Lake Tahoe Restaurants

On weekends and in high season, expect a long wait at the more popular restaurants. And expect to pay resort prices almost everywhere. During the "shoulder seasons" (from April to May and September to November), some places may close temporarily or limit their hours, so call ahead. Also, check local papers for deals and discounts during this time, especially two-for-one coupons. Many casinos use their restaurants to attract gamblers. Marquees often tout "$8.99 prime rib dinners" or "$2.99 breakfast specials." Some of these meals are downright lousy and they are usually available only in the coffee shops and buffets, but at those prices, it's hard to complain. The finer restaurants in casinos deliver pricier food, as well as reasonable service and a bit of atmosphere. Unless otherwise noted, even the most expensive area restaurants welcome customers in casual clothes.

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  • 1. Full Belly Deli

    $

    Truckee residents and visitors jam this strip-mall restaurant for diverse breakfast fare like the biscuits-and-gravy burrito and hot lunch sandwiches that include Cubans, cheesesteaks, the Southwest chicken pepper jack on focaccia, and the formidable Dirka Dirka (corned beef, pastrami, Swiss cheese, jalapeño cole slaw). Salads, subs, and wraps are also on the menu, and there's a good beverage selection, from aloe water to Red Bull.

    10825 Pioneer Trail, Truckee, California, 96161, USA
    530-550–9516

    Known For

    • Outdoor dining in good weather
    • Pasta, macaroni, and potato salad sides
    • Order online to save time

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner
  • 2. Great Gold Modern American Italian Kitchen

    $$$

    Making a reservation is the smart move at this Neapolitan-style pizzeria, which has a snappy industrial look and was opened by esteemed San Francisco restaurateurs during the pandemic. Each day they prepare several pasta dishes and a half dozen wood-fired pizzas—burrata Margherita, perhaps, or maitake mushroom, or chicken Parmesan with mozzarella—that patrons supplement with prosciutto, pepperoni, sausage, anchovies, and other toppings.

    11025 Pioneer Trail, Truckee, California, 96161, USA
    530-562–9510

    Known For

    • Special pizzas each week
    • Smoked chicken, steak, and grilled fish among possible entrées
    • Mostly Italian wine list

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 3. Trokay

    $$$$

    The high, exposed and rough-hewn ceiling, stone walls, heavy wood shelving, and orblike contemporary metal chandeliers of special-occasion Trokay split the difference between Western high-country style and industrial chic. The four-course prix-fixe menu and 10-course tasting option also diverge from the expected in dishes that might include sea-urchin bisque, dry-aged duck with kumquat and anise, and diver scallops with bacon dashi (fish broth).

    10046 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee, California, 96161, USA
    530-582–1040

    Known For

    • Chic setting
    • Superior wine list
    • Artful presentation

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.–Thurs. No lunch
  • 4. Moody's Bistro, Bar & Beats

    $$$$

    Head here for contemporary-Cal cuisine in a sexy dining room with pumpkin-color walls, burgundy velvet banquettes, and art-deco fixtures. The earthy, sure-handed cooking showcases organically grown ingredients: look for ahi poke, snazzy pizzas bubbling-hot from a brick oven, braised lamb shanks, pan-roasted wild game, fresh seafood, and organic beef.

    10007 Bridge St., Truckee, California, 96161, USA
    530-587–8688

    Known For

    • Lighter fare for lunch
    • Summer alfresco dining
    • Live music in bar some nights
  • 5. Pianeta Ristorante

    $$$

    A longtime town favorite, Pianeta serves high-style Italian cuisine in a warmly lit, bilevel, redbrick space on Truckee's historic main drag. Start with a beef carpaccio antipasto plate or perhaps house-made spicy-fennel and mild sausages, following up with a pasta course of ravioli Bolognese (both pasta and sauce made in-house), an entrée of ragout with spicy sausage and Mexican prawns—or both.

    10096 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee, California, 96161, USA
    530-587–4694

    Known For

    • Welcoming atmosphere
    • Tiramisu and panna cotta for dessert
    • West Coast and Italian wine selections

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
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  • 6. Squeeze In

    $

    Adherents flock to this downtown spot for breakfast to sample dozens of omelets, several variations on eggs Benedict, banana-walnut pancakes, and French toast oozing with cream cheese. At lunch, they savor homemade soups and sandwiches.

    10060 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee, California, 96161, USA
    530-587–9814

    Known For

    • Cheeseburger omelet
    • Homemade soups
    • Gluten-free options

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 7. Truckee Tavern and Grill

    $$$

    The wood-fired grill of this second-floor downtown restaurant turns out steaks, chicken, chops, and fish dishes that might include halibut with coal-roasted tomato and braised fennel. As with the food, the decor is New West contemporary—bricks line the wall behind the bar, where mixologists craft drinks like the Magnolia (tequila, macadamia nut, lemon, pineapple, and bitters) and, in tribute to Truckee's bootlegging past, pour artisanal small-batch gin and whiskey.

    10118 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee, California, 96161, USA
    530-587–3766

    Known For

    • Family-style dinner for three or four
    • Pasta and fish entrées
    • Deck overlooking downtown action

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch

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