Best Lunch in Reno

From Bab to Vindaloo: 10Best Lunch Spots in Reno


Reno has a surprisingly varied selection of lunch spots that offer great menus, a variety of ethnic foods and mid-day specials. The best thing? Lunch in the Biggest Little City is very affordable. For around $12 you can fill up on everything from Indian and Korean food to vegetarian and East Coast wood fired pizza. Some of the best specials in town include the lunch buffet at India Kabab in Midtown or the lunch menu at Bangkok Cuisine just down the street. Other specials in the area can be had at the Stone House Cafe (with their beautiful garden) or at Great Full Gardens in both Midtown or in South Reno. If you want to keep it meatless or gluten-free, try Laughing Planet Cafe or Homegrown Gastropub in Midtown Reno. For business lunches Midtown Eats offers elegant little lunch plates and Twisted Fork offers farm fresh cuisine with a wonderful bar and wine selection.


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While KitzMo (located on the corner of Kietzke and Moana lanes) is not a fancy sushi restaurant, they do serve up some excellent sushi, teriyaki BBQ and even the cutest little bento boxes you can take with you. The restaurant's menu features the typical Nigiri and rolls that you see around town. The fish is really fresh and the chefs are quick and friendly. Specialty rolls include the Sierra Roll with Sierra Roll with spicy crab, salmon, lemon and teriyaki sauce, the Red Dragon with crystal shrimp, cucumber, spicy tuna and teriyaki sauce and the cooked Banzai Roll with crystal shrimp, crab, cucumber, ebi, mango, avocado sweet mayo sauce.

Recommended for Lunch because: KitzMo's AYCE lunch special comes with appetizers, soup and a dessert.

Christina's expert tip: KitzMo's AYCE menu includes appetizers and choice of dessert.

Read more about KitzMo Sushi, Teriyaki and Bento →


9
Southwest Reno

What really makes Reno's The Stone House stand out is their beautiful outdoor dining space and historical stone building, but this place is still for casual dining. The family run restaurant features fresh ingredients and every soup and sauce is made from scratch. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served every day as well as a fun happy hour with $5.50 small plates and cocktails. Menu items include the Stone House Crab Cakes with saffron lemon sauce ($14.99), the Spinach and Apple Salad ($10.25) or the odd, but delicious PB&J Bacon Burger ($13.75) with peanut butter, ligonberry jelly, smoked apple wood bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onions.

Recommended for Lunch because: The Stone House Cafe's outdoor deck is wonderful for summer lunchtime dining.

Christina's expert tip: Want breakfast for lunch? Breakfast at The Stone House is served until 4:00 every day.

Read more about The Stone House Cafe →


8
Southwest Reno

Twisted Fork in South Reno puts a spin on farm fresh cuisine. The restaurant's decor is borrowed from France, but the food has both a European and American flair. The lunch and dinner menu offer small (and shareable) plates like Kurobuta Pork Tacos with caramelized onions and chile morita salsa ($10), or the sumptuous Tiger Shrimp Tamal with garlic cream sauce, and avocado lime cilantro puree ($11). Larger dinner entrees include Cowboy Ribeye with fried egg, asparagus, mushroom & white cheddar mac & cheese with romesco sauce ($28). The delicious Espresso BBQ Burger comes with blue cheese crumbles and a pretzel bun ($12).

Recommended for Lunch because: Twisted Fork serves many of their dinner dishes for lunch.

Christina's expert tip: During the summer, Twisted Fork's fairy lit patio is open for dining.

Read more about Twisted Fork →


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An elegant and classic Thai decor will welcome you to this local favorite. This family run restaurant in Midtown serves authentic and delicious Thai food. They have the classics like Pad Thai and some excellent red, yell and green curry dishes. Their appetizers ilke Coconut Prawns, Shrimp Rangoons and Spring Rolls are excellent. The Bangkok Seafood Pot is also good with Fresh Crab, Cod fillets, Large Shrimp, Scallops, Calamari, pineapples and mushrooms, cooked with a chili sauce, coconut milk, lemon grass and kefir leaves. Save some room for dessert and get the Sticky Rice and Mango or Green Tea Ice Cream.

Recommended for Lunch because: Bangkok has weekday lunch specials with appetizer and salad for around $7.

Christina's expert tip: The Bangkok Cuisine in Midtown is the original. There is another restaurant south of town and a Bangkok Express in West Reno.

Read more about Bangkok Cuisine →


What started out as a popular food truck is now an even more popular mainstay breakfast, lunch and dinner spot in Midtown Reno. The locally owned Homegrown Gastropub serves up food and drinks made with the finest locally sourced ingredients. The gastropub specializes in gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, paleo, and earth-friendly dishes. For lunch check out their brick oven pizzas served with soup, salad or handmade relish and hand-cut fries. If you really love cheese, try the After School Special vegetarian grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of homemade tomato soup ($12). Homegrown's menu is also full of sandwiches and burgers and their bar serves creative cocktails at night.

Recommended for Lunch because: Homegrown Gastropub celebrates Northern Nevada farmers and ranchers with locally raised meat, eggs and veggies.

Christina's expert tip: The restaurant is small and has a tiny outdoor deck, so during popular times get there as soon as you can.

