Food Freebies & Deals: June 25-July 2, 2010

Albuquerque dining deals: free quesadilla at Church Street Cafe, free DiGiorno pizza, half price wine at Mimi’s, 80% off Asian Cafe and Sophia’s Place, Denny’s BOGO coupons, 10% off Cafe Giuseppe, free Villa Pizza beverage, two people wine and dine for $60, and more…

Free quesadilla at Church Street Cafe in Old Town with the purchase of a full service meal – mention you saw the offer on Yelp.

Free DiGiorno Pizza: You have to sign in to Facebook for this one, insert a photo of your face into one of their cut-out pix, and then you get a coupon for a FREE Deep Dish pizza! If you’re not on Facebook, you can still get a coupon for $1 off a DiGiorno Deep Dish Pizza.

50% off Edible Arrangements. Get certificates worth $50 for half price at $25, via Clear Channel Albuquerque. Select fresh fruit bouquets, including chocolate dipped fruit (yum!) for a party or gift. Quantities are limited, and certificates must be used by November 1, 2010

Free Villa Pizza drink: Get a free medium beverage with the purchase of a Triple Play Dish using this coupon at Villa Pizza in Cottonwood Mall, valid till July 31.

Half Price Wine at Mimi’s Cafe: Every Wednesday ALL day, ALL bottles of wine are 50% off.  Also: Mimi’s Cafe Happy Hour specials give you $2 off starters, $2 off wine, $1 off beer, on Monday to Friday from 4-7 pm, and 9 pm to closing.  (Thanks to Beth for the tip!)

80% off Restaurant.com certificates and gift cards with the promo code: SUMMER. Buy by June 30, no expiration date on certificates. Participating restaurants include:

• Asian Cafe , Sophia’s Place, Peppers Cantina, Casa Chaco, Cazuela’s Mexican Grill
• 80 cents for a $10 certificate
• $2 for a $25 certificate
• $4 for a $50 certificate
• $8 for a $100 certificate
• $8 for a $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card
• To get the 80% off, select your Restaurant.com certificates and enter the promo code SUMMER at the check out page ( The full 80% discount doesn’t show till then.)

Certificates are delivered by email (free) and free shipping on gift cards. Check the individual deals for any minimum purchase required, or other restrictions such as dine-in only.

10% off for cyclists at Cafe Giuseppe: Ride your bike to Cafe Giuseppe and get a 10% discount! No web link for this discount, but I noticed it when I was in there chilling out with a gorgeous iced latte – although they’re better known for the strong stuff – espresso! Mention that you rode your bike to the barista when ordering. Cafe Giuseppe is in Nob Hill at 3222 Silver Ave, SE, on the corner of Wellesley.

Dinner & Wine for 2 for $60 at Prairie Star Restaurant on Wednesdays evenings: Starter, entree, and dessert for two, PLUS a bottle of wine for $60 on Wednesdays only, at the Prairie Star Restaurant at the Santa Ana Golf Club. No coupon needed, but it’s probably wise to reserve a table in advance.

Denny’s coupons for buy one get one free (via Valpak) all currently showing to expire July 9. See the list of participating locations at the link, there are 3 in ABQ to get:

• BOGO Dinner: Buy one American dinner classic and two drinks, get one free
• BOGO Late Night Rock Star Favorite: Buy one rock star favorite and two drinks, get one free
• $4 for 2 Buffalo Chicken Wraps & Tortilla Chips

40% off at High Finance Restaurant and Cosmo Tapas – in case you missed our post yesterday about how to get $50 worth of dining for $30.

Lavender in the Village Festival: Cooking with lavender classes, wine tastings, and lots of lavender tasties to buy on June 26 and 27. Plus family activities and live entertainment – see the full scoop in our earlier Lavender Festival post.

–Tania. FYI: I’ve given you my Restaurant.com affiliate link. If you feel like sending a little love this way to support the ABQ on the Cheap site, please use the link.

Food Freebies & Deals: June 11-18, 2010

Albuquerque restaurant deals include free Hot Dog on a Stick, Quiznos $2.99 meal, free gelato tasting, BOGO at Sophia’s Place or Ezra’s place, half-price beer and wine, deals at Godiva chocolate, Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante, Pars Cuisine, Zinc, and Father’s Day freebies.

