Chello Grill: Albuquerque's Home for Mediterranean and Persian Comfort Food

There's a restaurant on Cutler Avenue that's been quietly earning a devoted following for a decade. Chello Grill doesn't try to be everything to everyone - it does one thing, it does it beautifully, and it does it in a way that feels both personal and welcoming from the moment you walk in. If you've driven by and never stopped in, now's your opportunity to fix that.

What Is Chello Grill? Mediterranean and Persian Cuisine in Albuquerque, NM

The name says it all, once you know the backstory. Chello is the Farsi word for rice, a cornerstone of Persian cooking and a fitting name for a restaurant rooted in the flavors Hass Aslami grew up with. The menu is a love letter to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine: tender flame-grilled kabobs, open-face gyro sandwiches, fragrant saffron rice, hearty Persian stews, crisp fresh salads, and a specialty shaken iced tea bar that's developed a fan base all its own. Every dish is made to order. Nothing here feels like it came out of a bag or sat under a heat lamp. You taste the difference immediately.

What Hass built at Chello is the kind of food he wanted to eat, cooked the way he learned it, and served in an environment where anyone feels comfortable walking through the door.

Something for Everyone: Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free Options

One of the things that makes Chello Grill stand out in Albuquerque's restaurant scene is the genuine care put into accommodating different dietary needs. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are woven into the menu thoughtfully, not tacked on as afterthoughts. This isn't a concession to trends. It reflects the Mediterranean and Persian culinary tradition itself, where vegetables, legumes, herbs, and grains have always shared the table equally with proteins. Whether you eat everything or have specific needs, there is a meal at Chello that will leave you satisfied.

The price point makes it even easier to say yes. Hass has always been committed to keeping Chello affordable without cutting corners on quality. It's one of those rare places where you can eat exceptionally well without worrying about the bill.

The Baklava Cheesecake and Other Reasons to Save Room for Dessert

Ask any regular about Chello Grill and at some point the baklava cheesecake comes up. It's the kind of dessert that stops a conversation, and it's become one of the most talked-about items in the restaurant. The mashup of two beloved traditions into a single dessert is exactly the kind of creative thinking that defines what Chello does: take something familiar from one culture, bring it together with something familiar from another, and make it better than either one alone. Do not skip dessert here. You have been warned!

A Decade of Serving Albuquerque, and a Vision for What Comes Next

Chello Grill has been open for ten years, and in that time it's built the kind of loyal customer base that most restaurant owners dream about. People come from across the city and regulars show up multiple times a week.

Hass has thought about expansion, including the possibility of taking Chello to larger markets like Scottsdale. For now, the focus is on what's always made this place work: a streamlined operation, an unwavering commitment to food quality, and a staff that treats every person who walks in the door like a welcome guest. When asked about the possibility of franchising Chello the way he franchised Pizza 9, Hass is thoughtful about it. He knows what it takes to maintain quality at scale, and he would rather do it right than do it fast.

The Person Behind the Food: Who Is Hass Aslami?

Hass Aslami isn't a guy who sits in an office while other people run his restaurants. He's the person behind the counter, talking to customers, thinking about what can be better, caring about the experience you're having in a genuinely personal way. He came to this country from Iran in 1977 as a student with a plan to study civil engineering and return home. Life took him somewhere else entirely, and Albuquerque is definitely better for it.

After decades in the restaurant business across three continents, opening and consulting on restaurants in places like Chicago, Tehran, Dubai, and Turkey, Hass chose New Mexico as the place to build something lasting. Chello Grill is one expression of that. It carries the flavors of his heritage into a city that he's made his home, and the community has embraced it wholeheartedly.

Hass also owns Pizza 9, the Chicago-style deep dish brand he founded in 2008 that now has locations across New Mexico. You can read more about that story in our Pizza 9 feature.

Visit Chello Grill in Albuquerque

Chello Grill is located on Cutler Avenue, just south of the intersection of San Mateo and Menaul in Albuquerque, open Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 7pm and Friday through Saturday from 11am to 8pm. Walk in and ask to try a few things. The staff will take care of you, and the food will do the rest. Catering is available for events of any size, and the shaken iced teas alone are worth planning your lunch around.

Visit chellogrill.com to view the full menu and place an order online.