You can not miss this eye-catching storefront complete with a flying saucer that sticks out of the front red brick wall. This shop will bring out the kid in you as you stroll through state of the art games and toys, wind-up tin cars and creatures. Take a load off as you sit in the coffee shop area and enjoy a freshly blended and roasted cup of high quality coffee. The best beans available are ground routinely to ensure satisfaction. Other hot and cold beverages are offered as well as good-looking desserts like tortes, cakes and cookies.

The food offered at Il Vicino is rich and distinctively Italian. Classics such as wood-fired pizza, calzones, savory sandwiches are all modestly priced. The homemade-tasting sweets include crunchy biscotti, a flourless, silky chocolate cake and a down right decadent, chocolate-soaked cannoli. The atmosphere is busy, modern and modest with tables and chairs Al Fresco for those who want to take in the great outdoors. An in house microbrewery brews up full flavored ambers and ales.

If you are looking for just the right place to impress the boss or your associates, you might find this spot located in the Hilton of Albuquerque perfect for the occasion. Guests can dine in an elegant, formal dining room that is dimly-lit, cozy and contemporary. The menu encompasses everything from succulent steaks, fresh salads, and beautifully prepared and presented seafood. Try the Dry-Aged Ribeye, Filet Mignon or Alaskan Wild Salmon.

This brewery has rapidly established itself as an Albuquerque favorite. It is located in a stylish old car dealership whose former showroom serves as the tavern. Everything about it drips with nostalgia, but not to the shameless point of reducing it to a cheap tourist attraction. A huge outdoor patio makes for a perfect perch overlooking historic Route 66. Burgers, soups, salads, steaks, and even lamb shanks line its menu.

Saggios is a family-owned and operated pizzeria with an upbeat atmosphere. Massive pillars preside over booths and the front and side-panel of a Mercedes Benz serves as a sidebar and soda fountain. Choose from gourmet pizzas big and flavorful calzones, tasty sandwiches, salads, pasta and desserts. Beer and wine is served and if you have a craving for something sweet, try a piece of cheesecake.

This is an interesting venue for a movie theatre. Southwest Film Center is actually housed in the basement of the University of New Mexico Student Union Building on campus. Every Tuesday you can see a movie here absolutely free. The set up is standard movie theatre seating and holds about 100 patrons comfortably. Smaller foreign films are featured as well as independent, documentaries and cult classics.

All genres of movies are shown at this small, older theatre, located in the heart of the historic Nob Hill neighbourhood. Independent films are shown along with classic and foreign films. A host of film festivals are scheduled and showcase the directors and various movie makers, with guest appearances and discussions at Guild Cinema.

If you are in the Nob Hill neighbourhood, drop in to this energetic spot for a latte or the house pasta. Soup, salads and daily specials like quiche, pot pies and various blue plate specials populate the menu. Order a simple cup of coffee, a fresh malt or shake. Enjoy a magazine or newspaper from the well stocked magazine rack and watch an interesting array of people, young and old, hanging out here. Tall ceilings and murals of big blue skies, fluffy clouds and hand gliders adorn the walls.

If you are in the mood for tasty Mediterranean cuisine, Yanni's is your stop. This setting is spacious and charming offering a wide array of favorite Greek dishes. Customers also have the option of dining out under the glistening, tiny white lights in the courtyard and gazing at the stars in the evenings. Yanni's serves wine from all over the world and the special Retsina Kourtaki is a crowd pleaser. Service is friendly and efficient and the food found is made with fresh ingredients. Quality and cleanliness is of paramount concern to this fine Greek establishment. A definite restaurant to visit.

El Patio is so named because the majority of the seating is on an attractive tree-lined patio, ideal for people watching in Albuquerque's only pedestrian-friendly area of town. Reservations are not taken and the establishment is relatively small so to ensure an outdoor table, avoid the busiest times of day. They serve all the usual New Mexican fare, such as substantial portions of enchiladas, tacos and fajitas accompanied by sopaipillas. Should you forget that they do not accept credit cards, you can get in line for the money machine inside with the other diners who did the same.