Flying Star, Albuquerque, New Mexico (also in Santa Fe, New Mexico)

Albuquerque has some less traditional gay nightlife options, including the highly inviting local coffeehouse-restaurant chain, Flying Star. These hip, smartly furnished hangouts are spacious and attractively decorated, several of them with fireplaces and most with large patios. There are several of them throughout Albuquerque. The one in Nob Hill along Central Avenue has the gayest crowd and is downright cruisy some evenings. The downtown and Corrales locations also draw plenty of "family", but you'll feel quite welcome at any of them (others are found in the North Valley, Uptown, Northeast Heights, Far Northeast Heights, the nearby community of Bernalillo, and the Railyard District in Santa Fe [this most recent one opened in May 2009]). Would that every city had a hangout as festive as this one. All of the Flying Stars serve three meals a day, a wide range of coffees, wine and beer, and fresh-baked goods, and they also have free Wi-Fi.