064_Sierra CountyDining_NCG_2015_064_SC-Dining_2015 6/23/15 4:56 PM Page 64
EAT & DRINK
S I E R R A
C O U N T Y
D I N I N G
GREAT MEALS WITH A
POSITIVE ALTITUDE
BASSETT’S STATION: Highway 49 and Gold Lake Road, 5
miles east of Sierra City. (530) 862-1297. Good home cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Traditional breakfasts till
11 am. Famous hamburgers, "Old Fashioned" milk shakes, ice
cream. bassetts-station.com
By Mark Winkler
I
F YOU’VE EXPERIENCED SIERRA County,
you’ve already found what people stuck
in traffic jams at Lake Tahoe are looking
for: Sierra Nevada paradise! But with so
much hiking, swimming, boating, fishing,
running, skiing, snowboarding, biking and
hammock-swinging to do, everyone is
bound to get hungry. You might be concerned that restaurants in the “quiet” part
of paradise could be lacking in variety or
quality, but take a moment to review our
dining guide and your worries will be quickly set aside. I don’t know about you, but
when I’m in the mountains I get hungry just
thinking about places with “cabin,” “pines”
or “moose” in the name, as my mind turns
Red Moose Inn & Cafe
to “hearty” and “old-fashioned.” But I also
have a warm spot in my heart for Mexican
cuisine, so I keep an eye out for names containing words like “cocina” and “hermanos” too. My high-mountain idea of a
good time is to compare and contrast the
ambiance and grace notes of dishes from
Philosophy Café and Rhonda’s Lil’ Frosty. Now
that’s adventure, Sierra County gastropodstyle! Herrington’s in Sierra City is a perfect
example of a restaurant with an intriguing
and well-rounded menu, including rainbow
trout so fresh, on your way in you can
watch your dinner swimming in the pond
out front! Also in town is the popular Red
Moose Café, where they typify Sierra County
hospitality by catering to backpackers who
are making their way along the Pacific Crest
Trail–in fact they even accept PCT hiker
packages and hold them for free! Or enjoy
a meal where the locals eat and locally
grown, all natural beef will tempt your taste
buds–The Golden West Hotel, Restaurant &
Saloon in Loyalton. We know you can get
hungry any time of day and the good ne ws
is there are also great breakfast spots, bakeries and places to outfit memorable picnics,
so bring your appetite and stay a while in
Sierra County.
Rhonda’s
Lil Frosty
GOLDEN WEST HOTEL, RESTAURANT & SALOON: 711
Main St, Loyalton. (530) 993-4467. Everything from cheese
sandwiches to Prime Rib. Locally grown, all natural beef.
Sunday–Thursday 11:30 am - 8 pm; Friday–Saturday
10:30–9. Summer Hours: close at 9 pm everyday.
HERRINGTON’S SIERRA PINES RESORT: 104 Main Street,
Sierra City. (800) 682-9848, (530) 862-1151. Breakfast 8 - 11
am, dinner 5 - 8:30 pm, mid-May until mid-October seven
days a week. Menu includes certified Angus beef, wild
Mexican Shrimp, fresh rainbow trout from the pond. Full bar.
herringtonssierrapines.com
LA COCINA DE ORO TAQUERIA: 322 Main Street,
Downieville. (530) 289-3584. Authentic, flavorful Mexican cuisine using fresh, organic produce from local producers, (when
possible.) Open Thurs–Sat 11–8; Sun 11–5. Check for summer hours. Patio dining overlooking the Downie River.
LOS DOS HERMANOS: 101 Batelle Street St., Sierraville.
(530) 994-1058. Fine Mexican dining. Many specialties
including carne asada, carnitas, lamb shank stew, burritos,
tostadas, chimichangas, enchiladas, rellenos etc. Open 11 am
- 8 pm (9 pm weekends.) Starting Memorial Day open 7 days
a week from 11 am - 9 pm for the summer.
PHILOSOPHY CAFÉ AT SIERRA HOTSPRINGS: 521
Campbell Hot Springs Rd, Sierraville, CA. (530) 994-3773.
Gourmet organic cuisine. Serving dinners Friday - Monday
from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Dinner menu varies weekly.
RED MOOSE CAFE AND INN: 224 Main St, Sierra City, CA.
(530) 862-1024. Serving breakfast and lunch Thursday–Tuesday 7 am–2 pm, Sunday 8 am–2 pm. Closed
Wednesday. Happy hours during summer. Also on Facebook!
facebook.com/redmoosecafe; redmoosecafe.com
RHONDA’S LIL FROSTY: 319 Main St., Loyalton. (530) 9931192. Small-diner, local flavor. Pork tenderloin, cod baskets,
burgers, milkshakes, soft serve ice cream. Outdoor seating.
Open seasonally 6 days 11 am - 7 pm. Closed Thursday.
SARDINE LAKE RESORT: Gold Lake Road, Lakes Basin.
(530) 862-1196. Reservations. Lakeside dining - cabins - boat
rentals. American cuisine featuring prime rib, steaks, chicken
and seafood. Full bar and gazebo overlooking the lake. Dining
and Bar open Wed–Sun. Bar at 5 pm and 7 pm. Open
Wed–Sun mid-May–mid-Oct. sardinelakeresort.com
SIERRA COUNTRY STORE: 213 Main St., Sierra City (530)
862-1560. Breakfast burritos, fresh deli sandwiches, cheeseburgers and pizzas. Groceries, meats, produce, beer, wine,
liquor, camping/fishing supplies. Free Wifi.
sierracountrystore.com
Herrington’s Sierra Pines Resort
64 N E V A D A C O U N T Y G O L D
SIERRA VALLEY LODGE: 103 Main Street, Calpine, CA.
(530) 562-7051. Menu features grilled steaks and fish from
local purveyors along with seasonal specialities, specialty
BBQ’s and pig roasts all summer long. Bar open Tuesday 3
pm–close. Wed–Fri bar opens at 3 (with happy hour bar food)
and restaurant open 5–9 pm. Saturday/Sunday bar open 10
am–close; restaurant open 10 am–2 pm for brunch and 5–9
pm for dinner. sierravalleylodge.net