Free Hot Dog on a Stick on June 15 from 5 to 8 pm. One free hot dog per customer within these promotion hours. The two Albuquerque Hot Dog on a Stick locations are in the Coronado Center and Cottonwood Mall.

Free Large Godiva Chocolate Bar when you spend $35, through June 20. Dad like chocolate? Buy him a sweet gift and keep the freebie bar for yourself…heh, heh, heh! (Or be a bigger person than I am, and give him the free chocolate too.) Godiva is in the Coronado Center.

Quiznos $2.99 meal. Get a small sub, chips, and fountain drink with this Quiznos coupon, currently showing as expiring June 17, although the date keeps rolling back. One coupon per person per order (implying you can print and redeem another coupon on a later visit.) Thanks to Ron for the tip.

Savor Albuquerque restaurant coupons we mentioned last week are still valid till June 13:

• $10 off Prairie Star Restaurant and Wine Bar with $25 food purchase
• Free appetizer or dessert at La Oja Restaurant  with dinner purchase
• $10 off Pars Cuisine with $40 food purchase

Free tastings from Van Rixel Bros. Gelato at the Downtown Growers’ Market on Saturday June 12. Sampling starts at 9 am till they run out. ABQ CVB implies it’s for kids only, ABQ Downtown Action team newsletter makes no such distinction. The Downtown Growers Market own website isn’t updated from 2009 yet, so all we know is that there WILL be gelato… The market is at Robinson Park on Central and 8th Avenues.

Blanco fundraiser by Rhythm for a Reason on June 12 includes a sunset champagne toast, light hors d’oeuvres, and dancing to music by DJ Felonious Groove. A $15 minimum donation benefits Albuquerque Storehouse, which provides food and clothing to people in need. There’s a cash bar, and it’s suggested that you wear white! The party is from 7:30 to 11 pm at The Place Lofts in Nob Hill.

Buy One Get One Free at Sophia’s Place or Ezra’s Place with these coupons (via Valpak) for:

•  BOGO Huevos Rancheros (any day)
•  BOGO lunch on Tuesday to Friday only
•  BOGO dinner up to $10 value at Ezra’s only, Tuesday to Friday.

Coupons currently expire June 24 (but they usually roll back dates according to when you print, until the deal disappears altogether.)

Asian Cafe Half price beer and wine and free appetizers in a new happy hour Summer Special, from 2:30 to 6 pm. This is according to their Craigslist notice. Asian Cafe (formerly Chows) is at 1950 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE.

Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante deals with a Premium Shopping Guide coupon:

• BOGO Free Entree or Pizza – Buy one entree or 12” Pizza and two drinks to get the second entree or pizza free, up to $10 discount, valid Sunday to Thursday on dine-in only.
• $5 lunch deal for combos of pizza, Coke, salad/soup to eat in or carry out.

Both are good at the three Albuquerque Mario´s Pizzeria & Ristorante locations till July 31, 2010.

$6 Late Night Zinc Specials – from 9 pm to midnight on Monday to Saturday in the Zinc Cellar Bar, choose from six $6 items including Baja Shrimp Cocktail Ceviche Tostada and Baby Back Pork Ribs.

Free movie when you eat candy… Don’t forget you’ve got a great excuse to eat Hershey’s candy in the Hershey’s Kisses Movie Ticket Promotion we posted in May, but you must print out the coupon by June 30 to get a ticket (up to $12 value) .

Father’s Day Heads Up

Free appetizer for Father’s Day at Pelican’s Restaurant two Albuquerque locations – they’re serving the usual menu and specials on June 20, and they say an appetizer is on them!

Denny’s free ice cream floats for Fathers’ Day – you have to be a Facebook member, but if you send a customized e-card to Dad via Denny’s Facebook card application, you and dad each get a coupon for a free ice cream float with the purchase of an item from the $2, $4, $6, $8 Value Menu or any entree.

Note: Not all locations may be participating in all offers – call ahead if you want to be sure.

