Cold Water Brewery

One of our favorite spots. The menu here is seasonal, but there’s always something good. We recommend trying either the Tahoe Loaf or their pretzel (either comes with beer cheese). Other highlights are their house brewed beer, anything pickled, and their s’mores dessert. Outdoor seating is available in the summer, and has been dog friendly in recent years despite their signage.

Sonney’s BBQ Shack

Another can’t go wrong choice. Portions are generous, so come hungry or be careful how much you order. Our favorites are the pulled pork sandwich and potato skins. Their backyard is dog friendly, with lots of picnic tables and a fire pit.

MacDuff’s Pub

Myke recommends the Beer Battered Chicken Nuggets and adds a side of fries to make it a meal. James likes the Pear and Blue Cheese Salad (which also goes well with some nuggets). Great place for take out, but they’ve got a really nice yard with outdoor seating too (even in the winter, with enclosed outdoor tables). Their website hasn’t worked in years, but check out menu photos on Yelp.

Himmel Haus

Conveniently located at the base of Heavenly’s California Lodge, it’s a great place to hit up after skiing (assuming the crowds don’t beat you to it). Their front lawn is great for outdoor dining, although they’re usually short staffed and won’t seat there. Naturally we usually pick up a pretzel and beer when we visit, and the currywurst is James’s go to for dinner.

Lake Tahoe Pizza Company

Our pick for best pizza in town. They roll the crust over on their pizzas, so everything is a bit like a stuffed crust; and don’t skip on the house made ranch for dipping. Myke’s favorite here is his “cheeseburger pizza,” with ground beef, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese.

Tahoe Bagel Company

A newer addition to our roster. The biggest issue we have here is that they’re usually so busy that you can’t order online, but the turnaround is fast and the bagels are delicious. We like to hit them up before heading to the dog park with Chelsea.

Lake Tahoe AleWorX

Great spot to grab pizza and a beer. Most of the seating here is outside between their two buildings, with fire pits, a stage, and live music. Lots of space heaters mean you can even come here in the winter.

Tahoe Cocktail Corner

The AleWorX and Cocktail Corner both sit catty-corner to each other and share outdoor seating, so if you’re going to one check out the menu for both. Myke is a fan of their spiked hot cocoa, and their food menu is also good.

Boathouse on the Pier

We’ve only made it here a couple times, but it has possibly the best view of any restaurant in town. Their second floor balcony is over the water, with a spectacular view of sunset. A good variety for the menu and drinks, and everyone was super friendly. Getting here can be a bit tricky, since it’s inside the resort. Don’t park at the front, drive closer to the water and there will be additional parking. Unfortunately not dog friendly.

Yugen Cuisine

James’s favorite Japanese restaurant in town. We always end up ordering a different assortment of sushi every time we come here. If you’re trying to order take out you’ll have more luck calling, their website doesn’t always work.

Chicken in a Barrel BBQ

We aren’t actually sure how this otherwise Hawaiian BBQ chain ended up in Lake Tahoe, but it’s delicious and they sell Myke’s favorite ice cream sandwiches (from Baked Bear) making it a two-in-one treat.

Bert’s Cafe

Before we moved to Tahoe we used to come here every Sunday for our post-camping breakfasts.

Artemis Lakefront Cafe

Cute place for breakfast or lunch, with a nice outdoor seating area and right by the water. We used to stop here more when we had our boat at Ski Run Marina. Parking is paid, but you can get parking validated from any of the restaurants.

Maya’s

Despite being close to Heavenly Village, Maya’s sets itself apart from all the tourist shops and spots with some really great food. They make their own tortillas, and their burritos are great.

The Cork & More

Part deli restaurant and part wine and cheese shop. Great place to stop for lunch, and also to pick up some wine for the evening.

Emerald Bay Bar & Grill

Cute little bar and restaurant not far from The Y.

LandShark Bar & Grill

We decided to stop by Landshark during its soft open, and had a good time. It feels like you’d expect for a Margaritaville restaurant: a little touristy, very beachy, and with tropical-themed menu offerings. Since they had just opened it was pretty quiet inside, but I can imagine it’ll be busy come summertime.

Bear Moon Bar & Grill

This place is located inside the Hilton Vacation Club Resort. We’ve only gotten it to go but according to Yelp they are dog friendly, and have an outdoor space by Ski Run Marina.

Off the Hook

This place has a good variety of sushi, and is always good. Getting the food can be a bit tricky as they’re usually pretty busy, and sometimes not taking take out orders.

Samurai Restaurant

Thai on Ski Run

We’ve only ordered take out here, but they’ve also got a nice outdoor dining space. Right off Ski Run Blvd., as the name suggests, so easy to get down or up from the lake.

Port of Subs

Sandwich shop like Subway but actually good.

Blue Dog Pizza Tahoe

Double check where you’re going, there’s two locations in South Lake. Pizza is good, although a little greasy for James’s taste.

Sushi Pier Tahoe

Sprouts Natural Foods

Absolutely nothing here is Myke-approved, but a good sandwich stop nonetheless. We’ve picked up lunch here before boating before.

Keys Cafe

Small coffee shop located near the turn into the Tahoe Keys area. They’ve got good coffee, and also do sandwiches and other lunch-y items.

Azul Latin Kitchen

A bit more touristy, but solid food. They’ve also got a nice outdoor patio that they share with some of the neighboring restaurants. It can get pretty hot in the summer if you don’t get some shade though.

Primo’s Italian Bistro

Our usual spot for Italian food. We’ve mostly gotten take out from here, but they’ve got a nice indoor dining room and an outdoor patio we’d like to try out.

