Palisades Tahoe, in the Olympic Valley, has some really delicious food options. It is a bit spendy at the mountain, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
If you are heading to Palisades Tahoe for a couple of days on the mountain, knowing where the best eats are is important. Though keep in mind, there are places to stay where you can make your own meals if you are on a budget. But if you are looking for a couple options to supplement those home cooked meals, these are the restaurants I recommend checking out, with Rocker being my favorite.
Also, make sure to ask if they take Ikon discounts, because that will save you a bit on your meals.
Palisades Tahoe restaurants
The main restaurant area in Palisades is in the heart of the village at the base of the mountain. The only exception to that is at High Camp, which can be accessed from the aerial tram (which holds over 100 people). There is also a lot of easy terrain off the tram if you want to spend the day around that area.
Le Chamois
I loved this bar. There is a pizza place in the downstairs with huge shareable pretzels and the loft upstairs. It is the perfect place to grab a beer and some quick easy food after a day on the mountain. The bar is filled with old photos, ski paraphernalia, and overstuffed couches. Be aware that it gets packed in here at the end of the day, so plan accordingly, you may need to stand for a while.
They also have a bar and live music just outside of the restaurant on the weekends and everyone can be found with beer in hand dancing in the snow and it is awesome.
Tremigo Mexican Kitchen & Tequila
This was some of the best Mexican dishes I have ever had. They have a full bar with custom cocktails, which I highly recommend getting yourself a margarita.
My top recommendation, however, is the mole. I love mole and have had mole is many places and this has been the best I have ever tasted by a long shot. So, if you love mole as much as I do, this is a good place to go.
Auld Dubliner Tahoe
If you are looking for authentic Irish fare in a traditional Irish pub this place has you covered. The food is good, really good. I had the ribs, which just fell apart in my mouth. You can also get a blacksmith (Guiness and Smithwicks combo).
They also have a lot of traditional Irish dishes, the kind that warm you up on a cold winter day. Definite comfort food.
Sun Bowl Acai Poke
I love poke. It is one of my favorite things and having a poke bowl spot on the mountain made my little heart happy. Their Ahi tuna is delicious, along with the salmon. Being in California and close to the ocean, the seafood is definitely fresh. It makes for a great lunch spot but be aware they have no indoor seating.
Rocker
This was one of our favorite places to eat. We stopped here on more than one occasion, that’s how you know they have really great food. They have really good vegan options here and the dishes are made using food from local farmers.
22 Bistro
I am not sure why, but I wasn’t expecting much from this restaurant. I was proven very much wrong. Initially, we stopped by for a beer after a day on the mountain and sat at the bar. They had old snowboard and ski videos playing and the place was crowded. The second time, we stopped for dinner.
It was difficult to decide what to have, the menu is a good size, but when we did decide the waiter asked if we wanted to split the two meals and each get half so we could each try both meals. It was perfect!
On another note, it is dog friendly in there, so feel free to bring your pooch with you.
Tahoe City restaurants (located in North Lake Tahoe)
If you take the free shuttle into Tahoe City, there are a lot of options for places to eat. One cannot possibly try them all in a day.
The Dam Café
Located at the Dam (as the name would suggest), this is the best place to grab a coffee. I also highly recommend their lox bagel. It is stuffed with salmon.
Bridgetender Tavern and Grill
A short walk from the shuttle station, Bridgetender is a great spot in the summer to sit outside along the river. In the winter, though, you will have to head inside. They do have a covered area where you can sit with your dog that is still outside but a cozy spot in the winter.
This is probably some of the best family dining in the area. The menu is big and there are quite a few tables inside that can accommodate bigger groups. I recommend the ahi tacos and the bloody Mary. Now I am not a fan of Bloody Mary’s, being from Canada, where the Bloody Caesar is king (we use Clamato juice instead of tomato juice making it saltier) but this one was worth it.
Alpine Meadows restaurants
Alpine Meadows is, and always has been, more of a locals mountain. The food options are quite a bit less than the other places, but still worth talking about. Especially if you plan to spend the day riding the mountain.
Alpine Bar
Maybe I shouldn’t start with this one, but it is a great spot for happy hour. They have $6 beer (which is great since beer in Palisades is $12 each) during happy hour.
It’s located in the main lodge at the base of the mountain and have a lot of regional beers to choose from.
There is also cafeteria style food, with poke bowls and curry dishes, which are both delicious and outdoor seating available on a nice day. You can watch the mountain, sit by one of the outdoor fires and enjoy your lunch. Naturally this is a more popular spot to eat and have a beer in the warmer months, but on a bluebird day, you just can’t beat it. The music they play is pretty great too.
The Chalet
This is a cool spot, located partway down the mountain. There are trails running on either side of it. There is very little indoor seating, so on a day where you don’t want to sit outside, this place fills up fast.
It’s a great option for basic eats and has pizza and sausages. Not a lot of healthier choices here. There are some great views outside because the trails run around it.
The only problem, if you are a snowboarder, is the trails beyond The Chalet are very flat and there is no hill to get you going, so you may need to take a foot out of your bindings to get past it if you do decide to stop.
Concluding Thoughts
There are a lot of diverse Palisades Tahoe dining options, so it can be hard to choose. If you are there for a week, I recommend trying them all.
Planning your trip to Palisades? Make sure to check out my guide to Palisades Tahoe ski resort. It quickly became one of my favorite mountains to visit.
