The Best Pies & Pizzeria restaurant is located right in downtown Truckee and features massive thin crust pizzas, Italian dishes and a lively atmosphere and affordable prices. Their speciality pies include the Garbage Pie with sausage, pepperoni, canadian bacon, mushroom, olives, bell peppers, onions the Pesto Pie with Sausage and fresh tomatoes and the Filetto Di Pomodoro Pie with sausage and basil. Each of these pies are around $20. You can also order items like their popular Garlic Knots, Cheese Calzone, Chicken Parmigiana and Spinach and Goat Cheese Rolls or Pasta with a side salad. Best Pies has a kid's menu and a full beer list.
Recommended for Late Night because: Best Pies & Pizzeria is full of locals nearly every night of the week.
Christina's expert tip: The Best Pies Signature Pie with the cherry peppers, mushroom, pepperoni, garlic and parsley sauce is awesome.
This is the perfect romantic spot for a special dinner. Decorated with white linens and glimmering candles, this cozy Italian restaurant is furnished with only seven tables for an intimate atmosphere. During the summer, you can enjoy your meal outside beneath the towering pines. For a hearty meal, try the Cappellini Bocconcini made with meatballs, fresh tomato and basil. Bistecca alla Veneziana is medallions of filet mignon a green peppercorn cream sauce. For dessert, try the homemade white chocolate ice cream. The Cafe Fiore has been featured in As featured in- The San Francisco Chronicle, The Sacramento Bee and Best Places To Kiss In Northern California book and has been awarded the "Wine Spectator Award of Excellence" since 1992.
Recommended for Late Night because: The award-winning Cafe Fiore is a great place to have a late night date dinner.
Christina's expert tip: This is a small restaurant with only 7 tables, so early reservations are important.
Located right in the middle of town on Highway 50, Off the Hook is the South Lake Tahoe local's favorite sushi spot. Not only is their ambiance fun, hip, and inviting, but their food is what keeps customers coming back time and time again. From the freshest sushi and sashimi, to the over 40 creative and unique sushi rolls, to the wide variety of cooked appetizers and entrees, you're sure to find something for everyone in your party. Locally owned and operated since 2004, Off the Hook continues to strive to be a casual yet high quality restaurant, cutting no corners when it comes to the customer's dining experience. So next time you're in South Lake Tahoe be sure to check out Off the Hook, where the food, atmosphere, and service truly are Off the Hook!
Recommended for Late Night because: Off the Hook is full of locals on late night weekends.
Christina's expert tip: Off the Hook's Happy Hour is from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Located at the Hyatt in Incline Village, this impressive alpine lodge restaurant has a large stone fireplace, incredible views of the North Shore and is located on its own private beach with access to a pier. Enjoy High Sierra cuisine, an impressive wine list and breathtaking views of the lake. The seasonal menus use only the finest in fresh local ingredients prepared in the open show kitchen. Lunch and dinner entrees include items such as Furikake Crusted Ahi with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Radish Salad, Veal Osso Buco with Root Vegetable Pur�e, Spaghetti Squash Gremolata Style, "Apple Hill" Cider Cream Sauce and Saut�ed Chicken, Mascarpone Polenta, Asparagus, Morel Cream Sauce. The Grille has Vegetarian options and dessert like Warm Mascarpone Strudel and Tahitian Vanilla Cr�me Br�l�e. They also serve after-dinner cognacs and ports.
Recommended for Late Night because: Start and end your late night at the Lone Eagle with view of the lake.
Christina's expert tip: Happy Hour at the Lone Eagle is Sunday through Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. with half-price wine by the glass.
Moody's has become one of the best places for lunch, dinner and drinks in downtown Truckee. Their menu has been Zagat rated and they also offer a great selection of live music in their classic lounge. They are known for their season, organic and regional dishes and wines. They offer comfort dishes like Crab Toast with Dungeness Crab on sliced Ciabatta, their famous Tomato Soup en Croute (delicious!) and thin crust Neopolitan pizza. Moody's also offers sandwiches, salads and burgers. Their main dishes from the grill and rotisserie include Pan Roasted, Free Range, All Natural Chicken Breast with Purple Potatoes, Wild Arugula and Fava Beans. Moody's also has a great wine list that includes wines from around the world like Caposaldo from Italy, Elyse from Napa Valley, Paul Jaboulet from the Cote du Rhone and Pierre Spar from Alsace. You can also get wines on tap like Caldera from the California Central Coast. Their beer list is just as extensive with selections from New Belgium, Black Butte and Pyramid.
