Find Your Flavor: Nevada’s Signature Dishes
Las Vegas has long been a culinary capital, and Reno punches well above its weight with a vibrant cuisine scene. But foodie-focused adventures don’t end in our big cities: Amazing eats are easy to find all across the Silver State. Whether they’re only-found-here dishes or classics with a Nevada-style flair, your taste buds will delight in meeting some of our favorite flavors.
Our favorite Nevada eats, from Basque feasts to ice-cold treats
Basque Joints & Dinner Houses
When you come to Nevada, bring your appetite. That’s what the Basque did when they emigrated from their homeland on the border of Spain and France to the Great Basin. Not only did they influence northern Nevada’s heritage, they also forever changed its culinary culture. For a crash course on the delights of a Basque diet, look no further than a historic Basque dinner house.
Many Basque joints offer family-style seating, so be prepared to make new friends at your table as you share unlimited soup, salad, wine, and sides (including green beans and French fries) in between bites of chorizo, braised lamb shank, oxtail soup, and—if you’re adventurous—sweetbreads. Word from the wise: Go easy on the Picon Punches.
Don’t miss these favorites scattered across northern Nevada:
Travel Nevada Pro Tip
Not sure what to order at lunchtime? Order up a steak sandwich. Whether you’re at Toki Ona, The Star Hotel, or The Martin Hotel, they’re all different—and they’re all amazing. And if they ask, always load up on the garlic.
Chorizo Sandwiches
Yep, another Basque taste, but this Silver State staple absolutely deserves its own section. A classic Basque-style chorizo is made from chopped pork (instead of ground), which is then air-cured. You can enjoy this miraculous mixture as a sausage on a hoagie roll, or you can get it mixed with ground beef to form a patty featuring some serious personality—and a spicy kick.
For a traditional chorizo sandwich, you can’t go wrong at Carson City’s Villa Basque Café, Racks Bar & Grill in Ely, or Winnemucca’s historic Martin Hotel. To chow chorizo in burger form, head to Butcher’s Kitchen Char-B-Que or the barroom at Louis’ Basque Corner (both in Reno).
Best Burgers in Nevada
Sure, every state does burgers. Nevada just does ‘em better.
Up in our northern metro, Beefy’s whips up fresh and inventive burgers in a tiny tin building that arrived by train in 1947. Choose from classics or branch out with house specials like the Korean Burger (starring kimchi) and always-wild burgers of the month—including one topped with a lobster tail. Our advice? Come for the burgers but stay for the incredibly diverse beer selection.
If a burger in a living ghost town is more your speed, make tracks for the Pioneer Saloon—southern Nevada’s oldest and most haunted Sagebrush Saloon—located in the town of Goodsprings an hour from The Strip. In addition to a diverse menu that’ll satisfy any palette, daring diners should order the famous ghost burger, starring pepper jack cheese, jalapeño bacon, and spicy ghost pepper sauce.
You’ll find one of the state’s most famous burgers at one of its most remote restaurants: Middlegate Station, a real-deal roadhouse along the Loneliest Road in America. This delicious, triple-decker beast comes with 1 ⅓ pounds of Angus beef on a sourdough bun piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, cheese, peppers, and olives, and a gargantuan heap of fries. Successful challengers will walk away with a T-shirt and a lifetime’s worth of bragging rights, but if food conquests aren’t your thing, it’s still the perfect meal to order and share among friends.
Nevada-Proud Cocktails
It’s no secret: Nevadans know how to mix it up and put it down. Not only do casino-resorts and swanky lounges in Vegas and Reno serve up the best version of just about anything you’re thirsty for, but there are also a few unique, must-drink concoctions you’ll only find when you get a little out there.
Picon Punch
Nevada’s unofficial state cocktail—another culinary gift from the Basque Country—is traditionally composed of a spritz of grenadine, plenty of Torani Amer, a lemon twist, a splash of club soda (unless you order it “Elko style,” sans soda), and a stiff brandy floater, all served over ice in an Irish coffee glass. Order it at every Basque joint mentioned above, as well as at Machi’s Saloon in Elko, Bruno’s Country Club in Gerlach, and the Heydey Inn in Wellington.
Winnemucca Coffee
Everyone’s heard of Irish coffee, and there are certainly some great places to find it here— including the Genoa Bar & Saloon. But if you’re looking for a twist on the classic, spice up your joe with this variation, which includes brandy, anisette, and a lemon twist. This coffee cocktail was first poured by a Basque immigrant who became the proprietor of the 1863-built Winnemucca Hotel back in the 1960s. While the historic inn is no more, the cocktail lives on at the Martin Hotel in Winnemucca and Louis’ Basque Corner in Reno.
Nevada Martini
This “cocktail” is neither shaken nor stirred, but it does come with olives stuffed with garlic, hot peppers, or blue cheese, all of which sink to the bottom of your big frosty mug of…American lager. You’ll find this savory ale at Iggy & Squiggy’s Junction Bar at Holbrook Junction, located between Gardnerville and Topaz Lake.