–Tania

Friday Food Freebies & Deals: June 4-11, 2010

Albuquerque restaurant deals this week include free doughnuts, $10 off Prairie Star, $10 off Pars Cuisine, 50% off Casa Vieja, $1 off Wienerschnitzel burgers, $15 bottles of wine,  half priced burgers, three for two tapas, free Coca-Cola at Waffle House, $1 off draft beers, pizza specials, and more…

Free doughnuts today Friday June 4 at Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’ Donuts in celebration of National Doughnut Day – just in case you missed our post earlier this week!

$1 off the New Double Chili Cheeseburgers at Wienerschnitzel with this coupon good to July 31. (Yeah, I’m sorry, that’s how they spell it. It’s actual chili as opposed to actual chile. I expect it’s still very nice.) Thanks to Editor at Large Ron for the tip.

$15 bottles of wine at Vivace Nob Hill On Monday and Tuesday nights, Vivace serves 15 different wines at just $15 a bottle. Fittingly for the Italian restaurant, wines on offer are from Italy, and from California too!

Savor Albuquerque restaurant coupons are valid from June 4 to 13:

• $10 off Prairie Star Restaurant and Wine Bar with a food purchase of $25 or more
• Free appetizer or dessert at La Oja Restaurant at the Doubletree Hotel with dinner purchase
• $10 off Pars Cuisine with a food purchase of $40

Save 50% at Casa Vieja in Corrales, thanks to Good Day New Mexico’s Half Price Thursday. Buy a $50 dining certificate for $25, and use it till the end of December 2010. (Note: It’s not valid on Friday or Saturday nights, and shipping cost is $3.75.) Casa Vieja is one of my fave restaurants, and I guess I’m not alone in that, so you’d better act fast – quantities are limited!

Gecko’s Bar & Tapas specials after 6 pm only:

• 20 cent wings on Mondays
• Three for two tapas on Tuesdays
• Half priced burgers on Wednesdays

Free Coca~Cola brand soft drink at Waffle House with this coupon expiring June 15. (Scroll down a bit to see it.) Dine in only, one coupon per customer per visit. (So I guess you can take it in several times if you’re a frequent Waffler.) Thanks to our mother ship Cities on the Cheap for the tip.

Venezia’s Pizzeria daily specials include:  

• $18 for a 16 inch 2 topping pizza and 12 wings on Fridays
• Free two-liter soft drink when you buy a large extreme pizza on Saturdays
• $3 off a 24 inch pizza on Sundays
• 50 cent Buffalo Wings on Wednesdays

$1 off draft beers all day Wednesdays at Hallenbrick Brewery. The bargain beer deal is running through June 2010. Hallenbrick Brewery is at 3817 Hawkins NE.

Wine Down Thursdays take place through July 29th at the Downtown Crossroads Mall and onto the Hyatt Regency patio. Sadly, the wine isn’t free (or if it is, someone should tell me about it PRONTO!) but the event includes live music, plus food, arts and crafts vendors, and it sounds like a fun food and wine event. It’s from 4:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursdays.

Note: Not all locations may be participating in all offers – call ahead if you want to be sure.

–Tania

Friday Food Freebies & Deals for 3/26/2010

Free milk with your cookie; buy-one-get-one-free breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Zinc Cellar Bar specials including 20% off a bottle of wine and free cheese plate, and time-limited offers at Sonic and Denny’s.

• Get free milk with your cookie at Whataburger on Tuesday March 30 and Wednesday March 31 between 11 am and 8 pm. Buy one of their new Chocolate Chunk or Sugar cookies and get a free milk or chocolate-flavored milk to dunk it in on March 30 and 31.
• Take a friend to enjoy a FREE lunch or dinner at A Taste of Italy on Juan Tabo NE with this Buy One Get One Free coupon via Valpak. Pay for one entree, and your pal eats free. There’s also a  $6.95 all-you-can-eat lunch buffet coupon – the $6.95 price is valid with the coupon only. Both coupons currently shows as expiring April 9, 2010, but every time I check it the expiry date moves back… this one may run and run.
• Denny’s Endless Fries and Pancakes promo refills your plate when you buy an entree of $2.50 or more (that comes with fries or pancakes!) Excludes specialty pancakes. They say it’s a limited time offer – but keep us guessing on the final date.  Denny? You’re a tease.
• It’s the final Sunday for the Buy One Breakfast, Get One Free offer at Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes. You need the free breakfast coupon, valid Sunday 9-11 am, expires March 28.
• It’s also the last few days to get a free entree at Prairie Star Restaurant at the Santa Ana Golf Club with this Buy One Entree Get One Free flyer expiring March 31. 
• Munch a free medium order of Tots when you buy any SuperSonic Cheeseburger – this is a limited time Sonic deal, and they also don’t say how limited but I’m guessing it might not run beyond March, so don’t hang around.
• If you’re in the mood for BBQ, check out Rio Rancho’s Seventh Annual Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship today and Saturday, March 26 and 27.  See the much ado about Pork & Brew and all the details in our recent post.

