A plate of carne adovada can turn a lunch into the reason for a road trip. Pork cooks slowly in red chile until the sauce settles into every bite, and each kitchen has its way of pushing the flavor.
New Mexico gives this dish plenty of room to shine, especially at restaurants that have spent decades building their reputations around chile. A James Beard honored cafe makes the cut, along with a pharmacy where the lunch counter has become an institution.
Some versions lean deeper and smokier, while others come with enough heat to make the first bite impossible to ignore. The places themselves are part of the fun, too…