The Huge New Mexico Restaurant That Produces 100% Of Its Own Eggs

If you've ever been to the American Southwest, a word that may come to mind is: big. Big skies, big, wide-open spaces, big mountains and major views. And when it comes to the food, we're talking about big flavor. New Mexican cuisine is uniquely delicious in so many ways, but there is one restaurant taking that idea to the next level down to every little detail — and it's making a big difference by producing all of its own eggs.

El Pinto sprang up in the North Valley of Albuquerque in 1962, but today it raises its own hens — 200 of them, in fact, and the restaurant refers to its on-premise home as the Hen Hotel. This Animal Welfare-approved program was not only the first of its kind, but remains the only one in the entire country. These organically-fed hens produce pasture-raised eggs, and if you're someone who looks out for labels like cage free and free range when it comes to picking up your carton, that may be enough of a motivation to make the trip. That said, El Pinto offers guests plenty of reasons to stick around — including a wide range of dishes on its all-day menus.

If you want to sample these history-making eggs, you can pop by El Pinto for brunch on Sunday between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. You can enjoy them on red chile breakfast empanadas with breakfast potatoes and cheddar, huevos rancheros with beans and flour tortillas, hatch red chile eggs benedict (made with peppers only New Mexico can grow) with red chile hollandaise sauce, and more mouthwatering egg-based offerings.

Of course, El Pinto plates up more than just eggs, and the main menu at El Pinto suggests a commitment to similarly sustainable producers, including humanely raised heritage pork for a tomahawk chop with an enchilada, or pasture-raised cattle for its charbroiled green chile queso burger. El Pinto even has an organic greenhouse of its own.

There's also a bar with a carefully curated selection of over 160 tequilas, and a range of rotating margaritas (which may be a good reason to make an exception for skipping the margaritas a Mexican restaurants). Whatever your motivation for making the trip to El Pinto, you'll be happy you shelled out for its Hen Hotel's eggs for sure.