Finally, take your pick of Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro weekly specials, all in the Cellar Bar:

• Monday = Martini & Movie Night with $5 premium martini specials. Movies (shown silently) through April focus on foreign films including Amelie and Like Water For Chocolate. See the full movie schedule.
• Tuesday = Two Dollar Tuesday Bluesday with live blues music, no cover charge, and $2 Bison Sliders as well as $2 mini pints of beer.
• Wednesday = Wine & Cheese Night with 20% off bottles of wine, PLUS get a free gourmet cheese platter with your wine!
• Thursday = Beer, Brat & Pretzel night – pay $7.50 for a pint of beer, a salt-crusted hot pretzel, and a brown beer-braised bratwurst in a baguette. Blimey! I couldn’t say THAT after a beery beverage.
• If you sign up for Zinc’s e-newsletter of events and specials and check the Signup Offer 2010 box (why WOULDN’T anyone check it?) you’ll get a certificate for a 10% discount off lunch/brunch (It varies.)

Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro is in Nob Hill, see the full scoop on the their weekly Cellar Bar specials.

Remember: not all chain restaurant locations may be participating in all offers. Call ahead to be sure!

–Tania

Prairie Star Free Entree, Two Dine @ $60, & Half Price Apps

Enjoy a free entree at Prairie Star Restaurant through March 31 with the coupon! And find out when to get a three course meal and wine for two for only $60. Or just nosh on half price appetizers every Tuesday through Thursday during happy hour.

Prairie Star Restaurant and Wine Bar is located in a lovely old adobe at the Santa Ana Golf Club, and from now through March 31, 2010, you can get a free entree with the purchase of another entree using this Prairie Star free entree coupon. Maximum two coupons per table, and the freebie must be of equal or lesser value than the dish you pay for.

Plus, every Tuesday through Thursday from 5 pm to 7 pm, nosh on half price appetizers  in the Prairie Star wine bar, with offerings such as oven roasted blue crab cakes, wild boar slider, and cheese platter. Choose from over 50 wines by the glass or half-glass to wash down your happy hour apps. No coupons required, and no reservations needed at the wine bar.

Finally, Wednesday Wine & Dine nights offer a two-dine-for-$60 deal, with two salads, two entrees, dessert for two AND a bottle of wine thrown in, for just $60. That sounds like a deal to me. Wednesdays only, reservations recommended, no coupon needed, and this deal is not valid with any other offer.

Prairie Star is closed Monday, and you’ll find it at the Santa Ana Golf Club, 288 Prairie Star Rd, Bernalillo.

–Tania

50 Wines by the Glass plus Half Price Tapas

We just can’t wait until Friday to feed you great deals on food and drink. Especially not when they’re mid-week specials.

Any Tuesday through Thursday, from 5:00 – 7:00pm, head on up to the wine bar at the Prairie Star Restaurant and enjoy half price tapas. Plus, take your choice of 50 wines by the glass or half-glass. Unwind and watch the sun go down from their newly expanded patio.

When we say “tapas,” we ain’t talking your garden variety nosh. A typical sampling of Prairie Star tapas may include truffle potato skins or lobster-shrimp fritters. Now them’s tapas!

Sure, it’s a bit of a buzz from ABQ, but well worth it for an ocasional indulgence. And since reservations are never required at the wine bar, you don’t have to rush to get there at any specific time.

The Prairie Star Restaurant is located at Santa Ana Golf Club is located at 288 Prairie Star Rd, Bernalillo.

–Elizabeth Hanes