Read more about Homegrown Gastropub →


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This little place in Midtown, just south of downtown, serves up salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers and tacos during lunch and items such as Steak and Frite, Berkshire Pork Belly and Duck Confit during dinner. Their Sunday Brunch has Brioche French Toast, Huevos Rancheros, a Classic BLT, Fresh Squeezed Juice or Mimosa and Coffee from the Hub Coffee Roasters just down the street. The Atomic Burger is making a name for itself with its Habanero, Avocado and Charred Tomato Salsa and people are raving about the Tri-Tip or Snapper Tacos with Tomatillo Avocado Spread for $2 each. Most lunch items run about $10 each and dinner items run about $15-$24. Midtown Eats also serves up housemaid drinks such as the Chupacabra with Tequila Blanco, Chili Infused Ginger Liqueur and Watermelon.

Recommended for Lunch because: Midtown Eats serves casual, delicious food in a stylish environment.

Christina's expert tip: Midtown Eats is a cozy restaurant, so get there early if you can.

Read more about Midtown Eats →




India Kabab and Curry has become one of the most popular places for lunch in Reno. It's located just a few miles from downtown in the Midown area on Virginia Street. Their lunch buffet special is priced at $7.95 and their dinner menu items cost between $3.50 for appetizers and $10.95 for main dishes. The lunch buffet serves up salad, fresh fruit, rice, various meats in sauce and vegetables. There are some vegetarian options as well as a soup of the day. Some of the most popular items are the Chicken Tandoori, the Chicken Tikka Marsala, and the Murg Vindaloo. Some of the best items include the anise spiced carrots at the salad bar as well as the spicy mint sauce. There is usually a Pakora or a Samosa item as well. The interior is clean and colorful and the bar is beautifully decorated with warm colors and chic lanterns. The bathroom is one of the nicest of the smaller restaurants in town.

Recommended for Lunch because: For only $7.95 you can get an authentic Indian buffet lunch.

Christina's expert tip: The lunch buffet is very popular, get there early if you can.

Read more about India Kabab & Curry Restaurant →




Great Full Gardens Cafe & Eatery in MidTown Reno offers a casual and healthful menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a full coffee, beer and wine menu. The restaurant features items from local farms, vendors and their own greenhouse. The menu also caters to vegan, gluten-free and Paleo diets. For breakfast, try one of the Liege Belgian style waffles with fruit or eggs. The Elvis Liege waffle has bacon, sliced bananas and peanut butter drizzled with honey. For lunch or dinner Chef/Owner Gino's Totally Tomato soup goes well with the Paleo Lunch Bowl ($12.99-$14.99) with grilled chicken or wild salmon on a bed of kale, onions, broccoli, mushrooms and cabbage, sauteed in organic coconut oil. Other dishes include Wild Cod Tacos or Pizza ala Bismark.

Recommended for Lunch because: Great Full Gardens has a huge lunch menu with locally sourced produce and meat.

Christina's expert tip: Great Full Gardens makes all their own dressings which includes Cilantro Lime and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette.

Read more about Great Full Gardens →




Laughing Planet Cafe is a small regional chain that brings healthful, organic and sustainable food to the Midtown Reno area. Laughing Planet's menu is chock full of fresh vegetables in global dishes like their spicy Thai Bowl ($8), Cuban Bowl ($.7.50) and Southwestern Green Chile Burrito ($5.95). The restaurant also serves items like the Amaizin' Grace Quesadilla ($5.95) with Food Alliance certified corn, Tillamook jack cheese, mild green chiles, pico de gallo, and cilantro-pesto sauce or chimichurri sauce or the Highway to Kale KALE ($6.95) with fresh Lacinato kale tossed with Cotija cheese and organic carrots with a lemon-parsley vinaigrette and topped with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Laughing Planet has a great outdoor space for people watching and their indoor space features bicycle posters and toy dinosaurs you can play with while waiting for your food.

Recommended for Lunch because: Laughing Planet is popular for lunch, but the fresh food comes out fast.

Christina's expert tip: Laughing Planet also serves draft beer and great lemonade including an Arnold Palmer.

Read more about Laughing Planet Cafe →


1
Downtown

Bab is a traditional dish that means "meal" or "rice" in Korean. This contemporary and popular lunch spot in the Downtown area serves a healthy version of the rice bowl. Choose from Bibim-bab, a bowl of rice or noodles topped with vegetables, sauce, and your choice of meat or items like sushi, kimchi or Korean sweet and spicy chicken wings. The tangy Bokkum-Bab contains Korean spicy cabbage and fried rice with pork. Each of the bowls are around $10 each and drinks like tea or soda will run you another $3. Bab has plenty of seating on both the inside and their patio. Check out their wall of Korean cookbooks.

Recommended for Lunch because: Bab's fresh bowls are delicious and the simple, contemporary decor is very relaxing for a leisurely or quick lunch.

Christina's expert tip: Bab now has two locations. One in Downtown and another next to the Cinemark theater in South Reno.

Read more about Bab Cafe →


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Meet Christina Nellemann

Christina has lived in the Reno/Lake Tahoe area since she was a baby. A first-generation Nevadan, her Danish parents instilled in her an intense love of travel and the wild, rugged outdoors...  More About Christina

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