Nevada-Made Spirits
Nevada is famous for its bars, clubs, and lounges, but recent years has seen home-grown liquor flourish into a notable industry. The adult beverage landscape is marked by award-winning distilleries, wineries, and craft operations—all of which warmly welcome thirsty visitors.
Make a spirited escape to Fallon, where the fifth-generation Nevada grain growers at Frey Ranch Farmers + Distillers produce strong, top-shelf bourbon on their historic ranch.
Of course, it’s not just grain that makes a great drink. Mead fans can order delicious cocktails made from the honey-based alcohol at Reno’s Black Rabbit Mead Co. or Pahrump’s Stonewise Mead & Cider. And if grapes are more your thing, Pahrump also features wineries that are less than an hour from Death Valley National Park.
And while Reno and Las Vegas are home to dozens of killer breweries, road trippers along the Free-Range Art Highway earn the pleasure of visiting Tonopah Brewing Company, where burgers, pizza, and sandwiches complement a stunning collection of craft beers.
Breakfast Classics & Diner Delights
Here in the Road Trip Capital of the USA, you’re never too far from a picture-perfect, small-town diner, where the retro vibes are almost as important as the classic comfort food on your plate.
If you rustle up an appetite while cruising the Cowboy Corridor, slide into a booth at The Griddle in Winnemucca for famous French toast and perfectly prepared omelets.
En route to exploring the state park-packed outdoor bliss around Caliente, stop in to load up on legendary chicken-fried steaks at the Knotty Pine Restaurant & Lounge or enjoy one of rural Nevada’s most diverse (and tastiest) menus at the Side Track.
Down in southern Nevada, enjoy downtown Boulder City’s frozen-in-time feel at the Coffee Cup Café, where house-made meatloaf, peanut butter pancakes, and a Bloody Mary or two grease the gears for a day exploring Hoover Dam on trails, on rails, and even on the water.
Big, Juicy Steaks
Perfectly cooked beef. Fresh, hefty salads and classic cocktails prepared tableside. Sides and toppings galore. The Silver State steakhouse experience simply can’t be topped. And that’s not to mention the exquisite service, quality cuts, and some of the coolest venues around.
In Las Vegas, settle into a Rat Pack favorite in the plush, red booths at the Golden Steer— reservations pretty much always required. For a swanky casino experience, check out Vic & Anthony’s in the Golden Nugget and Oscar’s Steakhouse at the Plaza Hotel Casino.
In Las Vegas, settle into the Rat Pack’s favorite plush, red booths at the Golden Steer; or embrace those vintage Vegas casino vibes at Vic & Anthony’s (in the Golden Nugget) and Oscar’s Steakhouse (in the Plaza), the latter of which is operated by a famous former mayor and mob attorney.
In Reno, you can’t beat the service and quality of The Steak House at Western Village and the Cactus Creek Prime Steakhouse, located in the Bonanza Casino.
Old-School Italian Eats
Sure, Nevada’s casino resorts boast countless four-star Italian bistros, but many of our top Italian experiences are humble, brick-and-mortar spots founded by immigrants that have offered the same great flavors for generations.
The midpoint between Reno and Sparks is home to Nevada’s oldest family-run restaurant, Casale’s Halfway Club. Since 1937, this establishment has used the same recipes on the very same wooden ravioli presses that John Casale brought from Italy in the 1920s.
It’s hard to road trip the Burner Byway and not stop at Bruno’s Country Club in Gerlach, the de facto gathering place for the small town’s residents and visitors since 1952. Although Bruno passed away at 94 in 2017, his legendary ravioli recipe lives on. We absolutely recommend popping into Bruno’s before any adventure in the Black Rock Desert.
Las Vegas-area favorite Bootlegger Italian Bistro moved to more modern digs in 2001, but the family who opened their restaurant in 1949 still whips up the famous old-country dishes that satisfied the cravings of the likes of Elvis, Liberace, Clark Gable, and Howard Hughes.
Sweet Treats & Desert Desserts
Reno and Las Vegas are replete with sweets—from hand-made chocolates to creative cupcakes and build-your-own flavor milkshakes (we’re looking at you, Scoopers). However, meander beyond the metros and you’ll find some tasty ways to treat your tastebuds while sweetening your journey.
In Boulder City, any day of hiking, biking, or kayaking earns a trip to Chilly Jilly’z, home of the world famous Dole Whip. Also found along the Neon to Nature road trip in Moapa Valley, The Inside Scoop promises massive banana splits after a day on Valley of Fire’s mesmerizing trails.
Death Valley Rally road trippers owe their bodies a respite at Seemore’s Ice Cream in Pahrump, which is the (self proclaimed) world’s tallest ice cream stand.
For a taste of the old days, you can’t go wrong with Steve’s Homemade Ice Cream in Fernley, featuring huge sundaes and rotating ice cream flavors. If you’re looking for something a bit more retro, party like it’s 1959 with throwback delights like malts and lime rickeys in the period-perfect Economy Drug & Old Fashioned Soda Fountain in Ely—red stools, checkered floors, and all.
