If there’s one thing El Paso’s got going for it, it is an amazing food scene. The centuries of cultural mixing here have produced an amazing local food culture that incorporates elements of Mexican, Native American, and Anglo-American cooking styles. Tex-Mex cuisine was virtually invented in El Paso and other Texas towns along the border, and New Mexican cooking, with its spicy chile sauces, is ever-present. So, the variety of dishes and cuisines here spans across the hundreds of Mexican, Tex-Mex, and New Mexican restaurants to be found in the city.
Beyond Southwestern cuisine, you are bound to bump into a number of international restaurants throughout the city. Fort Bliss has long been a training center for the German Air Force, which has led to the existence of several excellent, authentic German restaurants around town. And the arrival of immigrants from around the world during the city’s boomtown years means that there is plenty to choose from ethnically, like Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai foods. Furthermore, El Paso’s haute culinary scene is now beginning to grow as several El Paso chefs are making their way into the cooking world with a few dynamic, upscale restaurants. And if it’s just plain, good old American food you’re after, well, there’s no shortage of burger joints, barbecue pits, and pizzerias to soothe your hometown hankerings.
Overview
The restaurants in this chapter are presented by style of cuisine and range from local Mexican holes in the wall and low-key rib joints to upscale steakhouses and fancy wine bars. A price code has been incorporated to help you find just the meal you’re looking for; of course, there are literally thousands of eateries, diners, restaurants, and delis across the city, so this is just a sampling of some local favorites and the most popular or well-known places to eat in the Sun City.
In 2002, El Paso instituted a stringent city ordinance that banned smoking in all workplaces, restaurants, and bars, so you will not find smoking sections in any of El Paso’s restaurants. However, many bars and restaurants around town have opened their patios and gardens to smokers, and the city’s great weather means that these types of outdoor spaces are open year-round in many places.
Of course everyone will have his or her favorites and I’ve attempted to include many of mine. By all means, check with local friends and family for their recommendations about El Paso’s best places to eat, and use this chapter as simply a starting point for exploring the thousands of amazing restaurants that the Sun City has to offer.