If you’re a carnivore, you can’t go wrong here.

BBQ Pork, Chicken and Beef. Baby back ribs. Chicken Wings. Brisket. Ham. Hot links.

Sure you’ve had ribs, but nothing like these. They’re melt in your mouth, drop off the bone delicious. Maybe it’s their signature sauce that makes it so good.

And the side dishes are fabulous too, and made from scratch daily. Cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, mashed potatoes and sweat potato fries. And, be sure to save room for their famous Sweet Potato Pie and hot spice wine. You’ll think you’re in Texas!

This tiny diner full of atmosphere, nostalgia and characters has 8 tables max inside and a few outside.  Nowadays Womack’s is run by Dismas and his son, Dismas, who’ll be sure to take care of you.

Womack’s Texas Style Bar-B-Q
4041 Lake Tahoe Blvd. (casino core area)
South Shore (next to Alpaca Pete’s near Park Avenue)

(530) 544-2268

No reservations accepted, so bring a coat and be ready to people watch. It’s worth the wait.

It’s a North Lake Tahoe institution for those seeking a fix of rare, medium and well-done mountain culture.

This is the place for a mouthwatering charbroiled burger. Period. Burger choices range from bacon cheddar to blue cheese and everything in between.

For the full experience, get the seasoned cross cut fries that come with Ranch dressing. Not straight fries (although I’m sure they’re delicious.) And, with a full bar and several beers on tap, your meal is complete. But, be warned. Portions are huge.

Ambiance drips here too. Although the original BT located right across the highway was torn down and moved to its present spot, the ambiance is intact. Wood interior and exterior and the outside dining area. Even the bathroom ambiance was transferred…somehow.

Best of all – you will observe true Tahoe natives in their element. Especially after skiing.

Don’t miss this Tahoe classic. Besides, all that protein is great for rebuilding muscle and the grease is great for the knees.

The Bridgetender Tavern and Grill
at Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City

583-3342 – open daily

This is what we love about our mountain culture. Steaming hot with local artists, athletes, and entrepreneurs, Coffeebar has transformed a historic industrial dig located one block off the main drag in Truckee into an unpretentious gathering place.

Open and spacious, there is nothing forced about it.

While inventing an Italian coffeebar in Truckee may seem like a tall order, it’s not if you have the right ingredients.  The multi-talented baristas like Travis, who created the perfect cup of Tahoe Culture cappuccino, are young and undaunted, fresh yet seasoned, sharing their birthright as culinary stewards of our taste buds and sensibilities to introduce us all to the new order of things, our right to relish in the flavors and goodness of fresh, organic and locally sourced ingredients.

Besides their organic coffee and teas, their original recipes for crepes, sweets, paninis and salads capture the authentic flavor of regional Italian cuisines, with a Truckee-Tahoe mountain twist.  And, they won’t sell plastic water bottles. They recycle and compost whenever possible.

To cultivate our local culture further, Coffeebar has teamed up with High Fives to raise money and awareness for our disabled local athletes through a simple $125 donation promotion program that includes Coffeebar goodies, a $25 cash donation to High Fives, a travel mug, a Big Truck Hat, and a warm fuzzy feeling inside. High Fives is a Tahoe-based non profit organization dedicated to athletes who have suffered a life–altering injury while pursuing their dreams in the winter sports arena.

Coffeebar Truckee
10120 Jibboom Street
Truckee

Open 6am-8pm Daily
530.587.2000
www.coffeebartruckee.com

Grazie!

In addition to owner, John Galea.

Tahoe Keys Deli has been open in the Tahoe Plaza since 1984. John started making deli sandwiches on August 31st and he’s still going at it.

We think he has the recipe down.

It’s a deli. That’s it. No frills, a few tables inside and out, 1 type of coffee (no additives except sugar or cream)…and without a doubt some of the best sandwiches in South Shore.

Besides the basic subs like roast beef and ham, he’s added a line of special sandwiches like local favorites – the Tahoe Turkey, the BLT, Meatball sandwich (like his Mama used to make…) and 110 Degrees in the Shade (roast beef, pepper jack cheese, Ortega chili, pepperocinis on a hot onion roll), Traditional deli salads like potato and pasta are made daily as well as fresh baked chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies.

For breakfast, try an Egg Mac John – Ham, egg, American cheese served on an English muffin (just $2.95), or the Egg Mac Juan that includes Ortega chili (just $3.25).

Recently, John and Overland Meats (open since 1987) started something new (after 25 years I guess that’s OK)… Monday – Thursday TKD makes sandwiches using the all Natural Meats and Free Range and Organic Poultry from Overland Meats so you can taste the difference.

• Monday – “New Yorker” Italian Sausage
• Tuesday – Pulled Pork
• Wednesday – Free Range BBQ Chicken Breast
• Thursday – Tri Tip Sandwich

Once you meet John, you are his friend for life. It’s a true local hangout next to another old-time local fixture the Clipper Barbershop.

