10Best Restaurants and Cafes in Lake Tahoe: From Casual to Elegant

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Photo courtesy of Cottonwood

Cottonwood

Item: Cottonwood
Author: Christina Nellemann

Cuisine: American, California, New American

Price Range: $$

10Best Says

Eat indoors or on the restuarant's beautiful patio. They have all kinds of dishes to seduce your taste buds. Choose between crispy Baby Back Ribs grilled with jerk spice, and served with house made barbecue sauce or Jerk-spiced Fried Rock Prawns with Cajun tartar sauce. Order a Braised free Range Rabbit Cassoulet with Andouille sausage, garlic, rosemary and white beans, or simply opt for a Cheeseburger with waffle fries. Here, the wine and beer lists are extensive. The Cottonwood is filled with skiing and railroad memorabilia from Truckee's days as a railroad town, this casual restaurant, bar, and lounge provides customers with great views of Truckee, charming ambiance, and lovingly-prepared Californian-American fare.

Address:

Old Brockway Rd
Truckee, CA 96145
530-587-5711

Hours:

Daily 5:30pm-Close

Website:

cottonwoodrestaurant.com

EXPERT TIPS BY: Christina Nellemann
Reno and Tahoe Local Expert

Outdoor Dining, Steakhouses, Group Friendly, Best Restaurants, Truckee's Best Restaurants: "The bar of the Cottonwood can get crowded and rowdy on Friday and Saturday nights. This is not a quiet and romantic restaurant."

Best for Outdoor Dining Because: You can see the entire town of Truckee from the deck of the Cottonwood.
Best for Steakhouses Because: The Cottonwood's grass-fed beef burgers are pretty divine. Combine one with one of their custom cocktails.
Best for Group Friendly Because: The Cottonwood dining room has large round tables for groups. The bar is great for chatting.
Recommended as Best Restaurants Because: The views of Truckee at night are great all year long.
Best for Truckee's Best Restaurants Because: The Cottonwood has a friendly bar and staff. The view is great all year long.