Itality: Plant Based Foods — Restaurant in Albuquerque

It’s always fun to find a new (to me, anyway) place serving a plant-based menu. I know. It’s not for everyone. But for those who crave this style of food, it is a godsend. And Itality is just that.

Located just off NW 12th, Itality is Native American-owned, which automatically causes me to give even higher praise. I am a supporter. There’s a great story in Edible New Mexico that tells Tina Archuleta’s story, and how she wound up creating plant-based food for a diverse audience. Google it.

Tina, who hails from the Jemez Pueblo, had this to say: “Plant foods are Native foods. Plants are our oldest ally. Plants are our relatives and they’re here for us. My food is not going to hurt anyone.”

And so she set out a couple of years ago to create a table at which all could dine, and in a way that honors the traditions of her lineage. To that end, she has hit a home run.

I made the mistake of coming late for lunch one day on a recent business trip to ABQ, and arrived about 1pm. This put me after a mad lunch rush, and thus they had to to start over cooking the many menu items. Under some circumstances, I might have been annoyed. But not this time. It was well worth the wait.

I went with the Ital-NDN (say it slowly), which is basically a pueblo taco with red Chile beans, avocado, romaine lettuce, tomato, onions, and their pumpkin chi sauce.

OMG, this was absolutely amazing! If there is one thing I love about ABQ it is the diversity of dinging experiences. Itality just catapulted to the top of my list for repeat visits. This taco was beyond reproach, and even though I had to wait 30 minutes for the kitchen to catch up, it was all good.

If you’re not vegan, don’t write this off. And if you are, what’s keeping you? This is an amazing place to be in the moment, whether you dine indoors or out. Dining is a spiritual experience here, and I...

I have been eyeing Itality for a minute now, and finally had the opportunity to try it out a couple nights ago.

To start, the staff were very helpful from the moment I walked in. I'm not sure why there are reviews stating that there are only two tables inside, because there are probably 6(it's not a huge restaurant, so why do people expect lots of seating?)

The frybread special was an ideal blend of light and healthy, while still being fulfilling. The bread itself had just the right amount of salt. The veggies and tofu had a perfect texture.

I had the pleasure of getting to sample the nachos, featuring a pumpkin chi sauce. The sauce doesn't attempt to mimic traditional cheese, avoiding the pitfalls that often plague vegan alternatives. Instead, it complements the salty chips, while offering a unique flavor profile. The prickly pear lemonade was a great balance of sweet and tart.

Itality's commitment to genuine flavors, free from the need to imitate meats and cheeses, sets it apart. This makes it an ideal choice, not only for vegans, but also for those wanting to try out healthy plant-based foods; especially those who may have been disappointed by past encounters with synthetic substitutes. Itality proves that plant-based cuisine can be a celebration of individual tastes and textures, without trying to be something that it's not. Their Native woman-owned status adds a bonus layer to...

Food is unhealthy (most menu items are fried) and dry. But to make matters worse, the customer service is awful. We came here excited for what seemed like a unique vegan meal. The seating inside was cramped and they were out of several menu items but we decided to give it a try anyway. We ordered the nachos which turned out to be a bowl of deep fried tortilla chips, a sparse amount of “chi” sauce, and some jarred jalapeños. Hardly worth eating. We tried the special veggie burger which was just ok - some bean mixture slapped between two pieces of fry bread, with a side of reheated basic fries. We also ordered an enchilada which was at least a healthier option. Unfortunately it arrived totally dry, it was like a kale and zucchini salad with no dressing wrapped in a dry tortilla. The only thing we asked for was some extra sauce for the dry enchilada. The woman at the counter offered only a condiment size cup of sauce for $2, which we paid. It ended up being inedibly spicy so we asked for another option and she refused, offering no alternative resolutions. Most restaurants go out of their way to ensure their guests enjoy their meal. This one prefers to pinch pennies. Better to stay away. By the way, don’t come thirsty. If the water dispenser isn’t empty, it will have warm water that you can drink from a child size plastic...