this is the place to go for plentiful portions in a hurry.
La Nueva Central: 222 16 de Septiembre, $. This 24-hour cafe offers lots of options, including chicken mole, Szechuan chicken, and a bowl of beef and baby corn.
Restaurant Mitla: 2325 Hermanos Escobar, $$. It has a menu shorter than some people's names, but it's long on one thing: Great, big slabs of beef grilled over an open flame.
Viva Mexico!: 1320 Avenida Lincoln, $$, 011-52-656-29-01-56. This restaurant at Pueblito Mexicano shopping center resembles a small town with a big-city flair for food.
new mexico
Casa Blanca: 501 Mechem, Ruidoso; $-$$; 575-257-2495. Cozy restaurant with upstairs seating and tasty Mexican food. Burgers are the real deal.
Chope's Bar and Café: 16145 S. Highway 28, La Mesa; $$; 575-233-3420. The motto is "Stuff It," and Chope's chiles rellenos are iconic. The enchiladas and chile verde con carne are equally wonderful.
Meson de Mesilla: 1803 Avenida de Mesilla, Mesilla; $$$; 575-525-9212. This recently renovated bed-and-breakfast has lunch and dinner menus that dazzle. Its seafood is impeccable.
Risotto Bistro, Market and Wine Bar: 510 S. Telshor, Las Cruces; $$-$$$; 575-521-4619. Excellent food, great service and relaxed atmosphere. Try chicken al motone, a pan-seared quarter chicken roasted with Mediterranean herbs.
TJ Pauls': 141 Roadrunner Parkway, Las Cruces; $$$; 575-522-7300; www.tjpauls.com. Exquisite food; perfect service. The TJ Cobb salad is incredible.
Willmon's Prime Grille: 2523 Sudderth, Ruidoso; $$$; www.willmonsprime.com; 575-257-2954. Boasts fresh ingredients including cheeses from Italy; lobsters from Australia; fish from Hawaii, Alaska, Scotland and Norway.
west texas
Angie's Restaurant: Just off Interstate 10 in Fort Hancock, $-$$, 915-768-3911. There is a reason truckers congregate at this eatery 60 miles east of El Paso. It's darn good. The big seller is Angie's gravy-smothered chicken-fried steak.
Source: elpasotimes.com
american
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar: 7956 Gateway East, $$, 598-7006. Chase a warm batch of spicy buffalo wings with the steak-and-riblet platter.
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse: 11905 Gateway West, $-$$$, 633-8300. Nice ambience and good food. The Sweet Pig pizza -- pineapples, Roma tomatoes and ham -- isn't bad.
Blue Iguana: 8838 Viscount, $$-$$$, 595-2530. If you are looking for steaks, this is the place. The salads are humongous and delicious, too.
Cheddar's: 11895 Gateway West, $$, 593-6979. Serves a wide variety of appetizers, steaks, ribs and sandwiches. It also offers a selection of salads, lighter entrees and big ol' burgers.
Frisco: 3111 N. Yarbrough, $, 591-6737. Old-fashioned, homemade burgers are the mainstay. If you want to be adventurous, try the hamburger steak smothered in chili beans, melted cheese and onions.
Fuddruckers: 7942 Gateway East, $-$$, 594-9996. Everything you love about a grilled burger, but you don't have to cook it yourself. A second location is at 5030 N. Desert.
Geske's Fire Grille: 1506 Lee Treviño, Suite C, $$-$$$, 593-3473. The sister restaurant to the West Side's GeoGeske serves gourmet dishes in a relaxed setting. Try the L pasta -- linguine with lemon, leeks and lobster in a cream sauce.
Hooters of El Paso: 1170 Sunmount, $$, 778-9464. Specializes in deep-fried chicken wings, shrimp and fish.
Hot Subs and Tortas: 1831 N. Zaragoza, $, 849-7997. This small diner offers hamburgers and several subs including a Philly, a ham and cheese, a veggie, and a club. The tortas are tops.
Incredible Pizza Co.: 1430 N. Lee Treviño, $-$$, 592-6800. Lots of food for a low price. Loved the chicken pot pie and pizza.
Jaxon's Restaurant and Brewing Co.: 1135 Airway, $$, 778-9696. The Santa Barbara beef still qualifies as Jaxon's signature dish. It's amazing how a small quantity of the specially prepared steak, enriched by a barbecue sauce, can cut into the stomach's usable space.
Mexi Dogs: 11335 Montwood, Suite 82, $, 856-5900. What's not to like about a place that specializes in hot dogs? The bacon-wrapped Mexi Dogs are great.
Pepperoni's Pizza & Deli: 14020 Horizon Blvd., $$, 852-2544. The varied menu includes pizza, sandwiches, diner staples and Chinese food. Try the New Yorker sub, a great meal for a hungry day.
The Rancher's Grill: 9530 Viscount, $$, 598-1266. Down-home cooking. The country-fried steak is generous.
Red Rim Bistro: 1600 Airway, inside the Marriott Hotel, $-$$, 774-6916. Limited lunch menu. The bacon cheeseburger is good -- basic but filling.
San Francisco Oven: 1327 George Dieter, Suite H (in Las Palmas Marketplace), $$, 629-0990. Grab some delicious, brick-oven-baked pizza.
Track One: 1330 Robert E. Lee, $$, 779-2170. The menu has been updated with some excellent new sandwiches, but don't worry -- the great chicken wings are still there.
Tutti Cafe: 11360 Montwood, Suite E, $, 855-4666. The fresh-fruit drinks at this little place will make you wish summer was year-round. Tortas are the main dish at the colorful corner cafe.
Wing Stop: 9530 Viscount, Suite 2K, $-$$, 593-9464. If you love wings -- hot or mild -- this is the place to eat. For something different, try the garlic-Parmesan or Hawaiian barbecue.
barbecue
Smokey's Pit Stop: 346 Lee Treviño, $$, 593-6332. The portions are generous. The baby back ribs were tender, sweet and falling off the bone. Other locations at 9100 Viscount, 2100 Zaragoza.
Buffets
Souper Salad: 8900 Viscount, $, 594-6617. Cold pasta salads, fruit, two kinds of pudding, baked potatoes, four kinds of soup, three kinds of bread and all the drink refills you want.
Coffee bars
Kristoph's Coffees: 1506 N. Lee Treviño, $, 592-5136. Wonderful gourmet coffee, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches are sure to satisfy any hunger.
Lighthouse Coffee Co.: 3021 McRae, $. The menu is limited, but the atmosphere is excellent and the coffee is fine. 594-7879.
Italian
Brick Wall Pizza Co.: 11335 Montwood Suite J, $$, 856-6444. Well-priced, good food. Great atmosphere for game night -- or entertain yourself watching your pizza being made.
Caffe Italia: 1830 N. Zaragoza, inside Angie's Flowers, $$, 857-8200. Great salads, including Mediterranean and Greek. Don't pass on the truffles.
Cappetto's Italian Restaurant on the East Side: 2285 Trawood, $$, 591-8907. Just like the original in Central El Paso, 2716 Montana.