Heidi’s Pancake House

They do a solid breakfast/brunch, and for a while we were ordering from here pretty regularly since they’re the only option for DoorDash breakfast. A solid choice, but nothing in particular stands out either.

Jimmy’s Restaurant

We’ve only done breakfast there but it’s solid. It’s on the Nevada side right across the street from the beach. Dog friendly too.

The Red Hut Cafe

There are also several Red Huts in South Lake. The one we usually go to is the small building off South Lake Tahoe Blvd., by Free Bird Chai. Nice little diner, with the usual breakfast options. Outdoor seating is pretty limited, although so is their indoor seating.

Hunan Garden

Base Camp Pizza

This Basecamp is located in Heavenly Village, and is not related to the Basecamp hotel nearby. Like most places in Heavenly Village, it is often crowded and loud here, but the pizza is good if you’re already in the area.

Five Guys

One of Myke’s regular lunch spots. Parking can get a bit tight at peak hours, but there’s street parking up Ski Run Blvd. and also in the nearby garage sometimes too.

Scusa Italian Ristorante

We’ve only been once but it was decent italian food.

Riva Grill

With a nice outdoor patio and a good view of Ski Run Marina, Riva was pretty high on our list to try. It offers a good selection of food and drinks, although we found the prices a bit high. The atmosphere also comes across a bit too touristy.

Applebee’s Grill + Bar

It’s an Applebees, what can we say?

Fire + Ice

While Myke really likes this place James isn’t a huge fan. Americanized Mongolian BBQ. You pick up a bowl, fill it with meats and veggies, then bring it to a giant grill in the center of the restaurant where they’ll mix everything up and cook it for you. All you can eat.

Baked Bear

Far and away one of Myke’s favorite places to stop for a snack after hiking or boating. While you’re probably familiar with the build-your-own ice cream sandwich formula, Baked Bear just has one of the best selections we’ve tried. Seasonal flavors are fun, and their signature "bear batter" ice cream is Myke’s go-to. You can also get just cookies or brownies or ice cream, but why would you?

Creative Crepes & More

Build your own crepe and waffle bar, so it works for either dessert or lunch. Getting here is a bit annoying since it’s in Heavenly Village, but a good place to stop if you’re already there. They close oddly early too.

Empanash

Tucked away inside the shopping center at Ski Run Marina. We used to stop by for a snack after boating when our boat was here.

The Hangar

If you’re looking for a nice outdoor space to grab a drink (and maybe a snack), The Hangar is one of our favs. Located in a grove of pine trees, they’ve got a huge outdoor lawn and seating area. There’s usually one or two food trucks hanging out, and in the winter they’ve got covered gazebos with space heaters too. It is a little close to the main road, but for the most part you won’t notice.

South Lake Brewing Company

They’ve got two locations now, but the one we usually hit up is original place near The Y. There is a taproom attached to their brewery, so you can get a glimpse into the back of house while you’re checking out their menu. Their latest store is down near Heavenly Village, although we haven’t been yet. Here they have their own kitchen in addition to a rotating cast of food trucks. James recommends their Marlette Sunrise.

South of North Brewing Co.

A nice outdoor space attached to the Basecamp hotel. Plenty of space to find a table or fire pit with friends or listen to some live music. They’ve got a nice deck up above the storefront too if you’re looking for more quiet seating. I couldn’t find a link to their tap list, so maybe check Yelp.

The Idle Hour

A fun looking wine bar with a great lakefront view… which we haven’t gotten the chance to try out yet. However, enough friends have recommended this spot to us that we’re putting it on our list anyways. Let us know what you think if you go!

Cold Creek

Conveniently located right behind our house, this trail is our most commonly trekked. Turn left out of our house and walk down the hill, just past the gingerbread house to pick up a beaten path that leads to the trail. Walk down the hill and you’ll run into the trail. Go straight and follow the path along the creek. It’s a little over a mile to the bridge that crosses the creek. From there, you can cross the bridge and get the High Meadows trail system, or turn left to make a loop back to our neighborhood. There’s a good view of the lake shortly after the turn back. When you get to a clearing, you can either climb up that steep hill to the road for a 3 mile loop, or keep going to get all the way to Heavenly. (or there’s another turn back too that’s less steep)

Airport Trail

Just a short drive down Pioneer Trail, there’s a single parking space off to the right. From there, you can take a trail that goes right up next to the SLT airport. Good for both running or walking. There are lots of small trails behind the airport that you can take to go as for as long or short or a hike as you’d like.

Mount Tallac

Definitely a harder hike but amazing views of both Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake. In the winter, you sometimes need to park in the lot right off Emerald Bay Road, but in the summer, you can park closer to the trailhead. We haven’t done the whole thing but have gotten decently far. In the winter, it can be extra challenging if the snow is deep.

Pope-Baldwin Recreation Trail

Arguably more of a walk than a hike, this paved trail runs along Emerald Bay Road on the way out of town. We like to start about a mile before the Camp Richardson resort (where there is usually ample parking along the side of the road) and follow it down to the lake at Kiva Beach. There are lots of small offshoots you can explore, which keeps this trail interesting, despite how developed it is.

Eagle Lake

Moderate difficulty although harder in the winter if the snow is deep. Need to find a parking space by Emerald Bay which can be tricky, but a great view of Emerald Bay and the lake on the way up. There is a natural rock climbing wall along the way. The end of the trail takes you to Eagle Lake which is also a pretty view.

Nevada Beach

Very easy trail. Parking is located off a road, just across the state line in Nevada. From there, you do a flat hike down to the beach, through a campground, and then can do a longer loop on the way back.