The Grove Cafe & Market has been part of Albuquerque’s daily rhythm since opening its doors in the city’s East Downtown neighborhood in June 2006.
Behind its welcoming daytime service is the story of Jason and Lauren Greene, a husband-and-wife team who brought together experience in restaurant kitchens, hotel hospitality, and neighborhood dining.
Their cafe grew from a simple but lasting idea: serve carefully prepared breakfast and lunch while supporting local farmers, food producers, and sustainable agriculture across Albuquerque and the Southwest.
Nearly two decades later, The Grove continues to give people a relaxed place to enjoy familiar food, good coffee, and the kind of hospitality that encourages regular visits.
How The Grove Cafe & Market Won Local Hearts
The Grove Cafe & Market opened in Albuquerque’s East Downtown neighborhood, known locally as EDo, in June 2006, beginning a story shaped by local ingredients, daytime hospitality, and steady neighborhood support.
Jason and Lauren Greene created the cafe together, combining Jason’s years of restaurant experience with Lauren’s background in the hotel and hospitality industry.
Jason trained at the New England Culinary Institute and began working in restaurant kitchens when he was only 16, giving him an early connection to the pace and discipline of professional cooking.
That experience helped shape The Grove’s ingredient-focused approach, which centers on carefully chosen food from farmers and producers in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and communities across the Southwest.
Lauren developed her hospitality background while working at major resorts in Las Vegas and Scottsdale, bringing a different but equally important perspective to the restaurant.
Together, the couple built a cafe where the warmth of the welcome matters just as much as the food served at the table, creating an experience that feels relaxed and easy to return to.
The Grove works with listed partners such as Silverleaf Farms, Livity Farm, Vida Verde Farm, Sage Bakehouse, Fano Bread, and Tully’s Sausage, connecting the restaurant to the people who grow, bake, and produce its ingredients.
That local network gives the cafe a meaningful sense of place, while the menu keeps the experience accessible through all-day breakfast, brunch, lunch, espresso, coffee, tea, beer, wine, and mimosas.
The Grove has grown into a team of more than 30 culinary-minded employees, yet its appeal remains tied to the personal approach established by the Greenes when the restaurant first opened.
Its location east of downtown and about one mile from the University of New Mexico also places it within easy reach of an active part of Albuquerque.
With no reservations required and service running during the day, guests can arrive for a quick breakfast, settle in for brunch, or enjoy a relaxed lunch before taking home one of the cafe’s housemade products.
Those products include English muffins, granola, baked goods, breads, private-label hot sauce, and sweets, giving The Grove a lasting neighborhood identity built on familiar food, local connections, and hospitality people can return to.
Food Highlights
-
Grove Pancakes : French-style pancakes arrive with seasonal fresh fruit, crème fraîche, local honey, and maple syrup, creating a breakfast plate with soft texture, bright fruit, and comforting sweetness. 🥞
-
NM Avocado Toast : Whole-wheat toast is topped with smashed avocado, serrano chile, cilantro, pickled red onion, queso fresco, crema, radish, sunflower sprouts, and a sunny-side-up egg for a fresh, colorful, and distinctly New Mexican breakfast. 🥑
-
Smoked Salmon : Smoked salmon is one of the cafe’s listed all-day breakfast choices, giving guests a savory option when they want something lighter and more refined than pancakes or a traditional egg plate. 🐟
-
Farmers Salad : Mixed greens come with roasted golden beets, asparagus, yellow peppers, tomato, Marcona almonds, goat cheese, and lemon-basil vinaigrette for a composed salad filled with earthy vegetables, creamy cheese, crisp texture, and fresh acidity. 🥗
-
Chopped Salad : Chopped romaine is combined with turkey, hard-boiled egg, bacon, tomato, avocado, blue cheese, and housemade ranch, making this a substantial lunch choice with enough varied toppings to feel like a complete meal. 🥓
-
Housemade English Muffin : The Grove makes its own English muffins and serves them with options such as butter, local honey, or Heidi’s Organic Jam, offering a simple taste of the cafe’s in-house preparation and regional food connections. 🍯
Atmosphere
The Grove has a fun, casual, and relaxed cafe setting designed for daily coffee, all-day breakfast, weekend brunch, and leisurely lunch with friends.
Its EDo location places it east of downtown and near the University of New Mexico, while the 8 AM to 2 PM schedule creates a comfortable daytime routine for both quick visits and longer meals.
Bottom Line
The Grove Cafe & Market is worth knowing for its local roots, thoughtful ingredient sourcing, housemade staples, and welcoming daytime service that has remained part of Albuquerque life since 2006.
It feels like a restaurant built for real routines, where people can return for familiar food, relaxed hospitality, and a lasting connection to the neighborhood.
Address: 600 Central Ave SE Ste A Albuquerque, NM 87102
📞 (505) 248-9800
🕔 Open Tue-Sun, 8 AM–2 PM | Closed Mon