Where to Eat in North Lake Tahoe

During my recent trip to North Lake Tahoe, I ate at some amazing places, which I just had to share with you!  Food is important to me, so when I travel, there is actually a lot of research that goes into where I eat.  I seek out local joints and restaurants utilizing local ingredients from area farms.  Look no further my friends!  If you are planning a trip to North Lake Tahoe, I have some awesome breakfast, lunch and dinner suggestions that are budget friendly and family friendly!

If you saw part one of this travel post, then you already know where to stay and play in North Lake Tahoe.  But we all need to eat!!  So to save you from hours of research, or indecision, I am sharing with you the places we ate while we were in North Lake Tahoe!

DAY #1:

Dinner the first night was at Hacienda Del Lago in Tahoe City.  Nice and quiet atmosphere and we had a table with a gorgeous view of the lake.  It was awesome.  The food and service was great too.

I got a plate of grilled chicken and black beans (I made my own dish up, because I am difficult and picky like that).  The chicken was moist and full of spice and flavor.  Loved it!

James got the Chimichanga Del Mar and a shrimp taco.  The chimichanga is not for the faint of heart (or lightweight eater), as it is  a rich, deep fried burrito filled with grilled shrimp, crab and cheese.  And then smothered in even more cheese.  He loved it.  The shrimp taco was great too, filled with perfectly grilled shrimp, lettuce and pico de gallo.

I definitely recommend this spot if you are looking for a nice dinner spot serving Mexican food.  We quickly saw that most of the restaurants in North Lake Tahoe fell under three categories: high end steakhouses, pub/comfort food or Mexican food.

DAY #2:

Breakfast on Saturday morning was at the Old Post Office Cafe in Carnelian Bay.  It reminded me of a mom and pop diner.  It’s a local favorite and for good reason.  Hot coffee and all your breakfast favorites served up in a no frills, no fuss kind of style.  I had a three-white egg omelet with ham, a side of fruit and a dry English Muffin.  Filling and just what I was needing to fuel me for the day ahead!

James got the breakfast special, which consisted of a cinnamon-spiced french toast, scrambled eggs and bacon.  Hearty and filling!  The Old Post Office Cafe is a great spot to have a great breakfast to get the day going!

During our adventures at Squaw Valley in Olympic City, we stopped into Soupa for lunch.  This is a super casual, counter service type of restaurant.  Totally family friendly!

One of the awesome parts about Soupa is that they use ingredients from Tahoe Food Hub.  Tahoe Food Hub increases access to nutritious, ecologically grown food by creating a network of regional farms within 100-miles of North Lake Tahoe and connecting them to restaurants, small grocers, schools and hospitals. They are committed to reducing food insecurity by sourcing food regionally and ensuring equal access while exploring ways to grow food locally using 4-season growing techniques at our Sierra Agroecology Center.

So of course I had to get the Snow Bunny Salad so I could try out those veggies from Tahoe Food Hub!  I had to customize the dish slightly, so my salad included just the greens, roasted veggies (which were tomatoes, parsnips and carrots) and then added chicken.  So good!  If you know me, then you know my love of salad, veggies and chicken.  So this was spot on!

Once James saw that they had a grilled cheese and tomato bisque on the menu, he knew immediately what he was going to get!

Dinner was at Graham’s at Squaw Valley in Olympic Valley.  Graham’s is a stand alone restaurant that is across the street from the hustle and bustle of Squaw Valley, giving you gorgeous views, but without the hassle of parking in a full parking lot or dealing with crowds. Plus I have been told Graham’s utilizes Tahoe Food Hub for some of the products they use in the restaurant!

So, I am going to just say it.  This meal was AMAZING.  The service was on point, there was a wood-burning fireplace going and the bread they brought out to us was so yummy.  A sourdough baguette that made this carbaholic one happy girl!  The bread was served with an artichoke, garlic basil spread that James loved.

My filet mignon was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and cutting into it was like slicing into butter.  So tender and no gristly pieces or fat.  I requested no sauce on my filet and just a side of plain steamed veggies.  I was almost embarrassed that I ate the entire thing.  Almost.  Best filet mignon in Tahoe right here!!

James went with the Buffalo Rib Eye with creamy horseradish sauce, fingerling potatoes and veggies.  The buffalo was not gamey at all and James was very happy with his dinner choice!

If there’s vanilla creme brûlée on the dessert menu, then you know James is ordering it!  The creme brûlée was nice and thick and James loved it.

I can’t recommend Graham’s enough if you are looking for a nice meal in North Lake Tahoe.  It’s a white table cloth kind of place, however there were couples and families with kids there.  So this is definitely a family friendly place as well.  Just make sure you call and make reservations ahead of time!

DAY #3:

If you have a sign out front saying you are the best breakfast, then you know I am going to have to check this out for myself!  The Log Cabin Cafe is in Kings Beach, just five minutes from our hotel.  And no false advertisement here…their breakfast was amazing.

Log Cabin Cafe is know for their scrambles, so I got an egg white scramble with mushrooms, ham and pico de gallo, a side of fruit and dry English Muffin.  At first I was like “Whoa.  That’s a lot of food!”  And then I ate it all.  So good…I just couldn’t help myself.

James got the Tuscan Eggs Benedict special, which was eggs benedict on top of cheesy risotto cakes, hollandaise sauce, bacon and country potatoes.  James loved his breakfast too!

And don’t forget to click HERE to enter the fabulous giveaway from Red Wolf Lakeside Lodge!  So many fabulous prizes (including a 2-night stay at Red Wolf Lodge!!) and there’s also a 10% promo code at the bottom of the giveaway page to save you money on your next booking at Red Wolf Lodge.

And after our filling breakfast, it was time to hit the road and head back home.  We had an awesome time in North Lake Tahoe and had some amazing meals while we were there too!  Can’t wait to go back!  Have you ever been to North Lake Tahoe?  What are your favorite places to eat there?  Leave me a comment below!

XOXO,

Kelly

[optin-cat id=”528″]