Even with beer, two people could easily dine at Rowley Farmhouse Ales for under $40 — our meal was about $26 before tax and tip. This place makes for an affordable and pleasant evening out.

R(1405 Maclovia St., 505-428-0719), which has been around for a bit more than a year, bills itself as a farmto-table gastropub. It’s cozy at this time of year, with a cheerful taproom and a heated outdoor area. Beer is the star here, and on our visit, Rowley had 21 on tap, including Little White Lies, a Belgium-style pale ale that was available, like many others, in a 4-ounce glass at just $1.25 and a pint at $5. Most of the 16-ounce beers, including another of RFA’s, the Frühschoppen, were $6 or less. A limited selection of wine is also available.

The menu lists the origin of many of the ingredients. For example, the sirloin burger ($15) contained beef from Sweet Grass Co-Op, a collective of ranchers in New Mexico and Colorado, with Old Windmill Dairy cheddar cheese and caramelized onion marmalade on a toasted brioche bun. This hearty plate came with fries, onion rings, or salad. Even cooked a requested well-done, the burger was juicy, while the added chiles provided a terrific bite.

The slow-cooked Texas chili ($9) was prepared from the same grassfed ground beef, as well as flat-iron steak and bacon. I opted for the $12 vegetable panini, which was bursting with red bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, olive tapenade, basil oil, and mozzarella on a ciabatta roll, accompanied by a salad of mixed greens. Even with beer, two could easily dine here for under $40 — our meal was about $26 before tax and tip. And especially when Rowley is offering live music on the patio, this place makes for an affordable and pleasant night out.

We had more hit-or-miss but still reasonably priced experiences at

and At least some of our final choices can undoubtedly be seen as the usual suspects for quality meals under $40, but it’s no small feat that their value remains solid in a town where diamonds in the rough can seem elusive.