Recommended for Late Night because: Moody's late night entertainment will keep you going on cold winter nights.
Christina's expert tip: Moody's Happy Hour is from 4-6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and selected items have a discounted price. The Happy Hour also includes $2 off all wine by the glass, beer and well cocktails.
This chic but homey place serves up tapas with an American flair. Their menu consists of items like Tiny Cheesburger Sliders, Grilled Jamaican Jerk Prawns with Jicama Slaw and Lime Creme, Roasted Lamb Chop Bites with "French Toast," Dried Winter Fruit and Mint Maple Pan Sauce and Warm Apple Turnover Bites with Creme Anglaise. The bar serves up over 30 wines from around the world, unusual cocktails and craft beers. The atmosphere of the restaurant feels more like a larger city rather than a small town on the shores of Lake Tahoe.
Recommended for Late Night because: Bite is open until 10:00 every night and you can have Happy Hour dishes until then.
Christina's expert tip: Unique and interesting ingredients. Try their from-scratch cocktails.
With pie names like Hair of the Dog and Walk the Dog, you gotta love the pizza at Blue Dog Pizza in South Lake Tahoe. This small, local pizza joint offers free online ordering, a $3 Happy Hour and other specials. Their menu items also include appetizers, salads, oven-toasted subs and a kid's menu. They also offer gluten-free crusts. For the pizzas with the funny names, the Hair of the Dog has jalape�os, pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, green chili, garlic and mozzarella cheese. The Walk the Dog pizza is a little more tongue-friendly with white sauce, chicken, fresh spinach, bacon, garlic and mozzarella cheese. Other pizzas include the Pesto Chicken, the Primavera and the Supreme.
Recommended for Late Night because: Blue Dog Pizza is a favorite late-night local's hangout.
Christina's expert tip: The $3 Happy Hour, Monday through Friday, has $3 slices and $3 pints.
Gunbarrel Tavern & Eatery is located in the Heavenly Village at the base of the gondola in Stateline, California. The menu at Gunbarrel Tavern offers diners classic favorites and seasonal features hand selected by celebrated Executive Chef Billy McCullough. Considered new American cuisine, Gunbarrel Tavern serves up classic cuisine with a unique twist such as the Tuna Tower, an ahi poke-style appetizer paired with fresh avocado, scallions, onion and mango piled high on a tri-level tower of wonton chips. Other signature items include the crispy Berkshire pork belly salad, pulled duck sliders, brie grilled cheese and the PBR beer can chicken. At the bar, adult patrons can enjoy a selection of hand crafted cocktails including the signature Double Barrel Bloody Mary, along with craft beers, wine and seasonal drinks including mojitos and margaritas during warmer weather and snugglers and hot toddys throughout the ski season. Gunbarrel Tavern is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Recommended for Late Night because: The food and drink at Gunbarrel is available late into the night.
Christina's expert tip: The Gunbarrel is surprisingly affordable for this tourist area of Tahoe.
Himmel Haus is a German restaurant and bierhaus featuring a wide variety of German and Belgian biers and wines with a simple menu of Bavarian-inspired food with a local California twist. The menu includes locally made and sustainably harvested ingredients. The bier menu includes Pilsner, Helles, Hefe Weizen, Dunkel Marzen, Bock and Doppelbock as well as Belgian biers like Lambic, Blond, Wit, Ale and Trappist biers like Chimay and Rochefort Ale. Himmel Haus has special events all week including movies nights, live music, open mic night and trivia night. Their summer BierFest is popular as well as their Oktoberfest celebration.
Recommended for Late Night because: Special events like Trivia Night start at around 9:00 at Himmel Haus.
Christina's expert tip: The Warm Braided Br�tchen will take you back to northern Germany.
7800 Bar & Grill is the only family owned restaurant and bar in the Kirkwood area and it shows. The place is packed on winter ski weekends and at night--especially during one of their many special events which includes free live bands, wine and beer dinners, karaoke night and Pray for Snow bonfires. The menu might be another reason so many people flock to this out of the way bar and grill. The lunch and dinner menu feature comfort food like gourmet Mac 'n Cheese, Grandma's Pot Pie, Fish Tacos, Chili, Clam Chowder and a great kid's menu. Their dinner items include several fish dishes and an amazing Cacao and Espresso Rubbed Filet Mignon. The bar features various beers on tap, local and regional wines and various cocktails.
Recommended for Late Night because: The warm decor, comfort food and fireplace will keep you warm all winter in Tahoe.
Christina's expert tip: 7800's Happy Hour is Monday through Thursday from from 3:00PM to 5:30PM.