When he’s not making his famous chili or soups, you can find John on the water kayaking or hanging with friends.

Tahoe Keys Deli
2301 Lake Tahoe Blvd in the Tahoe Plaza
South Lake Tahoe

Call ahead or eat there – (530) 544-1335

Open daily 7:30 am to 4:30 pm

Not a fish lover?

What about Seared Elk Chop or a Rack of Spring Lamb?

Whatever your favorite, you know it will be fresh accompanied by one of the most spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. Located literally on the lake shore, Edgewood Tahoe’s fish is fed exed daily from Hawaii.

Yep, each night executive chef Frank Stagnaro prepares Seared Hawaiian Snapper that arrived 24 hours earlier from Hawaii that was hand selected by Honolulu Fish Company.

Freshness and ecologically responsible business practices are critical to Edgewood. Honolulu Fish Company’s buyer hand-selects product exclusively for Edgewood each morning at 5:30 am, checking the texture, color, and maturity of each fish, ensuring the seafood has reached reproductive maturity.

And even better, to maintain environmental sustainability and responsibility, the company only buys from fishermen who use hooks or long lines, never nets and trawls which can cause damage to the environment. The fish is then vacuum-wrapped in the company’s proprietary, award-winning package system to keep products cold and fresh without freezing.

Click here to sign up for their exclusive online dining specials.

Reservations are definitely needed, or feel free to stop by and enjoy a Tahoe sunset at the bar. Please call (775) 588-2787 to reserve your spot.

The soup was served at Stone Soup with bread from Truckee Sourdough, one of many local businesses that donate to Stone Soup which serves about 140 people each week and features live music to entertain the hungry crowd.

“What I’ve always liked about the idea of Stone Soup is that it’s not about Slow Food or the Rotary Club or Dragonfly,” McCullough says. “It’s a true community event, about getting everyone involved.”

A long-time community leader, Chef Bill McCullough, has held positions on the boards for Rotary Club, the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the affiliate to our schools, the Kid Zone. As father of two young daughters, he joins parents in our region who enthusiastically support the Time for Lunch Campaign. Billy is asked often and never says no to an opportunity to participate in a fund-raiser in a neighborhood where we are active in supporting our cases. He opened Dragonfly, his first restaurant venture, in 2001. An educator on the principles of Slow Food, his menus tend to be small. “That is because I enjoy changing them on a weekly basis, guaranteeing the freshness and seasonality of the products being used.” Billy is one of the original founders of our Slow Food Lake Tahoe Chapter and has served on its board of directors since 2007.

White Bean–Fennel Soup
Recipe by Billy McCullough of Dragonfly Restaurant and Sushi Bar in Truckee

.5 cup vegetable oil

4 tbs. garlic, chopped

2 each yellow onions, small dice

4 each carrots, peeled and small dice

2 bulbs fennel, cut bulb in half, remove core, slice thin

1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced

3 cups white wine

2 cans white beans (prefer fresh, cooked until soft)

1.5 gal. vegetable or chicken stock

.25 cup fresh thyme leaves

4 tbs. Tabasco

Salt and black pepper to taste

• In a stock pot, saute garlic in white wine for one minute.

• Add onions and fennel, cook until translucent.

• Add carrots and squash. Saute until carrots are slightly soft.

• Add white wine. Reduce by half.

• Add cooked beans and stock. Bring to simmer.

• Season with thyme, tabasco, salt, and pepper

• Serves 6 to 8

And a Tahoe tradition.

Started in 1977 by Swiss trained chef, Peter Vogt and his wife Helen, Tahoe House is still family owned and operated by daughters Caroline and Barbara.

Lucky for us, Peter and Helen brought their love of European style breads and pastries to Tahoe. French baguettes, sourdoughs, focaccia and ciabattas – made fresh daily.

It’s one of Tahoe’s most cherished stops, particularly for their brewed to order Alpen Sierra Coffee with the frothy top.

But that’s not all. Everything they do is gourmet.

Deli sandwiches on their famous bread, homemade soup, salads, grilled packaged meats, cheeses, wines, deviled eggs – take them with you or relax by the fire.

A main attraction are the Tahoe House gourmet sauces, dressings and seasoning rubs.

BBQ sauces like Sizzling Habanero and Chipotle, and classics like Wasabi Lime and Thai Peanut. Raspberry Walnut and Sesame Cilantro dressings, and seasoning rubs like Jamaican Jerk.

The selection and flavors are endless.

You’ll definitely be hooked.

Not in North Shore? Don’t worry – you can order online.

Tahoe House
Bakery and Gourmet Store

625 West Lake Blvd., Highway 89, 1/2 mile south of the Tahoe City “Y”.
Telephone : (530) 583-1377
Toll Free Line : (877) 367-8246

Open 6 am – 4pm Sunday -Thur; til 6pm Friday and Saturday

Click here to see their full line of gourmet products and recipes!