Dominic's Italian Restaurant: 6901 Montana, $$, 778-0011. The former Downtown eatery has moved to the East Side, but it's still serving delicious Italian food. Try the chicken Jerusalem, which is made with artichoke hearts and mushrooms.
Italia Ristorante Italiano: 1188 N. Yarbrough, $$$; 595-0845. Freshly made pasta and wonderful service.
Jando's Italian Cuisine: 1550 Lomaland, $$, 590-6206. Offers a pleasant mix of delicious food and a quiet, warm atmosphere.
Julia's Italian Deli: 6999 Montana Suite C, $-$$, 843-2007. The bread is freshly baked, and the deli meats are delicious. What more could you ask?
Marcello's Ristorante Italiano: 1360 Lee Treviño, $$, 629-7220 or www.marcelloselpaso.com. Upscale food at a relatively low price. The lobster ravioli is delicious.
Michelangelo's Lil' Italy: 3512 N. Yarbrough, $$, 598-3894. Good food, great service. Try the vitello Marsala, a veal cutlet in a cream sauce with a touch of sweet Marsala wine.
Michelino's Italian Restaurant: 3615 Rutherglen, $$, 592-1700. The large, tender veal parmigiana is served with a side of spaghetti with meat sauce and a medium-size green salad. The variations of fettuccine are also stars.
Olive Garden: 8401 Gateway West, $$-$$$, 772-9287. Provides a sure-to-please modern Italian atmosphere.
Trattoria Bella Sera: 9449 Montana, $$, 598-7948. Great meals, huge portions and friendly service.
Mexican
Andale: 9201 Gateway West, $-$$$, 590-5999. This place makes Mexican food like they do across the border. Try the tampiqueña plates.
Ay Cocula: 1435 N. Lee Treviño, $$, 593-3117. Home of authentic Mexican recipes.
Big Al's Wings & Suds: 1201 Airway, $-$$, 779-8242. Specializes in both Mexican and American food. Try the excellent charbroiled burgers, chile con queso, Veracruz-style shrimp cocktails and honey chipotle wings.
Bonny's Cafe: 11660 Montwood, $, 855-2770. A menu overhead calls the burritos "Super Wraps," and you won't disagree -- they're huge and tasty, too.
Chico's Tacos: 1365 George Dieter, $, 592-8484. The most interesting item on the menu are the popular rolled tacos -- an acquired taste. Other locations: 4230 Alameda, 3401 Dyer, 5305 Montana.
Chih'ua Tacos y Cortes: 9135 Gateway West, $$, 598-0900. Specialty taco plates are awesome, as are the frijoles charros.
Dominguez Mexican Food: 1201 Airway Suite C5; $$, 772-2160. If you want great Mexican food and are lucky enough to work nearby, try this restaurant for lunch.
East Side Cafe: 11251 Rojas, $$, 592-9606. This place is an institution. Don't pass on the steak tampiqueña or carne asada.
El Chaparral de Valles: 6128 Montana Suite H. 774-9888. $-$$, It doesn't matter that this restaurant is in a former Taco Bell. El Chaparral provides a variety of favorite meat dishes, the kind that make for a great carne asada. Among the featured items are tacos de res, barbacoa and shrimp cocktails.
El Mesón Fine Mexican & Marisco Restaurant: 1906-C N. Lee Treviño, $$, 595-1030. This small restaurant serves a variety of Mexican dishes, including fish fillet al mojo de ajo. The tasty entree comes with white rice, buttery toast, lettuce and tomato.
El Parque: 1319 George Dieter, $$, 633-1717. Great Mexican dishes. Try the sopa Azteca, a hearty soup made out of chicken broth, vegetables, hominy, grated cheese and tortilla strips.
Franky's: 9828 Montana, $$, 594-4918. This family-style restaurant (with a bar) serves Mexican and American food with fluent ease. Breakfast is especially good.
Las Fuentes: 3130 Lee Treviño, $$, 592-5266. Featuring combination plates, enchiladas and chiles rellenos.
La Casita: 3355 Yarbrough, $$, 592-5819. From the crisp shredded-beef tacos to the combination plates, the food is as authentic as it gets.
Playas Restaurant: 1840 N. Lee Treviño, Suite 101B, $-$$, 590-6518. Traditional Sonoran-style Mexican food. Offers a variety of tacos and probably the best caldo de res on the East Side.
Los Tres Gallegos: 3143 Lee Treviño, $-$$, 592-5243. This eatery has much to offer. The tacos are stuffed with shredded beef, and the crisp flautas have a lot of chicken.
Mike and Ana's Mexican Cuisine: 1850 Trawood, $$, 591-7456. This restaurant has everything you would expect and more from a Mexican food restaurant.
Navajo Cafe: 3120 Trawood. 921-9424. Terrific homemade taste, including chile relleno burritos and milanesa tortas.
Ole Mexico: 1515 N. Lee Treviño, Suite A, $$, 599-2858. Even the pickiest eater will find a treat.
Pampas ASAP: 1201 Airway, $-$$, 775-9935. Chicken breast torta, fresh fruit salad, cantaloupe juice -- what's not to love about this place?
Pirco's: 10740 Pebble Hills, $, 594-4021. The unassuming laminated decor doesn't prepare you for the homestyle cooking, which is simple yet delicious.
Vivar's Villa del Mar: 9788 Gateway East, off the Yarbrough exit. $-$$, 591-1446. If you like the Villa del Mar in Juárez, then you have to eat here. Great service and delicious food are the standard. The fish and shrimp plates are delicious.
asian
Beijing Lili: 10501 Gateway West, $$, 592-8808. Soups, salads and as many trips to the buffet as you can make.
China Wok Restaurant: 2000 N. Lee Treviño, Suite G, $-$$, 629-7708. This is the place to go if you've ever had New York Chinese food. Try the fried rice and the chicken entrées.
Dragon Wok Buffet: 2931 George Dieter, $$, 599-1600. Quality buffet. The Mongolian beef is tasty.
Howah Chinese Restaurant: 8848 Gateway East, $$, 595-6998. Sweet-and-sour chicken and pork, dim sum, egg rolls, and sweet-and-sour soup all taste almost as if they had been cooked at the table.
Koi Sushi: 1421 N. Lee Treviño Suite D6, $$-$$$, 590-2424. Unique sushi dishes for the adventuresome eater.
Makoto Sushi: 12210 Montwood Suite 109, $$-$$$, 855-9717. Best sushi place in the area. Fresh fish, nice atmosphere.
Manila House: 8920 Gateway East No. 7, $$, 860-2828. Authentic Filipino dishes. The food and service are both great.
Pandas Garden Chinese Restaurant: 1160 Airway, $$, 779-6100. This restaurant serves Mandarin, Szechwan and Hunan cuisine. Try the Hunan beef, a stir-fry of beef, broccoli, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and green peppers in a spicy sauce.
Peiting's China Kitchen: 11335 Montwood, $$, 921-6161. Try the pork fried rice and the moo goo gai pan.
Peking Garden: 1810 Trawood, $$, 593-4900; 592-9813. This El Paso mainstay makes good food, fast. Try the orange chicken and soup. Both are tasty.
