When Matthew Bernabe was just 21 years old, he purchased Urban Hotdog Company (UHDC) and has grown it into an Albuquerque staple that has impacted every corner of the city. As UHDC gets ready to celebrate the 14th anniversary of its OG Westside location opening, Bernabe reflects on his success over the years.
By the early 2010s, gourmet hotdog restaurants were already trending in bigger cities. So, when Bernabe’s mentor presented him with the idea of bringing gourmet hotdogs to Albuquerque, he seized the opportunity, knowing that he would have to change people’s perspectives on hotdogs. Bernabe doesn’t take the term “gourmet” lightly. He ensures that UHDC serves high-quality protein (hotdogs, sausages, bratwurst, beef patties) and buns since they are the basis for almost every item on the menu. From there, fun and fresh toppings are used, with many of them being homemade, such as the mac and cheese, chili, and lemon-basil mayo.
Even though UHDC’s OG Westside location saw success, Bernabe had goals that went beyond that. In addition to the OG Westside location, he also operates a location in the heart of Nob Hill as well as two mobile kitchens. When asked what he attributes to UHDC’s overall success, Bernabe said it’s the positive environment that he and his team have been able to create. Bernabe grew up in the restaurant industry and knows how important it is for a restaurant to have a fun and safe work environment for employees. He is a firm believer that customers can “taste positive attitudes in the food they eat,” so he made sure UHDC was a place where people would want to show up to work. To create this environment, he goes beyond just being the owner, he is a leader for his team. He starts off by paying his staff a livable wage, but from there he enables everyone to learn new skills and encourages everyone to help each other out.
Beyond serving delicious food and having an excellent team, a key attribute of UHDC is the value they place on giving back to the community. Bernabe said that his parents ingrained in him and his siblings the sense of giving back to others. UHDC proudly supports local teams, but during the COVID pandemic, Bernabe found other ways he could help the community. He used his mobile kitchen to feed adults and children during a time of uncertainty and difficulty. Local news outlets picked up on his generosity and the coverage brought in more donations that enabled UHDC to feed more people in the community. During this time, he was also worried that he’d have to let employees go from his now-closed Salt Yard location. Fortunately, the mobile kitchen and OG Westside location became so busy that he was able to keep those employees to help with the increased business demands. Bernabe continues his generosity today. To enter Fat Frank’s speakeasy, located next to UHDC in Nob Hill, customers are required to make a “delivery,” such as canned food or bottled water, that Bernabe donates to local organizations.
Bernabe is a natural leader and entrepreneur, but he’s very transparent that his success hasn’t been easy. He’s encountered failures and roadblocks throughout his career, but he doesn’t let that hold him back from seeking opportunities in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque community is lucky that he chose to stay in his hometown to build something that’s larger than himself. He’s not only built a team that serves delicious gourmet hotdogs, but he gives back to those in need within the community. But Bernabe isn’t done yet, working in the restaurant industry motivates him to strive for more because he knows that a person’s day can be changed with good food and service.
Urban Hotdog is located in Nob Hill at 3507 Central Ave NE. Their phone number is 505.369.1769.