7 Best Restaurants in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe

The strip-mall location and offhand, mildly industrial decor of this "American tapas" haven scarcely hint at the artistry involved in transforming comfort-food staples into tantalizing small bites. The chefs frequently change up the preparations, but deviled eggs topped with crispy prosciutto, lobster sliders, arugula and kale salad, pork ribs with Korean barbecue or tamarind chipotle honey sauce are typical of the two dozen items that pair well with specialty cocktails on a creative par with the cuisine.

Incline Village's hidden gem—this restaurant is hard to find, so ask for directions when you book—serves French-country cuisine in a romantic dining room with single-stem roses adorning linen-dressed tables. The menu, offered prix fixe (a good deal) or à la carte, might include starters like flame-broiled eggplant with ratatouille or escargots, several salads (try the Caesar with white anchovies), and rack of lamb with lentils and tamarind jus or coquille St.-Jacques (scallops in cream sauce).

The fare's as delectable as the setting is incongruous at the casual spot that Hawaii's "godfather of poke" opened inside a neon-lit 21st-century bowling alley replete with video poker; an arcade; pool tables; three bars; and a patio with firepits, cornhole, and bocce. The kinetic venue's a hoot, but the poke tacos and nachos and Sam Choy's signature Spam musabi—not to mention the burgers, salads, bowls, wraps, pizzas, and sandwiches—are seriously good.

This dependable if not fabulous Italian family restaurant serves a dozen pasta dishes, many pizzas, and chicken, veal, shrimp, and beef entrées. All dinners include soup or salad and garlic bread, making Azzara's a pretty good value.

A casual, plank-floored, all-natural deli serving breakfast and lunch, Mountain High may well be the only place in Tahoe to find coconut chia seed pudding and similar delicacies. More familiar fare—biscuits and gravy (sausage or veggie) for breakfast, house-smoked tri-tip sandwiches (also tofu barbecue) for lunch—is also on the menu.

Chefs emphasizing sustainably and humanely raised local ingredients prepare three squares a day at this storefront restaurant with a contemporary interior and a shaded patio out front. The house-made sage-and-cheddar biscuits are the must-try for breakfast, and the ⅓-pound burger with bacon and fried egg is a village favorite for lunch; pasta dishes, pork chops, steaks, and pan-roasted fish are top dinner choices.

The multilevel outdoor deck of this order-at-the-counter restaurant cradled in a hillside below the Ponderosa Ranch from TV's Bonanza entices weary East Shore hikers and bikers with filling fare fit for a ranch hand. Along with breakfast standards, there's a "power bowl" of eggs, avocado, cheese, and black beans—salads, sandwiches (including a tasty turkey club), and burgers appear for lunch.