Pho Tre Bien Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine: 6946 Gateway East, $-$$, 598-0166. Incredible Asian dishes in a classy setting. Try the chicken pho, a rice-noodle soup overflowing with herbs and vegetables.
Quik Wok: 1320 Lomaland, $-$$, 595-0717. This purveyor of Szechwan- and Hunan-style dishes has a lunch buffet with appealing, no-nonsense approach and some unique flavors.
Riyoma Japanese Restaurant: 2000 N. Lee Treviño, $$, 590-8220. New owners, but sushi is still good. Plates are plentiful.
Sakura: 3140 N. Lee Treviño, $$-$$$, 633-6277. This restaurant serves delicious Japanese fare. Don't pass on the shrimp and vegetable tempura, perfectly fried without a greasy taste.
Sumo Sushi: 1344 Zaragoza, Suite C, $-$$, 856-8818. Offers a variety of Japanese favorites, including tempura, yakimeshi, yakisoba, teriyaki and, of course, sushi.
Susaki Lounge Sushi Bar: 1506 N. Lee Treviño, Suite B1A, $$$, 591-9266. An expanded sushi bar and hip ambiance. What else could you want?
Uncle Bao's: 6065 Montana, Suite C-5, $-$$, 881-8181. Nice East Side location. The Hunan chicken is great.
Other Ethnic
Aloha Hawaiian BBQ: 1831 N. Zaragoza, Suite 115, $$, 857-7900. Lots of flavorful dishes. Try the kalua pork or the chicken katsu, boneless deep-fried chicken strips coated with a sweet sauce.
El Rey de la Empanada Colombiana: 2000 N. Lee Treviño, $$, 599-1283. Interesting cuisine from a different part of Latin America.
Seafood
Pelican's East: 1780 N. Lee Treviño, $$-$$$, 598-5662. Generous portions and fresh fish. Try the calamari appetizer -- tender, breaded squid. Or how about shrimp Monterey -- shrimp stuffed with crab, wrapped in Monterey Jack cheese and bacon, and topped with jalapeño and cilantro?
Playa Azul: 1840 N. Lee Treviño, $-$$, 590-6518. This friendly restaurant has a huge seafood selection, including tasty ceviche, clam chowder and a shrimp scampi with huge shrimp and a delicious garlic-butter sauce.
Señor Fish: 9530 Viscount, $$, 598-3630. Choose from nine styles of fish fillets and more styles of shrimp and whole fish.
Sports Grills
Hiney's Sports Restaurant: 8220 Gateway East, $$, 590-0115. The menu is a nod to the mostly male clientele; sandwiches, steaks and burgers anchor a straightforward selection dedicated to guy food.
Pitchers Brewery: 1600 Airway in the Marriott, $$$, 779-3300. What else would you expect at a sports grill but thick, juicy hamburgers? The restaurant also creates tasty appetizers.
Steaks
Cattle Baron: 1700 Airway, $$$, 779-6633. Serves good, filling meals, complete with bread and salad. Word of advice: Wear loose clothing.
Cattleman's Steakhouse: Indian Cliffs Ranch, $$$, 544-3200; www.cattlemanssteakhouse.com. The long drive is well worth the trip. Try the Cowgirl, a 1å-pound T-bone.
Delaney's Steakhouse: 1545 N. Lee Treviño, $$$, 599-2600; www.delaneyssteakhouse.com. Impeccably prepared steaks and wonderfully attentive wait staff.
Flores Meat Market and Restaurant: 1781 N. Zaragoza, $$, 857-6666. Simple in menu and long on the aroma of sizzling beef. The lunch menu is priced between $7 and $9. Hamburgers are also on the menu.
Great American Land & Cattle Co.: 1345 George Dieter, $$-$$$, 590-5227. The sandwiches are enormous, and to say the steaks are good would be an understatement.
Great American Land & Cattle Co. Steakburger: 2220 N. Yarbrough, $-$$$, 595-1772. If you love burgers, you have to eat here. The half-pound charbroiled burger is outstanding. Two hands are needed.
Logan's Roadhouse: 11865 Gateway West, $$-$$$, 633-9366. Perfectly prepared steaks cooked over an open fire.
Outback Steakhouse: 11875 Gateway West, $$$, 592-5063. With a slew of appetizers, one could make a meal out of the preliminaries.
The Rancher's Grill: 9530 Viscount, $$, 598-1266. Offers down-home cooking. The country-fried steak is generous and covered with a crunchy batter crust.
Texas Roadhouse: 10729 Gateway West, $$-$$$, 591-7427. This place has a large selection of steaks, chicken, ribs and appetizers. Don't pass on "road kill," a 10-ounce chopped steak with onions, mushrooms and Monterey Jack cheese.
Truck stops
Bonita's Restaurant: 1301 N. Horizon, $-$$, 852-4141. Some of the best coffee in the state must be brewed at this truck stop. Start the morning with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, and keep the coffee coming.
lower valley
american
D's Best Burgers: 11071 Socorro Road, $, 858-1757. Great burgers and desserts. The chili burger with cheese was our favorite.
Mexican
Albuquerque Tortilla Co. Restaurant: 7858 San Jose, $-$$, 598-0141. All-you-can-eat buffet or you can order off the menu. The ground beef-stuffed sopaipilla is different and good.
Chile Chipotle Restaurant: 7323 Dale Road, $, 779-3656. A great place that's inexpensive. Try the burgers, foot-long burritos, tortas and tacos.
Ernie's Cafe: 6982 Industrial, $, 778-7285. This is the perfect place for the hard-working man and woman. Don't pass on the burritos -- they're thicker than your wrist and delicious.
Gabriel's: 1270 Giles, $, 591-9800. Perfectly suited for the Sunday morning ritual, complete with pleasant service, mariachis and hearty breakfasts.
Julio's Cafe Corona: 8050 Gateway East, $$, 591-7676. It seems like this restaurant has been around forever -- with good reason. Those in the kitchen know Mexican food. With dishes like the flamed cheese with chorizo appetizer and its robust chicken mole, Julio's is a winner.
Mama's Papas Breakfast and Lunch Café: 7100 Alameda, $-$$, 779-6262. Breakfast is the standout at Mama's Papas: huge burritos; platters of hash browns topped with sausage, bacon, cheese and eggs; and four-egg omelets. The restaurant also serves New Mexican food, barbecue and paninis.
Meson de Oñate: 9993 Socorro Road, $, 860-8288. Traditional and specialty dishes. Chicken Yucatán, a thin chicken breast with mushroom sauce over rice, is delicious.
Pepe's Charbroiled Chicken: 115 S. Americas, $, 790-1050. The charbroiled chicken is tasty and goes a long way packed in corn or flour tortillas and topped with guacamole or salsa. Other locations: 1342 N. Zaragoza, 6951 N. Mesa, 9620 Montana.
Rafa's Burritos: 408 Dodge, $, 779-6221. What could be better than a place where you can get giant burritos with a variety of fillings, including traditional chile colorado, picadillo, chicharrón, carne asada, deshebrada and beef fajitas.
Sombras del Pasado: 10245 Socorro, $$-$$$, 860-2124. Inventive, upscale Mexican restaurant with a rustic atmosphere.
