Little Anita's New Mexican ~ regional chain : Denver, Colorado

Latest visit: Jan 2021 (Denver, Colorado)

First visit: Apr 1994 (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

Any regular reader of the RJG (as if such a specimen exists) will note what huge fans of New Mexican food we are. Unfortunately rare is the place that matches the goodness we find in ABQ and Santa Fe. All things considered, Little Anita's is to date the best we've found in Colorado. When you ask for Christmas they don't look at you funny, so there's that. On this visit I was very pleased with the charbroiled chicken inside my burrito. Oh I didn't mention I ordered a burrito? Well, duhhh! But of course the money here has to be placed on the smothered chile(s). The green was super, sliced and diced green chiles and very spicy. Sort of Horseman's Haven style but not quite that hot. No I'm not going to link to it - you have to know these places! OK, it's in Santa Fe... I usually do green first and red second, as the latter tends to be more flavorful. The texture was perfect - yes, velvety (better be!), but unfortunately the flavor didn't match and was very mild compared to the green. Bummer. Many times that can change due to the chile crop. Or it could be recipe driven. We'll see next time... In any case, if looking for some New Mexican food in Colorado, this is a good place to try.

As you can see we have a long history with Little Anita's, going back to a singular record/LP show trip from COS to ABQ. I arrived the night before and this was my choice for dining. I don't recall much of that experience, as New Mexican food was still something beyond my grasp. Oddly enough the second visit to Little Anita's was in Vienna, Virginia (!?) as at the time I was working for Software Company Everyone Has Heard Of, and had an office in nearby Reston. When we picked up the summer townhome in Denver starting in 2009, Little Anita's had branched into the area. That same south location in the Tech Center moved to a larger restaurant nearby, and that was our go to locale in recent years. And then it closed last year. Sigh. Fortunately - now that I have much more personal business in Denver - the south Colorado Blvd location works well. This was my first trip here. You order up at the counter, and there are a few tables you can sit at if available (too spaced out it seems, even for the pandemic, but OK). Fortunately there was a table for me this time.

Their website indicates 8 Albuquerque locations, but does not mention this Denver locale. As it turns out, there's a Little Anita's of Colorado - same business, just a distinction for taxes we would imagine. Only this location remains though.

4/30/94; 8/11/06; 5/3/10; 11/12/17; 1/30/21 (new entry)