Located at the same spot on Hwy 50 for over 25 years alongside an historic Pony Express marker is Samurai Restaurant. It was the first Sushi Bar in South Lake Tahoe which paved the way for many other sushi bars in town.

But, there’s a big difference.

It’s the size of the sushi.  And the freshness, and quality that makes it consistently outstanding.  Like their menu says, if it’s not fresh they don’t have it.

As this photo shows, the sushi devours the rice much like a fillet instead of a slice. It’s fat, and mouth watering, especially the Hamachi, Shake and Maguro.

But Samurai is not just known for its award-winning sushi. The Fire Cracker salmon appetizer, baked muscles, Hamachi collar, tempura, traditional Japanese dishes, and specialty rolls like the Tahoe Roll and Y3K roll will hook you and make this a regular stop while in South Shore.

Love sake?  Geoff prides himself in his wide selection of hot and cold sakes, and offers four specialty sake tastings -  Super Ninja, Shogun Power, Samurai’s Choice and the Emperor’s Grandeur.  While the names may be intimidating (or empowering!), Geoff can help you select the right sampler, and distinguish the subtleties between the various varieties of sake.

To top it off is the ambiance.  Awash in wasabi green from the leather booths to walls, you’ll settle in comfortably at the over sized circular fire place perfect for cold Tahoe nights, Sushi bar, intimate table for 2, or the private Tatami room with your 11 BFs.

Geoff and Helen Goto have been the original owners since 1984, and moved to South Lake Tahoe from New York City where Geoff learned the art of Sushi and Japanese cuisine at his parent’s restaurant. Many sushi restaurants have come and gone, but Samurai has mastered the recipe for success.

Samurai is open daily starting at 5pm, and Happy Hour runs Sunday through Thursday from 5pm to 6:45pm featuring $3.50 sushi hand rolls and half price beer or hot sake. Sake Pairing Dinners are also available for only $19.95.

Samurai Restaurant
2588 Lake Tahoe Blvd. (Hwy 50)
in South Lake Tahoe, CA  – just 3 miles from the casinos

(530) 542-0300

How can a tiny little berry be the most nutritious and powerful food in the world?

Now you can find out.

The Açaí Bowl @ Keys Cafe in South Shore.

It’s true. I tried it.

It gave me a boost all morning.

I don’t mean a synthesized-feeling, jittery rush that lasts a few hours. This was sustained and smooth energy that made me feel like…well – an action hero!

I had clarity to make those quick decisions. I was faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look up. In the sky. It’s ME.

Tasty and substantial, it’s more than enough for breakfast.

A HUGE bowl of the perfect blend of Açaí (ah-sigh-ee), yogurt, soy milk, bananas, strawberries and granola – topped with fresh bananas.

But don’t believe me. Check it out yourself and you’ll see why the Keys Cafe is THE place to get started. You may be able to save the world.

Besides their signature Açaí Bowl, you’ll find even more smoothies made with real fruit, breakfast sandwiches and burritos, salads and sandwiches. Like their famous Grilled Cheese Sandwich. With Pesto. Yum. Oh yeah, and coffee.

The ambiance tops it all off in a classic Tahoe cabin. New owners, Joe and Azi, know what fuels our passion. Good food, local art, music, and free wifi Internet access.

Tahoe Keys Cafe (behind the car wash)
2279 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Shore
To go orders and catering available (530) 542-3800

Click here to visit their website

What is the Açaí berry?

The açaí berry is considered to be nature’s perfect food. Açaí (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree.

Harvested in the rain forests of Brazil, açaí tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Açaí is packed full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, amino acids and essential fatty acids.

Brazilians have used the açaí berry over the years for digestive and skin conditions. There have been claims that juice made from açaí aids in weight loss, the lowering of cholesterol and an increase in energy.

What really sets the açaí berry apart from other known berries is their antioxidant substance. Studies have revealed that açaí has up to 33 times more antioxidant than red wine grapes. Research has shown that antioxidants are crucial to strengthening the body’s ability to fight disease.

Literally.

Walking into Mountain Nectar in the Village at Squaw Valley is completely different than its brand name coffee neighbor. And the vibe is 100% Squaw.

And Pete the owner (and janitor…) has lived in North Shore for over 30 years.

Loud music. Casual. Coffee beat. Stickers expelling the virtues of mountain living. The small space adds to the rich social texture, and naturally prohibits computers.

The organic selection and specialties are also fresh and tasty:

• Coffee
• Juices
• Smoothies
• Bagels
• Wraps

The California Avocado Club wrap was gigantic, delicious and had the perfect ratio of ingredients.

Be sure and check out the bulletin board. And, get your punch card. You’ll be back.

Mountain Nectar – 2 locations:
Village at Squaw 584-6161
Tahoe City 581-4800