Taco's: 7046 Alameda. $, 843-2141. Just as the name implies, tacos are the game here. The menu is limited, but the quality is excellent. We liked the tripitas and al pastor tacos.
Tortilleria Guadalajara: 10610 North Loop, $, 872-0348. This little place serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It focuses primarily on traditional hearty meats, including carnitas, fajitas and carne asada.
Wyngs: 122 S. Old Pueblo Road, $$, 859-3916. The enchiladas easily live up to their reputation for packing a chile-powered punch.
ASIAN
Ye Ye Kitchen: 101 S. Americas (near Alameda), $-$$, 872-9993. Good Chinese food in an unassuming little place. Dishes worth noting include the General Tso's chicken and broccoli beef.
Seafood
Cocteles Mazatlan: 3921 North Loop, $$, 590-7242. The aroma of grilled steaks and seasoned fish fillets hits you as soon as you walk in. Don't pass on the jumbo shrimp served either with cocktail sauce or as shrimp Rockefeller.
central
American
Chubby's Bronx Deli: 5630 Gateway East off Paisano, $$, 781-1400. Huge, plate-sized sandwiches (you'll have leftovers). Also, deli salads from New York and Mexican and breakfast options.
Elmer's Family Restaurant: 6305 Montana, $$, 778-5485. The menu is packed with Mexican and American standards. Try the chili -- it can't be beat.
H&H Coffee Shop: 701 E. Yandell, $-$$, 533-1144. This mainstay has endured the changing times, keeping its simplicity, warmth, friendly appeal -- and, of course, its good food.
La Tierra Cafe: 1731 Montana, $$, 533-8890. Delicious food, great service, great decor. The Wild November sandwich -- sourdough bread, basil pesto, Muenster, smoked turkey, avocado and romaine lettuce -- was perfect for lunch.
Rosco's Burger Inn: 3829 Tompkins, $, 564-9028. A favorite hangout that serves good, old-fashioned greasy burgers and incredible onion rings.
asian
Peking Garden: 3306 Fort Blvd., $$, 565-9090. This spot provides an easy choice for nights when you're too tired to cook. Prices are reasonable, and the food is good.
Sam's Chinese Restaurant: 1501 E. Yandell, $$, 577-0961. This new restaurant has some nice dishes, including spicy chicken with fresh basil and Sam's spicy eggplant.
Continental
Caffé Fioretti Coffee and Tea House: 3429 Montana, $-$$, 562-4600. A delightful place for a light meal. Caffé Fioretti has sandwiches, soups, salads and pastries.
New World Cafe: 4100 N. Piedras, $-$$$, 565-2233. Classy dishes for everyday El Pasoans. Try the chicken roasted with sun-dried tomatoes and served with lemon sauce.
Barbecue
Smitty's Pit Bar-B-Que: 6219 Airport, $$, 772-5876. This place has been around since 1955, and the food is still top-notch. Try the slow-cooked tender brisket and the warm, tasty caldillo.
Italian
Cappetto's: 2716 Montana, $$, 566-9357. Serving some of the area's best Italian food since 1956. The pizza melts in your mouth, and the pasta is good, too. A second location is at 2285 Trawood.
Casa Pizza: 1311 Magruder, $-$$, 775-2010. This place doesn't just serve pizza -- it also has wonderful Greek dishes. Try the moussaka -- layers of eggplant, ground beef and onions topped with a bechamel sauce. Oh yeah, the pizza isn't bad, either.
House of Pizza: 2016 N. Piedras, $, 565-7240. A neighborhood institution of Manhattan Heights. The pizza is perfection, and the sub sandwiches are divine.
Italian Kitchen: 2923 Pershing, $$, 565-4041. Authentic Italian dishes including pizza and lasagna. If you're in the neighborhood, you should definitely stop by.
Monteleone's Ristorante Italiano: 3023 Gateway West. $-$$, 566-4320. The menu offers a variety of dishes cooked by the owner. He even makes his own pasta and bread. Don't pass on the pizza -- it's delicious.
Mexican
Amigos Restaurant: 2000 Montana near Cotton, $$, 533-0155. Has great breakfast, lunch and dinner specials.
Ay Caramba: 1926 Montana, $$-$$$, 533-3377. The food is good, and so is the service. Try the guisado arrachera steak.
Burritos Juarez: 4901 Alameda at Raynolds, $, 779-8250. No frills, inexpensive menu with good burritos, tortas, tacos and gorditas.
Delicious Mexican Food: 3314 Fort Blvd., $, 566-1396. Whether you want gorditas or enchiladas, few places can match this restaurant's fare.
Doña Lupe Cafe: 2919 Pershing, $$, 566-9833. This cozy restaurant serves up an awesome bean soup. Try the beef fajitas, too.
Forti's Mexican Elder: 321 Chelsea, $$, 772-0066. The fajita-stuffed baked potato is awesome. And the restaurant's hacienda setting is a great way to relax and enjoy a leisurely meal.
G&R Restaurant: 401 Nevada, $$, 546-9343. One of the best Mexican food joints in the Southwest.
Good Coffee: 810 N. Piedras, $$, 566-5953. The restaurant dishes out El Paso-style home-cooking, and the extensive menu offers a ton of options.
Good Luck Cafe: 3813 Alameda, $, 532-9039. The food is great, the service is quick, and you can eat plenty for less than $5.
Gussie's Tamales & Bakery: 2200 N. Piedras, $$, 566-8209. Fine tamales. On the wall are listings for tamales --red chile, green chicken and chile cheese. That's it.
L&J Cafe: 3622 E. Missouri, $$, 566-8418. Chicken tacos are stuffed and bursting with tender chicken, and the chips and salsa are flavorful.
La Poblana: 4431 Montana, $-$$, 564-5787. It's inexpensive, plentiful and, for the most part, pretty tasty.
La Potranca Restaurant: 6066 E. Yandell, $$, 772-3816. This restaurant serves a good variety of Mexican fare, plus tasty seafood.
Los Bandidos de Carlos and Mickey's: 1310 Magruder, $$, 778-3323. The authentic Mexican ambience of this restaurant makes it a favorite.
The Lucky Cafe: 3831 Alameda, $, 532-2834. Good fortune awaits you on the menu -- delicious item after delicious item, with daily specials to keep you coming back.
Rainbow Tortas No. 3: 6920 Delta, $, 779-5581. Fresh fruit drinks, grilled meat tortas and giant-size shrimp tacos are what you'll find at this eatery.
Sacred Heart Church's tortilleria and restaurant: 602 S. Oregon in the Segundo Barrio, $, 533-8980. Good, homemade Mexican food in the church's gym.
Tacos Santa Cecilia: 5500 El Paso Drive, $$, 772-3435. There is nothing fancy here, but the food is authentic Mexican and absolutely delightful.
other ethnic
Mercedes Food Wagon: 3312 Fort Blvd., $$, 566-8380. Small and friendly, with delicious Caribbean selections like yucca cakes, tostones, and whitefish cooked in coconut milk.
