It’s no secret that Las Vegas and Reno go big on over-the-top luxury dining and exquisite all-you-can-eat extravaganzas. But you can also count on the rest of the Silver State’s cities and towns to show up when it counts.
Whether you’re chasing down the best burgers in Reno or swapping travel tales over milkshakes at a Nevada diner, backcountry café, or burger joint, you’re sure to sink your teeth into some serious Silver State flavor to savor.
From sizzling patties and off-the-griddle favorites to decadent pies and homemade milkshakes, these eateries serve up unforgettable flavors all across the state.
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If you’re kicking off your tasty tour up north, start with some of the best burgers in Reno, then eat your way around the rest of the region.
Small-but-mighty Beefy’s is a MidTown Reno favorite offering one-of-a-kind burgers, loaded hot dogs, and a beer menu featuring some of the rarest selections in town—all squeezed into an old-school, kit-assembled, tin-walled American diner that arrived by train in the 1940s. In downtown Reno, Royce specializes in smash burgers (and killer cocktails) that can’t be beat, while Scoopers Drive-In over in neighboring Sparks serves juicy burgers, hot sandwiches, and thousands of possible milkshake flavor combos served with a side of nostalgia you can only get through a walk-up window.
When you head east on Interstate 80 (backbone of the Cowboy Corridor road trip), roadside diner delights await in every town. In Fernley, Mary & Moe’s Wigwam has been fueling folks with magical milkshakes and classic Americana fare since 1927. Temptations in Lovelock lives up to its name, thanks in part to its salads, paninis, and more than a dozen flavors of ice cream. The Griddle in Winnemucca does real-deal retro diner vibes right with high-end flavors that wouldn’t be out of place in a Manhattan bistro—don’t miss the raspberry crepes or pecan-crusted French toast. In Battle Mountain, the Owl Club has been luring hungry travelers off the highway for decades with their hearty burgers, steaks, huge salads, and a little of everything else.
From Elko, head north toward remote, rugged Jarbidge, where The Outdoor Inn serves burgers, hand-churned ice cream, and butterscotch milkshakes that’ll feel well-earned after the long, dusty drive. Or, you could head south for Ely, an anchor of the Loneliest Road in America (Highway 50). Treat yourself to a tasty, 1950s-style time warp at Economy Drug & Soda Fountain, home to hand-mixed malts and some of the best sandwiches in town.
Back west, against the shores of Walker Lake, more bite-worthy burgs abound. Bighorn Crossing is a perfect pit stop with its culinary confluence of American and Korean cuisine—culminating in their mouthwatering Seoul Burger—refreshing coffee drinks, and Italian sodas. Best of all, its patio doubles as one of the best spots in the state to watch bighorn sheep crisscrossing the desert hills surrounding the lake.
Just down the Free-Range Art Highway in Hawthorne, Pepper’s Place pleases patrons with never-frozen burgers, crisp fries, and all the walk-up window “50s food” classics—with a backdrop of beautiful mountains at every patio table.
Tucked between Fallon and Austin on the Loneliest Road in America, Middlegate Station feels straight from its 1860s early days when the Pony Express first thundered through. In 1900, the opening of the Lincoln Highway spurred it to become the fabled roadhouse it is today. Part bar, part café, part living scrapbook, this weathered, wooden Sagebrush Saloon—one of Nevada’s most famous—welcomes road-trippers, ranchers, bikers, and anyone else craving cold beverages and something hearty off a menu spanning breakfast, hot sandwiches, fried sides, ribeye steaks, and more.
It’s also home to one of Nevada’s most mythical burgers: the Middlegate Monster, and the famous challenge that lurks along with it. This 3.5-pound behemoth stands 7.5 inches tall and features cheese-draped Angus beef adorned with all the fixings—including two olive-and-onion-ring eyes, a pepperoncini nose, and a stuck-out tomato tongue—all atop a ferocious pile of fries.
Slay this entire burger beast and you’ll be on your way with a brand new commemorative T-shirt and a sense of pride nearly as full as your belly.
It’s not just northern Nevada that offers a diverse diner scene. The southern slice of the Silver State brings plenty to the table, too.
Step off The Strip and into retro diner heaven at the Peppermill Las Vegas, a neon 1970s icon where mirrored ceilings, flaming fireplaces, and technicolor cocktails set the mood. Grab a booth and dive into a towering stack of pancakes or a New York steak—even at 4 a.m., if that’s how your weekend’s going. Then slide into the Fireside Lounge for a 64-ounce Scorpion Bowl or Key Lime Pie Martini in the center of all the action. With vibes like these, it’s no wonder this Vintage Vegas landmark is a featured setting in countless films and TV shows.
About 40 minutes southwest of Las Vegas, the time-tested, tin-stamped Pioneer Saloon is a regional go-to for gastronomic goodness in the heart of Goodsprings Ghost Town. Start your day with flapjacks and local eggs. For lunch or dinner, chow down on smoky BBQ plates, hot sandwiches, and more than a dozen burgers. Or simply belly up to southern Nevada’s oldest saloon and sip spirits as the bartender shares the stories behind the bullet holes in the wall, Clark Gable’s cigar burns on the bartop, otherworldly encounters, and more.
Turn back time by heading to the retro community of Boulder City, first established as a planned community for thousands of workers who built Hoover Dam. Grab breakfast at the Coffee Cup Café or Southwest Diner, bite into bad guy-themed burgers at The Dillinger, and be sure to get your hands on frozen yogurt, milkshakes and malts—and especially the legendary Dole Whip—at Chilly Jilly’z Bakery & Cafe before you hit the road.
Nevada diners also dot any drive north of Las Vegas. In Overton, The Inside Scoop caps off a day exploring Valley of Fire State Park with house-made ice cream, thick shakes, banana splits, and other treats alongside American diner classics for lunch and dinner. Farther up the Great Basin Highway in Pioche, the Historic Silver Café serves three meals a day (including amply adorned burgers) inside a historic building built in 1901.
Sure, each Nevada diner in every town has its own flavor. But certain ones have earned a special kind of bragging right: taking Guy Fieri straight to Flavortown.
In northern Nevada, he hit plenty of Reno icons. At Louis’ Basque Corner, he called the rabbit stew and oxtail bourguignon “a flavor tour of the Basque country.” The Gold ’N Silver Inn is home to mouthwatering lemonade pork chops, and Noble Pie Parlor’s double-fried wings pack “more flavor in one than most do in a dozen.” Several miles south at Butcher’s Kitchen Char-B-Que, the tender rib tips and a provolone-topped filet mignon sandwich blew him away.
Remember the Coffee Cup Café back down south in Boulder City? Well, Guy did, too—after years of driving past it—and finally stopped in, promptly declaring two things: that the pork chili verde omelet is “the bomb,” and also that he sincerely regretted not visiting this world-class Nevada diner sooner. In Las Vegas, Guy has inducted at least a dozen destinations into Triple D Nation. In his recipe book, John Mull’s Meats & Road Kill Grill cooks up the “best barbecue in Vegas,” Fat Choy’s pork belly bao buns are “the real deal,” and Four Kegs still serves the best stromboli in town—just like it did in his college days.
Travel Nevada Pro Tip
Chasing down more Flavortown faves? Check out the full list of Nevada restaurants featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” on the Food Network website.
#TravelNevada
Whether you’re seeking roadside diner vibes or attempting to chomp through a Middlegate Monster, tag #TravelNevada so we can munch vicariously through you. If your pic makes us drool, look for it here.
