It wasn’t long ago that Lake Tahoe’s dining scene was merely an afterthought, lost in the tall shadows of the area’s bevvy of natural wonders and non-stop activities. Tahoe today, however, furnishes a variety of amazing eateries—ranging from regal to rustic to simply renowned.
The hottest spot on the Tahoe dining scene is almost certainly celebrity chef Traci des Jardins’
Manzanita, which opened in late 2009 at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe. An elegant dining experience that will make a lasting impression on your group, Manzanita is the perfect spot for serious foodies who appreciate the very best in French-California cuisine. Striped bass with fennel and saffron potato, and red-wine braised short ribs with horseradish potato puree are among the temping dishes on the menu.
At the forefront of recent news with Tahoe’s restaurant roster is the reopening of the West Shore Cafe, an attractive shingled structure just across the street from the Homewood Mountain Resort on—you guessed it—the lake’s west shore. Flexible event dining space can host up to 124 attendees, with indoor and outdoor spaces taking full advantage of its lakeside setting. And diners will enjoy the casually elegant fare that puts a special California cuisine touch on old standbys running the gamut from seared sea scallops to rib eye steak.
A night of North Shore dining doesn’t get any better than savoring Ben ‘Wyatt’ Dufresne’s cutting-edge cuisine at Plumpjack Cafe Squaw Valley. There are several elegant dining areas available for groups. Diners can choose from an array of imaginative culinary creations, including pine-cured pork belly and Hawaiian opah with "forbidden" black rice. The establishment also presents occasional winemaker events in conjunction with esteemed vineyards in the region, pairing delicious dishes with perfectly matched pours.
It’s hard to top the staggering views and electric atmosphere at 19 Kitchen • Bar at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe () on the South Shore. Towering over Tahoe from its 19th-floor perch, the snazzy setting affords lush vistas to every table in the house, and a VIP seating area is available to make your group feel even more on top of the world. A recently integrated new menu includes a selection of small plates that make for enjoyable sharing, as does the sumptuous seafood platter Ultimate Shell 19 on Ice, a medley of Australian lobster, tiger prawns, seasonal crab, Blue Point oysters and Manila clams on ice. Try not to be shellfish!
If fine dining is what your group is after, an easy choice is Ciera at MontBleu Resort near Tahoe’s southwestern Nevada shore. Ciera, a AAA Four Diamond steak and chophouse that showcases a selection of about 300 wines from around the globe, is a perfect pick for planners looking to impress attendees in an atmosphere of casual elegance. The restaurant comfortably hosts groups of up to about 40, and despite its steakhouse standing offers plenty of seafood and veggie options as well.
Of course, after a day out of skiing or hiking—or tucked inside a meeting room—sometimes attendees just need a casual, comfortable spot to eat and unwind.
Echo, located at Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort, is an excellent place to do just that. Plenty of flat-screen TVs throughout will keep sports fans happy, and a large deck and patio invite alfresco affairs during warmer climes. The gastronomes in the group will be grinning as well, with Echo’s "casual California cuisine" boasting menu items like seared filet mignon and blackened Pacific ahi. A private dining room with a capacity for 22 diners is also available.