Seafood
Señor Benjo's: 3504 Alameda, $-$$, 534-4375. A charming spot that specializes in Mexican-style seafood dishes. The coctel campecho, a seafood cocktail in a cold tomato-based sauce, has mussels in addition to the more usual crab and shrimp.
northeast
American
Brown Bag Deli: 4319 Fred Wilson, $-$$, 562-2399. The menu features 31 combinations, and sometimes there are specials thrown in. In a hurry? No problem.
Mulligan's North Bar & Grill: 10710 Gateway North, Suite A-1, $-$$, 822-9366. The specialty here is the Mulli-burger.
Tugboat Fish & Chips London Style: 5501 Dyer, $$, 566-2878. Light, tasty deep-fried dishes seafood and chicken.
Barbecue
Mo's Bar-B-Que: 4011 Fred Wilson, $-$$, 562-8172. This friendly, attentive eatery serves delicious slow-smoked barbecue. Plates of pork ribs, beef brisket, pork and sausage are served with your choice of beans, potato salad or coleslaw.
Italian
Buon Giorno Caffe: 4727 Hondo Pass, $$, 751-8820. Lots of sandwiches, salads and other goodies. Try the Sofia salad -- field greens, fresh pears, walnuts and feta cheese topped with a raspberry vinaigrette.
Sorrento: 5325 Dyer, $$, 565-3937. The Royal Topper (large pizza) is piled with cheese, pepperoni, salami, sausage, jalapeños, shrimp, hamburger, mushrooms and bell peppers.
Mexican
Carnitas Tio Juan: 10059 Dyer, $$, 751-4444. Tasty homemade Mexican dishes. The soft tacos asado (pork in red chile) and shrimp quesadillas are musts.
Casita Linda: 5315 Hondo Pass, $$, 757-9025. Offers all your Mexican favorites, including fabulous fajitas, flautas and tampiqueña steak. The combo plates are quite a deal, too.
El Sarape: 8100 Dyer, $$, 751-9223. Delicious traditional dishes, including caldo de pollo and green chicken enchiladas. Don't forget the flan.
La Playita: 9865 Dyer, $$, 757-3742. Seafood and Mexican dishes crowd the menu at this tiny, clean restaurant. Inexpensive meals are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Carryout service is available.
New Clock Family Restaurant: 8409 Dyer, $, 751-6367. A great place for huge servings of comfort food. Get the Fernie Burger, a two-fisted hamburger loaded with mushrooms, onions, bacon, cheese and green chile.
Victoria's: 8949 Dyer, $$, 751-6276. The menu is extensive, though not necessarily consistent. Try the huge quesadillas or the steak picado ranchero.
ASIAN
Chinese Cafe: 9659 Dyer, $, 755-3366. One of the few El Paso Chinese restaurants without a buffet, the Chinese Cafe makes everything fresh and specializes in spicy food.
Howah Chinese Restaurant: 9868 Dyer, $$, 755-6998. Welcome to the all-day buffet. Well-seasoned, good-quality food at a reasonable price.
Kee's Teriyaki: 3910B Dyer, $$, 566-8999. Dishes are well prepared, though the menu is limited.
Korea Garden: 9861 Dyer, $$, 751-7207. This place goes beyond Korean culinary mainstays bul-koki and kimchee. The pan-fried dumplings are among the best. Not too soft, not too crispy.
Matsuharu Japanese Restaurant: 4886 Hercules, Suite B, $$, 751-9355. Home-style dishes, casual atmosphere. Try the yuke, chunks of sashimi tuna marinated in soy sauce and shiso leaves.
True Thai: 4309B Fred Wilson, $$, 564-4300. Start with the tempura squid appetizer. Try the pahd king, a noodle dish with fresh ginger, mushrooms and lots of garlic.
Young Vin Restaurant: 5600 Dyer, $$, 562-4404. All meals start with a Korean-style pancake appetizer filled with green onions, potatoes and other goodies.
Other Ethnic
Eva's Old Heidelberg: 4601 Hondo Pass, $$, 755-0844. Good, hearty German fare.
Steaks
Edge of Texas Steakhouse & Saloon: 8690 Edge of Texas, $$, 822-3343. Great atmosphere and ambience.
Great American Land & Cattle Co. Steakburger: 9800 Gateway North, $$, 759-9314. Stands out for its ambience and scenery. You can see the majestic mountains from almost any place you sit.
downtown
American
El Paso City Grill Patio Restaurant: 504 S. Mesa at Third Street, $, 875-1883. Fresh, creative, delightful and affordable breakfast and lunch.
Joe's Wingshack: 700 E. Overland, $$, 351-1729. Great, simple food and great wings.
Medallions Restaurant: 501 Texas Suite 16, $$, 351-6023. This restaurant has an American and French twist. Don't pass on the grilled chicken with lemon-butter cream sauce.
R.E.H. Original Blimp: 1310 Texas, $, 351-9593. The original is back with lots of delicious sandwiches.
Ruli's International Kitchen: 318 N. Mesa, $$, 541-9992. Delicious and filling paninis, salads, soups and pastas, plus tapas on Friday nights. Breakfast hours, too.
Coffee bars
Pike Street Market: 207 Mills, $$, 545-1010. Not just for coffee drinkers and newspaper junkies. Enjoy a wide selection of sandwiches, salads and fresh-baked pastries.
Continental
Café Central: 109 N. Oregon, $$$, 545-2233. Well-rounded wine list, balanced menu, pleasing atmosphere and impeccable service.
Dome Restaurant: 101 S. El Paso, inside the Camino Real Hotel, $$$, 534-3000. The menu has wide selection of upscale dishes. Duck two ways -- a duck breast and a duck confit in a spring roll -- was perfect.
Italian
Luigi's Home Style Pizza: 321 Mills, $$, 544-0444. Serves a flavorful pizza. Inexpensive lunch buffet features a variety of pizza, pasta and salads.
Mexican
Alberto's Mexican Restaurant: 209 E. Mills, $-$$, 351-8700. Formerly called La Potranca. The fajita tacos are outstanding.
Alexandro's: 414 E. San Antonio, $$, 351-6966. Offers homemade flour tortillas and a lunch special buffet.
Azulejos: Inside the Camino Real Hotel, $$, 534-3020. This spacious restaurant has a decent menu.
La Catrina Mexican Grill & Cantina: 317 E. Mills, $-$$, 546-9300. Good, authentic Mexican food, including tacos and burritos using freshly made tortillas.
La Norteña y Cafe Deluxe: 212 W. Overland, $$-$$$, 351-8775. This Downtown restaurant has reopened with new owners. Good chicken enchiladas and steak tampiqueña.
Las Carretas: 1932 W. Paisano, $, 740-6335. This restaurant has low-priced Mexican fare that tastes like the food Mom used to make.
Tejanos Cafe: 205 Mills, $$, 532-8411. There is plenty to choose from including gorditas, combination plates and carnitas.
Tejas Cafe: 204 Mills, $$, 532-8411. This place is a perfect Downtown spot to grab a quick lunch. Don't pass on the caldo de res.
west side
American
2900: 2900 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 544-1400, www.goto2900.com. Quality food in a great atmosphere.The menu changes weekly, so check the Web site.
