Conventional wisdom (which is rarely correct) states that 90% of restaurants fail in their first year of business. According to one University of Ohio study, 60% of restaurants fail before their first anniversary. The National Restaurant Association puts it at a much more optimistic 30%. A couple of economists once tried to put the rumors to rest, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data to prove that only 17% go belly up in 52 weeks or less. Wherever the true numbers lie year, the fact remains that a certain – fair to heavy – percentage of restaurants won’t be sticking around long term.
This isn’t meant to be fatalistic; it’s simply a statement of fact. Lots of businesses open, lots of businesses close. It’s not a telltale sign of doom. It’s not a condemnation of our country’s economy or our state’s business policies or our city’s taste (or lack thereof) for eating out. It’s just the price of doing business.
So when we report that Albuquerque lost some notable neighborhood food and drink spots in 2024, we’re not suggesting there’s any sort of boogeyman out there conspiring to take out chefs and restaurateurs. As followers of foodie blogs, Facebook pages and Yelp reviews watched local dining destinations disappear throughout the year, they were eager to provide plenty of conspiratorial reasoning behind the demises: crime, homelessness, greedy landlords, the liberal policies of Tim Keller, the ART project, COVID, the price of eggs. The truth is, in some ways, all those scary factors contributed to us losing eateries. In other ways, though, they were way off base. Mykonos Cafe & Taverna closed only to renovate and re-open as Dorthea’s Fine Greek. Bama’s 1865 reportedly had troubles with its liquor license. After 47 years in business, the owner of Monica’s El Portal decided it was time to retire. Mas Tapas y Vino is gone, but has promised to return soon with a new identity and a new menu. Fork & Fig is becoming a private chef/catering business. O’Niells Pub still has a location in Uptown. Death isn’t an end, you see, even to businesses. New ones will sprout up in place of the old. That’s the circle of life (at least as Disney’s Lion King explained it.)
In pointing out the restaurants that failed in 2024, we do not wish to add to any foodie panic. We here at The Paper. will do our best to spend the next 52 weeks telling you about all the great food experiences, new and old, that our city has to offer. But we do want to take a quick pause to salute those who fed us in the last year that are no longer around. Although this list is probably far from complete, it covers a wide range of neighborhoods, cuisines, price points and more.
So it is with a heavy heart and an empty stomach that we present Those Who Left Us (Hungry) All Too Soon: B2B Garden Bistro (8338 Comanche Rd. NE), Bama’s 1865 (6001 Osuna Rd. NE), Blue Sky New Mexican Cafe (1248 San Mateo Blvd. SE), Caruso’s Italian (5626 Menaul Blvd. NE), Dawn Patrol Coffee (3619 Copper Ave. NE), Fork & Fig (6904 Menaul Blvd. NE), Gen Kai (110 Louisiana Blvd. SE), Habibi House (3218 Silver Ave. SE), Kamikaze (3517 Wyoming Blvd. NE), Kickstand Cafe (1127 Alameda Blvd. NW), Monica’s El Portal (321 Rio Grande Blvd. NW), Mas Tapas y Vino (125 Second St. NW), Mykonos Cafe & Taverna (5900 Eubank Blvd. NE), O’Niell’s (4310 Central Ave. SE), Pho 79 (2007 Candelaria Rd. NE), Powdrell’s House of Barbecue (5209 Fourth St. NW), Rincon del Pollo (9129 Fourth St. NW), Roti NM Rotisserie (1909 Bellamah Rd. NW) , Salt & Board (115 Harvard Dr. SE), Slice Parlor (3410 Central Ave. SE), Swiss Alps Bakery (3000 San Pedro Dr. NE).
(PS: If you’re sorry one of your faves is gone because you hadn’t visited in the last couple of years, then maybe you should patronize your other faves a little bit more frequently. Just sayin’.)
Also, Michael Thomas Coffee’s original location on Carlisle. Their other one, off Silver, is still going.
That one closed in October of 2023.