My Favorite Restaurants in South Lake Tahoe
I am lucky enough to live in a beautiful tourist destination that I hope everyone has a chance to visit some day. And when you do, I hope you have an amazing time exploring the outdoor highlights I’ve featured on this blog. After a long day hiking/biking/skiing etc., there’s nothing better than a delicious meal (and a beer) to finish out the day.
When friends and family visit, these are the places I insist we go to. Hopefully this list will highlight some places you wouldn’t find via Yelp or by wandering the normal tourist locations.
Best Apres Ski/Ride:
The Himmel Haus: Located directly across from the parking lot of Heavenly’s California Base, this place can get pretty busy, but it’s worth the wait. This place is a mecca for German beer lovers, and they often have beers on tap that you can’t get anywhere else in the area. While you can order a smaller beer, I’d recommend ordering a liter to get the full German beer stein experience. My favorite thing to order is the Warsteiner Pilsner and the pretzel (mustard cheese is to die for), kase-spatzle (fancy macaroni and cheese) or anything that comes with a side of mashed potatoes. During the week, they have a whole host of activities – I’m often at trivia on Wednesdays, and the on the weekends they frequently have live bands and theme parties (like Wigs and Onsies or Bierfest).
My roommate Kelly enjoys the three liter boot we earned with a first place trivia finish.
To Watch the Game/For Pizza:
MacDuff’s Public House: MacDuff’s has, hands down, the best pizza in Tahoe. They also have a large beer menu, several big screen tvs, delicious fish and chips, and the spiciest wing sauce I’ve ever tried. It’s located just off the main road on Fremont Avenue, and has outdoor seating in the summer. After dinner, head to the bowling alley across the street for some cheap indoor fun.
Best Strip Mall Experience:
Artemis Mediterranean Grill: One thing you should know about South Lake Tahoe is that we have a lot of strip malls. This might not be something you’d notice if you stuck to the tourist/casino side of town. If you venture to where the locals hang out, you’ll definitely notice this. While strip mall after strip mall is not exactly the most aesthetically appealing form of city planning, there are some real gems to be found if you do some exploring. One of these gems: Artemis Mediterranean Grill for some seriously delicious Greek food. When my office was located near by, at least once a week someone went to pick up lunch there, and everyone in the office requested the same thing: Artemis Fries. They are thick cut fries topped with their secret seasoning blend and dipped in their seasoning sauce. I usually order the Super Veggie Pita. (Note: they now have another fancy marina location that’s just as delicious), but you’ll miss out on some of the local charm by avoiding the strip mall).
Best Dive Bar:
Turn 3: Located in the same strip mall as Artemis, calling Turn 3 one of my favorite places to eat is a stretch. It is my favorite dive bar, and it does have free peanuts and popcorn, so I say it counts. Turn 3 has a great 2 for 1 happy hour, good prices the rest of the time, free bingo (with prizes!) on Tuesdays, microbrews and cheap lagers, pool tables, and you can throw your peanut shells right on the floor. What more do you need?
Best Restaurants in South Lake Tahoe // tahoefabulous.com
Best Overall Menu/Brunch:
Getaway Cafe: This is a place where you could close your eyes, open the menu, point randomly and know that your meal is going to be delicious. Despite this, I almost always order the parmesan crusted grilled cheese sandwich. Come one, there’s two cheeses inside AND one on the outside? Can’t beat that. I even order it at breakfast! I have ordered a few other things, and I always make my dining companions share their food, and can vouch for the quality of nearly everything on the menu. Getaway Cafe is located about 6 miles outside of South Lake Tahoe in the adorable town of Meyers, a gateway to great back country adventure and on your way in or out via Sacramento.
Best Coffee:
Free Bird: As a Pacific Northwest native, I love good coffee, and Free Bird delivers. It’s a tiny, tiny space with standing room for maaaaybe three people (so all coffee is to go). The staff is friendly, the store supports tons of great local causes, and they totally embrace the hipster local organic free range fair trade bird aesthetic (you can buy “put a bird on it” stickers!). They also have amazing chai.