Adventure Zone: 251 E. Redd, $, 585-9663. This West Side spot features the tacos made famous by former McCrory Pharmacy patrons.
AJ's Diner: 7102 N. Mesa $$, 584-2514. 1950s-60s diner decor. The food, shakes and service make it the envy of theme restaurants in El Paso.
Applebee's: 5800 N. Mesa, $$, 833-8899. Follow a warm batch of spicy buffalo wings with the steak-and-riblet platter.
Basil Garden International Cuisine: 5360 N. Mesa, Suite 4-D; $$, 842-9040. Simple but well-prepared lunch entrees. The paella Valenciana is chock-full of mussels, shrimp, chicken and pork.
Big Town Hero: 2900 N. Mesa, Suite K; $$, 544-4376. Great place for a sandwich. The Avocado Delight includes cheddar cheese, avocado, cream cheese, sprouts, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Mmm.
Butterflies of Wisdom: 3233 N. Mesa, Suite 101, $$, 577-9080. Tasty sandwiches and excellent smoothies. Try the chili -- spicy, thick and good.
Cracker Barrel: 7540 Remcon, $$, 581-9742. Southern variety: grilled pork chops, country-fried steak and old-fashioned desserts.
Flambé Bistro -- 150 E. Sunset inside Nash Gardens. $$-$$$. Breakfast, lunch and a lovely Sunday brunch buffet in a garden nursery setting. 581-9100.
Frankie's Sports Grill: Fiesta Lanes, 5850 Onix, $, 842-9696. Friendly service and great-tasting sandwiches and salads.
GeoGeske: 2701 N. Stanton, $-$$, 544-4242. The menu is gourmet food at its best. Try the smothered grilled chicken -- a mound of white cheddar and freshly cut veggies that are grilled and sautéed.
Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn: 111 W. University, $$-$$$, 351-2121. Small lunch menu; larger dinner menu. We loved the Garden Inn Burger: grilled portobello mushroom, alfalfa sprouts, green chile strips, avocado and Swiss cheese with a dried-tomato pesto.
International Bakery & Deli: 6415 N. Mesa, $-$$, 584-2626. This deli cafe has the same wonderful features as the now-defunct Lomart deli. Try the Philly sandwich.
JB's Cafe: 5801 N. Mesa, $$, 581-7999. Located where Bryar's Deli used to be, this restaurant has plenty of salads and sandwiches. Try the barbecue chicken salad -- a huge flavorful entree with jicama, barbecued chicken and a zesty dressing.
The Magic Pan: 5034 Doniphan, $$-$$$, www.magicpanrestaurant.com or 581-2121. This cafe offers relaxed dining either inside or outside on the shaded patio. The food is terrific. Try the Emperor's Secret Salad, with romaine, hearts of palm, artichokes and bleu cheese with a light Dijon Caesar dressing.
Mesa Street Bar & Grill: 2525 N. Mesa, $$$, 532-1881. Nice restaurant for lunch or dinner. Try the rib eye.
Nothing but Noodles: 630 Sunland Park, $$, 581-9290. We fared better with the Italian selections than with the Asian ones. Non-noodley salads are great.
The Original Jaxon's: 4799 N. Mesa, $$, 544-1188. The restaurant's charm comes from its rustic yet modern atmosphere, quality service and consistently tasty food.
Ripe Eatery & Market: 910 E. Redd, Suite A, $$, 584-7473. Delicious comfort food made with fresh ingredients. The tender Italian meatloaf melts in your mouth.
Split Peas Soup Café: 7500 N. Mesa Suite 302; $$-$$$, 307-3705 or www.thesplitpeas.com. Soups and sandwiches for lunch; dinner menu is upscale. Great food, open kitchen, classy look.
Sunset Brewery and Pizzeria: 4176 N. Mesa, $-$$, 532-2700. The bianca alla verdura pizza is a wonderful change of pace from those tomato-sauce-laden pizzas.
Thyme Matters: 5857 N. Mesa, Suite 24, $$-$$$, 585-0309. With great menu options and wonderful desserts, you can't go wrong with this eatery. Order the roasted salmon with red peppers, black beans, corn relish and mixed greens. It comes with a terrific side of Parmesan mashed potatoes.
Toro Burger Bar: 2609 N. Mesa, $$, 533-4576. Delicious burgers and chips in a nightclub atmosphere.
Barbecue
Famous Dave's: 7501 N. Mesa, $$, 760-5355. This barbecue and rib restaurant is outstanding. The pit-smoked, St. Louis-style spareribs are messy but tender.
Rib Hut: 2612 N. Mesa, $-$$, 532-7427. Reasonably good barbecue at reasonably good prices. Try the huge Hut Burger, meant for big appetites.
Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q: 6401 S. Desert, $$, 587-8397. This San Antonio-area favorite is now in El Paso. The barbecue is flavorful.
State Line: 1222 Sunland Park, $$, 581-3371. A vast array of delicious smoked and barbecued meats. Bring a big appetite to one of El Paso's best barbecue spots.
Buffets
Cici's Pizza: 7500 N. Mesa, Suite 22, $, 833-4900. The buffet features all the pizza, pasta, salad and dessert pizza you can eat for less than $5.
Veggie Good: 3800 N. Mesa, Suite B7, $, 544-1321. As the name says, this buffet is a great place to load up on veggies. You also can get sandwiches, wraps and fruit.
Continental
Greenery: Sunland Park Mall, $$, 584-6706. A nice place for a date. Try the bruschetta appetizer and the grilled half-chicken.
Italian
Andre's Pizza: 3233 N. Mesa, $, 543-3233. The prices are low, the food is good and there's lots of it.
Ardovino's Desert Crossing: 1 Ardovino Drive in Sunland Park, $$-$$$, 575-589-0653 or www.ardovinos.com. Great place to have romantic dinner. Try the pan-seared salmon fillet or chicken diavolo. For a nice appetizer, order the roasted olives. Fantastic.
Ardovino's Wine Gourmet: 206 Cincinnati, 865 Resler, $$, 532-9483, 760-6000. Not only does this pizzeria have a nice selection of wines, but its pies are fabulous. Have a small personalized pizza for one; your tummy will thank you. The kitchen is open late.
Bella Napoli: 6331 N. Mesa, $$, 584-3321 or http://bellanapoliristorante.com. Offers a variety of luscious Italian dishes, including veal parmigiana and chicken Jerusalem.
Biagio's: 5222 Doniphan, $$, 585-9100. Astonishingly fresh vegetable and seafood dishes.
Cafe Italia: 6705 N. Mesa, $$, 832-0587. Everything is made fresh, including the mozzarella and the bread. The antipasti are fabulous.
Hello Pizza: 1071 Country Club, $$, 581-5000. Handmade New York-style pizzas, with your choice of Neapolitan or Sicilian crust and a great selection of ingredients.
il Posto Italiano: 7130 N. Mesa, $$, 585-2221. Good food and a nice atmosphere. Give the lasagna a try. It's a generous serving.
Italian Kitchen West: 450 Thorn, $$, 842-0775. This is a second location for this El Paso institution, and the food is just as good. Try the chicken parmigiana.
