Restaurant Guide | Lake Tahoe Marathon

Where to Eat Marathon Week

by the Ring Master, Les Wright

as of July, 2022.

I started out to list 4 or 5 places for you to carbo load, But I couldn’t stop myself from listing all my favorite places to eat in South Lake Tahoe. There are other good places but these are the ones I frequent during the year.

I'll start with the Italian and pizza restaurants as you might like to carbo-load.

Google the address for the ones you are interested in. They are all good and they are where we eat when we go out.

Café Fiore is usually my first call when I go out for a special dinner. (530)541-2908

Located just off Ski Run Blvd. Call NOW to make reservations because it will be booked if you wait.

About a mile and half from the Hard Rock Hotel.

Primo Italian Bistro in a strip mall about 4 miles from the Expo. Real Italian.

530-600-2220

Isabella Ristorante Italiano, Stateline. Near the Expo and casinos. Great food. 530-544-0400

Riva Grill on the water at the bottom of Ski Run Blvd about 2 miles from the Expo. A great place for a Wet Woodie with your lunch or dinner when you are in celebration mood. (530)542-2600

Scusa is about 3 miles from the Expo on H50 at Sierra Blvd.

Excellent (530) 542-0100

The Base Camp Pizza is in the Marriott complex near the Gondola. No reservations.

Live music, good pizza, good fun.

Lake Tahoe Pizza has been at Tahoe forever, and for good reason. The serve more than pizza. This is where we have our volunteer pizza meeting on Wednesday evening.

Lunch or Dinner

McP’s Taproom Grill is across the street from Harrahs and Harvey's

Lake Tahoe AleWorX at the Y and at Stateline. Beer, Pizza, and Music. A good place to meet Friday for beer and pizza with your running friends, located between Harrahs and MontBleu Casinos and across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Cold Water Brewery across from Scusa on H50 & Sierra Blvd

Best micro beer and excellent food and friendly staff.

Veggie Places

Sprouts about 2 miles to go from the Expo. Always packed, always a line. You will love it. Not totally veggie. Also an Aid Station sponsor.

Freshies is about two miles from the Expo. In the Fremont Mall. Excellent food.

Lots of veggie options.

For Breakfast with the locals

I have been eating at the original Red Hut for 57 years. There are 3 to choose from.

The Red Hut is at the 3.5 mile to go point of the Marathon and Half Marathons and helps with our aid station there. This is a good place for your fans to buy breakfast while they wait for you to pass by. Or grab a cup of coffee at the Free Bird Café next to the Red Hut. Good people, good food; it’s why they have been in business since 1959.

Ernie’s is down next to the Lake House is my other breakfast nook. My old friend sold to two of my former students. Maybe the only place in town where I can find fresh squeezed OJ.

Burt’s is across from Ernie’s is also a good local choice.

For Mexican

Jalisco behind Rojos in Al Tahoe area. Real Mexican food. Wonderful Tacos

After you cross the Finish Line

Jimmy’s just yards from the finish line, opened just in time for you to cross the finish line and eat outside facing the beach and finish area. Upscale dining for sure. Breakfast, Lunch or dinner will be a treat. Located in The Landing hotel. This is the closest hotel and closest restaurant to the finish line.

The Edgewood Golf Course has one of the top restaurants in Tahoe. Located on the lake just a few blocks from our finish line. The 5K and the 10K runs through the lakefront fairways of the Edgewood and past the Restaurant. After you finish on Sunday you can walk up the beach to the Edgewood and drink and eat a great lunch in the golf club house and watch the remaining games on TV. You need reservations

Also at the Edgewood is Brooks Bar & Deck. A sports bar with great breakfasts and lunches and views about 4 or 5 blocks walk up the beach from the finish line after your race.

If you find a place on here you loved, tell me about it and will add it to the list.

Happy Trails!!

Les Wright, The Ring Master