Leo’s Mexican Food

A friend once told me that the true test of good refried beans is if a tortilla chip can stand up in them without falling over. At Leo’s Mexican Food, the tortilla chip stands up and actually looks proud to be smashed into a bountiful helping of beans.

Located across from the Wells Fargo building on East Mills Avenue (the restaurant also has far Westside and Central locations), Leo’s is open for breakfast and lunch. The dining area is usually packed from at least 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. with the Downtown work crowd, but the service is super fast, so don’t hesitate to spend your next lunch break feasting at Leo’s.

Known for delicious tortilla soup and sopaipillas (a crisp, puffy, deep-fried pastry often served with honey or syrup), everything on the menu is made with fresh ingredients and features delicious traditional Mexican plates – from green enchiladas to a yummy salpicon taco salad. Meals will run you anywhere from $3 - $7, and every meal comes with free sopaipillas, plain or with cinnamon and sugar.

Leo’s is a great option for both breakfast and lunch, so save yourself the pain of wondering what you are going to eat today and head on over!

Leo’s Mexican Food • 315 E. Mills Ave. • 915.544.1001 • Open Mon. – Fri., 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The Dome Bar

Located in the historic Camino Real Hotel, the Dome Bar has been voted by GQ Magazine as one of the top 12 bars in the world worth traveling for—and it really doesn’t get a whole lot better than that. The bar occupies a large, open room that was once the reception area and front entrance to the hotel, before the hotel added its tower of additional rooms. There are tables and chairs arranged in small, intimate seating vignettes around the bar, a small performance area for the occasional duet or trio jazzing up the joint, a circular bar au centre and, of course, the highlight of the entire establishment: the massively stunning Tiffany cut glass dome arcing over the bar. Breathtaking and absolutely priceless, the dome is not Tiffany-style but was actually constructed by jewelry industry dynamo Tiffany and was part of the original structure of the hotel, built in 1912. By night, it provides a cool backdrop to a sophisticated evening out on the town. By day, it is a stunning conduit of El Paso’s brutal rays. With the most perfect Cosmopolitans, a vast beer selection and that spicy mixture of locals and out-of-towners, the Dome Bar has become a favorite of celebs and locals alike.

The service is spectacular (what else would you expect from one of the finest hotels in town), and the ambiance is unbeatable. Whether you are an ultra-private party of two or a raucous group of revelers, the Dome Bar is one of the most underappreciated and understatedly cool bars the world has ever seen. No need to take my word for it; after all, GQ said it first. It’s true—having a cocktail has never been so cool.

The Dome Bar • Camino Real Hotel • 101 S. El Paso St. • 915.534.3010