Marcello's West Ristorante Italiano: 5380 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 833-7800. Great addition to the West Side. Pasta sauces are light and perfectly made.
Mi Piaci Ristorante Italiano di Cosimo: 5411 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 875-0034. Chef Cosimo Battaglia uses a light touch to create wonderful, innovative dishes.
Olive Garden: 740 Sunland Park, $$$, 585-1097. Provides a modern Italian atmosphere that's sure to please.
Pasta Avanti: 8001 N. Mesa, Suite A (Crossroads Shopping Center), $$-$$$, 875-0002. The menu proclaims "Italy and El Paso meet" and they do, sometimes unexpectedly. Jalapeño on the rigatoni was good. Chicken parmigiana with a chile-relleno-like batter coating just seemed strange.
Mexican
Avila's Mexican Food: 6232 N. Mesa, $$, 584-3621. Stands out in a town that demands a lot from Mexican food.
Ay Caramba Tacos Y Carnitas: 6874 Doniphan, $-$$$, 877-2112; 8001 N. Mesa, Suite G, 581-5565. Both restaurants prepare authentic, traditional Mexican food. Don't pass up the milanesa -- a thinly breaded steak topped with lettuce, tomato, asadero cheese and guacamole.
Barrigas: 664 Sunland Park, $-$$, 845-1627. The restaurant offers a variety of great-tasting Mexican dishes. The green chicken enchiladas are great.
Bonny's Cafe: 3737 N. Mesa, Suite D-2, $-$$, 838-8357. Enormous burritos, good nachos, tasty enchiladas. It's a '50s-style diner with a Mexican twist.
Carnitas Queretaro: 6516 N. Mesa, $$, 584-9906. Offers something many others don't -- fresh, hand-made corn tortillas, enhancing the superior food.
Casa Jurado in Kern Place: 226 Cincinnati, $-$$, 532-6429. New owners but still good food. The menu features an extensive enchilada section. Try the Sabores Jurado plate, which will give you a bit of everything.
Casa Jurado on Doniphan: 4772 Doniphan, $-$$, 833-1151. A great starter is the salpicón -- a cold dish of shredded flank steak garnished with cilantro, jalapeños, cheese and onions.
El Cabo Cantina Deluxe: 205 Cincinnati, $$, 317-5430. High-quality food in a laid-back atmosphere. Tapas and appetizers take up the better part of the menu. The enchiladas de camaron are thick and spicy.
Little Diner and Tortilla Factory: 7209 Seventh St., Canutillo, $, 877-2176. This restaurant serves some of the biggest, brassiest food the region has to offer.
Los Tres Gallegos: 4400 N. Mesa, $-$ $, 351-8130. This restaurant has great Mexican food, including tacos, green enchiladas, chiles rellenos, chicken fajitas and carnitas.
Lucy's Restaurant: 4119 N. Mesa, 544-3922. Has five El Paso locations and an extensive menu featuring a wide variety of Mexican foods.
Real Burrit-O: 4172 N. Mesa Suite B, $, 543-9470. Talk about your big burrito. This place has many choices. Try the rajas and pollo a la Mexicana.
Red Peppers: 910 E. Redd, $, 584-9266. The gorditas are absolutely delicious.
Red Rooster Cafe: 209-A W. Washington, Anthony, $-$$, 886-3663. Try any one of its three huge delicious combination plates.
Riviera Restaurant: 5218 Doniphan, $$, 584-1542. It features red New Mexico chile beef or chicken enchiladas and an 8-ounce steak topped with green chile, as well as great tacos.
Rosa's Cantina: 3454 Doniphan, $, 833-0402. A restaurant where a meal costs you $5 at most.
Rose Garden Restaurant: 26 E. Washington, Anthony, $$, 886-2029. Offers a variety of homestyle Mexican and basic American breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees.
San Isidro Mission Café: 6135 Westside Drive, $, 877-7082. This restaurant -- housed in a former church -- makes down-home Mexican dishes. The enchiladas are outstanding, and the soups are flavorful.
So-Cal Baja Grill: 2900 N. Mesa, $$, 351-9779. Great Baja-style seafood. Try the Rosarito burrito, which has shrimp, fish, red cabbage, rice, salsa fresca, guacamole, sour cream and black beans. Yum.
Taco Fish: 7500 N. Mesa, $, 833-9061. The eatery is famous, in a way: Texas Monthly magazine has named its octopus tacos one of 63 tacos in the state you should eat before you die. Besides octopus, try the other combination seafood tacos.
Taco Grill: 4131 N. Mesa, $, 533-8586. It's too bad the slogan "fast food that doesn't taste fast" is already taken, because that's the perfect way to describe the Taco Grill's meals.
Tia's Mexican & Seafood: 6507 N. Mesa, $-$$, 845-1665. The service is excellent. Forgo the seafood and have the mighty tasty tacos, which are the classic shredded-beef style.
ASIAN
Beijing Lili West: 5860 N. Mesa, Suite 130, $$, 577-0888. With a new location, this restaurant now offers a more upscale Chinese cuisine. Try the Hunan chicken. It's chock-full of vegetables in a spicy sauce.
Golden Buddha: 7933 N. Mesa, $-$$, 351-2606. This place is perfect for Chinese takeout. Try the broccoli and beef -- thin-sliced, juicy beef and perfectly tender steamed broccoli.
Golden Buddha: 2606 N. Mesa, $-$$, 760-6888. This place is perfect for Chinese takeout. Try the broccoli and beef -- thin-sliced, juicy beef and perfectly tender steamed broccoli.
Grand China Buffet: 655 Sunland Park, $, 585-3688. The place is clean, the service is fast and friendly, the selection is extensive, and the food is OK.
Japanese Kitchen: 4024 N. Mesa, $$, 533-4267. This restaurant is an action-filled evening of flying knives, flipping shrimp and sizzling sprouts.
Koze Teppan Grill: 6127 N. Mesa Suite B, $$$, 727-1671. Japanese teppan restaurant (with food cooked tableside). The experience is entertaining, but it's the food that stars.
Moon Day Chinese Restaurant: 6600 N. Mesa, Suite 501, $$, 587-7115. A simple restaurant that serves up tasty Chinese fare. The Hunan shrimp is delicious.
Moon Star Chinese: 7040 N. Mesa, $$$, 842-8238. Upscale, interesting, sometimes intensely flavored Chinese food. The broccoli chicken is a garlicky delight with lots of vegetables.
Ohashi Japanese Restaurant: 3800 N. Mesa, $$, 533-4468. The food is excellent, though the menu is confusing: The restaurant serves Chinese food all day, plus sushi at lunch and other Japanese food after 5 p.m.
Okazuri: 865 N. Resler, $$-$$$, 581-7733. This restaurant has a floating bar and a large variety of seafood plates, including salmon and crab. Don't pass on the teppanyaki plate of steak and shrimp.
Paco Wong's Chinese Restaurant: 7111 N. Mesa, $$, 581-7111. Same owners as Juárez's Shangri-La, with some of the same menu items. Try the chicken wings in oyster sauce, combination fried rice and almond duck.
