Restaurants in South Lake Tahoe

Using local produce, dairy, bread, and meat, 775 Gastropub's chefs craft gourmet bistro burgers, tapas, and entrees cataloged on seasonally changing menus. More than 170 craft beers cascade from bottles and taps, alongside specialty signature cocktails mixed with in-house liquors. Amid ample drink and comestibles, revelers can lose themselves in deep games of pool and darts, the game geographers recommend over bocce when throwing at a map to indicate past vacations. Red paint covers the walls, and green plants prevent patrons from thinking that perhaps they’re dining on Mars.

Underneath Sierra Tap House's metal-banded glass lamps, between its yellow walls and exposed brick, patrons gather around polished wood tables. In warm weather, they also spill outside onto a patio overlooking the Truckee River, which grants views of downtown parades and destructive rampages by radioactive parade floats. The small pub first opened its doors in the midst of the 2006 Reno River Festival. Since then, its staff has poured imported and American beers, as well as 11 rotating draft beers from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company—such as Torpedo Extra IPA, Knightro irish stout, and Celebration ale. Servers pair these pints with simple bar food such as pizzas, calzones, sandwiches, and chicken wings.

Mthai—formerly Green Papaya—is like a culinary ambassador for Thailand. Staples such as ginger-flavored stir-fries and five curries mix and mingle with American influence to the point that entirely new plates are born. The Mthai burger, for instance, layers spicy beef with veggies and red curry sauce, and the Mthai spaghetti mixes noodles with chicken and basil leaves. There's even an Americanized fried rice that tops a medley of ham, sausage, and raisins with a sunny-side-up egg.

Still, anyone seeking authentic fare won't be disappointed. The owner sources her classic recipes from Thailand to create fresh pad see eew and steamed jumbo prawns. And to meet individual tastes and satisfy those who believe they've transformed into a lion, most dishes let diners choose their protein: chicken, pork, beef, tofu, seafood, or a combination.

The cantina's colorful emblem displays its namesake, "three hombres," who all sport different facial hair but seem to share a single, spacious sombrero. This same blending of whimsy and tradition inspires Cantina Los Tres Hombres's signature margaritas and expansive menu of authentic Mexican dishes.

Natural light plunges through large picture windows, as tables populate with sizzling fajitas, massive burritos, and hearty combination platters overflowing with mesquite-grilled steak or chicken, fresh seafood, and crispy pork carnitas. Chefs add zip to their culinary creations with a variety of specialty sauces ranging from the smoky chipotle chili adobo to the rich and herbaceous butter, white-wine, and fresh-cilantro sauce. Salt-rimmed margaritas complement south-of-the-border morsels, and live acoustic tunes on Tuesday through Friday complement south-of-the-ankle foot twitches.

Made from a recipe honed for nearly four decades, Pizza Baron’s nutrient-rich dough supports a cornucopia of fresh toppings, such as mushrooms, imported anchovies, and Italian sausage. Alongside slices, patrons can savor heaping piles of regular and boneless chicken wings fried in cholesterol free vegetable oil. Hearty spaghetti dinners join crispy fried sides and spare ribs as patrons take in sports broadcasts and reruns of old lottery drawings on Pizza Baron’s big screen TV. From its headquarters within the Keystone Shopping Center, Pizza Baron chefs also assemble varied bites to cater private events.

Wet Hen Café’s story revolves around poultry, from the origin of its name to its owners’ 25 clucking pets to its menu items. Buoyed by backgrounds in the restaurant business, Jackie and Don Handlin work with their son and sous chef Brandon to craft a menu of light sandwiches, soups, and breakfast meals. Named after the idiom "madder than a wet hen," Wet Hen Café churns out quiche dotted with spinach, feta, and cranberry, sandwiches layered with black forest ham, jack cheese, and brown mustard, and, of course, hearty chicken soup. The café supports local merchants by hanging and selling original artwork and selling craft honey and Blind Dog coffee.