Cheba Hut plants itself in Bernalillo

BERNALILLO — Where does one go when they get hit with that “insatiable hunger”? Cheba Hut, that’s where.

That’s right, the marijuana-themed sandwich shop has established more roots in Bernalillo along US-550.

Vice President of Marketing Maria Esquivel said the goal of the local franchise was to expand across New Mexico. Bernalillo is just one of the communities Cheba Hut wanted to “wrap its arms around,” she said.

“This is our fourth store outside of the Albuquerque Metro area. We have another one planned in Rio Rancho in 2026, and we have sites that we are looking at in Santa Fe and Las Cruces, so we want to continue to hit all of the communities in New Mexico over the next several years, and this was our first step,” she said.

The Rio Rancho location will be near Intel on the NM 528 corridor.

Part of the reason New Mexico was the ideal location for the franchise to locate to was the legalization of marijuana in 2022, Esquivel confirmed.

“The Cheba Hut theme was started back in 1998 and before cannabis use was mainstream, and the theme was a hot topic at that time, and we were excited to be able to bring it here to a community that is open minded about and embracing of the culture,” she added.

That said, the food does not contain marijuana but is themed with many plays on words. For example, the largest sandwich is called a “blunt.” But Cheba Hut serves kids and families, too, not just the local stoners.

“We absolutely create a community and a vibe that’s inclusive,” Esquivel said.

The restaurant includes lots of seating both inside and outdoors, where people can see the Rio Grande River and the Sandia Mountains in one place. There is also a full bar inside. The walls depict marijuana-themed art and there is a 1990s vibe with neon signs hanging around the building.

“It’s a place that’s welcoming, where you can take a deep breath. It is something out of the norm. You typically don’t see a sub shop that also has a full bar, so it’s a community, it’s a home that we want to to build and be part of everyday life here in the Bernalillo community,” Esquivel said.

General Manager Vince Peralta, Esquivel and other management celebrated the opening with a ribbon cutting overseen by the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit chebahut.com.