Pei Wei Asian Diner: 7500 N. Mesa Suite 101, $$, 581-8540. With a shorter, less-expensive menu than P.F. Chang's, this eatery has a mix of Asian dishes. Try the pad Thai or the sweet and sour chicken.
P.F. Chang's China Bistro: 760 Sunland Park, $$-$$$, 845-0166. This is upscale Chinese food at its best. Try Chang's chicken wrapped in lettuce leaves or the crispy honey chicken. And don't pass on the Great Wall of China -- a massive six-layer chocolate cake with raspberry sauce.
Saigon Taste Vietnamese Cuisine: 6940 N. Mesa, Suite B, $$, 760-6026. Interesting, authentic Vietnamese fare. The menu doesn't always describe the food accurately. The spring rolls are delicious.
Singapore Cafe: 4120 N. Mesa, $$, 533-2889. The flavors are clean and crisp. If you want to slip out of the Chinese food buffet doldrums, this is the place.
Sushi Express: 5700 N. Mesa, Suite F, $$, 581-3841. Lots of good sushi, including tempura rolls, sashimi and the tasty Philadelphia.
The Sushi Place: 2604 N. Mesa, $$-$$$, 838-8088. Try the San Antonio roll with Tampico paste at this sparsely decorated sushi bar.
Yamato Japanese Restaurant: 2500 N. Mesa, $-$$$, 351-2415. This latest addition to the Kern Place area features good Japanese food, including a teriyaki chicken and salmon rolls; yaki soba -- thinly cut beef and noodles; and futomaki roll -- crab, dried seaweed, cucumber, egg masago and avocado.
Other ethnic
Aloha Hawaiian BBQ: 5004 N. Desert, Suite D $$, 858-8868. Lots of flavorful dishes. Try the kalua pork or the chicken katsu, boneless deep-fried chicken strips coated with a sweet sauce.
Al-Zaituna Restaurant: 4172A N. Mesa, $-$$, 838-1260. Good food and fast service is the key to this Middle Eastern restaurant. Start with a falafel and end your meal with gyros or shish kebab. You can't go wrong.
Chut-ney Authentic Indian Cuisine: 5435 N. Mesa Suite B, $$, 587-7788. Indian food with great flavor combinations. The vegetables korma, in a creamy coconut-and-onion sauce, is wonderfully spicy.
Greek and Arabic Mediterranean Cuisine: 4111 N. Mesa, $$, 542-1012. It's one of those hidden treasures hard-core eater-outers hate to share. It's that good.
India Palace: 5380 N. Mesa, $$, 833-2245. Indian food is back in El Paso. The restaurant has many favorites -- including samosas, tandoori chicken and curry dishes -- and wonderful nan bread.
Jerusalem Grill: 5360 N. Mesa, Suite H, $-$$, 231-9600. Good, tasty dishes from the Middle East. Try the hummus and the chicken shawarma.
Koo-bah Cantina: 2609 N. Mesa, $, 533-4576. This place has a casual atmosphere and great prices. Try the coconut shrimp and fried plantains. It comes with a pineapple-chile sauce that's lip-smacking good.
Sinbad Restaurant: 2716 N. Mesa, $$, 351-1350. A small and comfortable place that brings Mediterranean flavors home at a very affordable price.
Seafood
Pelican's Restaurant: 130 Shadow Mountain, $$$, 581-1392. Try the New York steak and shrimp.
Steaks
Billy Crews Dining Room: 1200 Country Club Road, $$$, 575-589-2071. Great cuts of meat, great service and a great wine list make this one of the area's most enduring classic steakhouses.
Dane's Steakhouse: 2711 N. Stanton at Cincinnati, $$$, 313-9765 or www.danessteakhouse.com. Upscale ambience. The steaks are high-class, too.
juárez
Aroma: 7104 Parque Industrial near the corner of Vicente Guerrero and Tomás Fernández, $$$, 011-52-656-87-87-01. Fresh food, impeccable service. The paella is a triumph.
Barrigas Bar and Grill: 7814 Gomez Morin, $$, 011-52-656-18-34-33. The menu's wide selection includes botanas and appetizers, but the best by far are the tacos suizos.
Degá Restaurant Bar: Rio Grande Mall, $$, 011-52-656-13-98-35. Good, down-to-earth food is what you'll get at Degá, a quaint restaurant at the center of it all.
Doña Chole Restaurant: Top floor of the Mercado Cuauhtemoc, Vicente Guerrero and Mariscal streets, $, no telephone. Good basic Mexican dishes at a cheap price.
Don Fon Restaurant Bar: 5854 Paseo Triunfo de la Republica, $$, 011-52-656-13-28-88. The pu pu platter includes two of each: fried wontons, ribs, chicken wings, beef strips cooked over a tiny grill in the middle of the platter, egg rolls and fried shrimp.
El Nuevo Martino's: 412 N. Avenida Juárez, $$, 011-52-656-12-33-70. If you're very hungry, this is the place to go for plentiful portions in a hurry.
La Nueva Central: 222 16 de Septiembre, $. This 24-hour cafe offers lots of options, including chicken mole, Szechuan chicken, and a bowl of beef and baby corn.
Restaurant Mitla: 2325 Hermanos Escobar, $$. It has a menu shorter than some people's names, but it's long on one thing: Great, big slabs of beef grilled over an open flame.
Viva Mexico!: 1320 Avenida Lincoln, $$, 011-52-656-29-01-56. This restaurant at Pueblito Mexicano shopping center resembles a small town with a big-city flair for food.
new mexico
Casa Blanca: 501 Mechem, Ruidoso; $-$$; 575-257-2495. Cozy restaurant with upstairs seating and tasty Mexican food. Burgers are the real deal.
Chope's Bar and Café: 16145 S. Highway 28, La Mesa; $$; 575-233-3420. The motto is "Stuff It," and Chope's chiles rellenos are iconic. The enchiladas and chile verde con carne are equally wonderful.
Meson de Mesilla: 1803 Avenida de Mesilla, Mesilla; $$$; 575-525-9212. This recently renovated bed-and-breakfast has lunch and dinner menus that dazzle. Its seafood is impeccable.
Risotto Bistro, Market and Wine Bar: 510 S. Telshor, Las Cruces; $$-$$$; 575-521-4619. Excellent food, great service and relaxed atmosphere. Try chicken al motone, a pan-seared quarter chicken roasted with Mediterranean herbs.
TJ Pauls': 141 Roadrunner Parkway, Las Cruces; $$$; 575-522-7300; www.tjpauls.com. Exquisite food; perfect service. The TJ Cobb salad is incredible.
Willmon's Prime Grille: 2523 Sudderth, Ruidoso; $$$; www.willmonsprime.com; 575-257-2954. Boasts fresh ingredients including cheeses from Italy; lobsters from Australia; fish from Hawaii, Alaska, Scotland and Norway.
west texas
Angie's Restaurant: Just off Interstate 10 in Fort Hancock, $-$$, 915-768-3911. There is a reason truckers congregate at this eatery 60 miles east of El Paso. It's darn good. The big seller is Angie's gravy-smothered chicken-fried steak.
Source: elpasotimes.com
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