Every great food city has its secret handshakes — the dish you have to try, the bar you have to find, the thing locals keep to themselves. Until now. These are ours. Ten of them.
Go find them.
The Italian Sando
Deli Towne USA in Reno has been building the Italian sub on fresh Dutch crunch bread since 1993 — hand-sliced meats, 14 Best of Northern Nevada wins, and a line out the door that moves at its own pace. Order online and thank yourself later.
The Chancla
The Chancla at Ana's Taco Grill in Reno is a thick masa shell loaded with chorizo, carne asada, al pastor, Oaxaca cheese and grilled onions — one of the most celebrated bites on the Wells Avenue corridor. Served with a three-salsa tray and enough habanero heat to make your abuela proud.
The Penicillin Cocktail
Death & Taxes in Reno is the best cocktail bar in Northern Nevada — a dark, atmospheric speakeasy serving a brown butter Penicillin alongside one of the most serious spirits lists in the region. Pappy Van Winkle flights, Louis XIII by the ounce, and a room you won't want to leave.
Chicken Karaage (of the Gods)
Haru in South Reno is the city's closest thing to having a Little Tokyo — chicken karaage, gyudon rice bowls, yakitori and black ramen from an Osaka-born kitchen that brings genuine Japanese spirit to every plate. A trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, without the jet lag.
Fondue and a View…
The Idle Hour in South Lake Tahoe is the best place to watch a sunset at Lake Tahoe — a lakefront wine bar with a panoramic deck directly above the water, a Wine Spectator Award-winning wine list, and fondue that gives you a reason to stay until the stars come out.
AL 100 Torta
Beline Carniceria in Lemmon Valley Reno serves the AL 100 Torta — asada, chorizo, ham, bacon, chipotle mayo, queso fresco and avocado on traditional telera bread. One of the best tortas in Reno and a North Valleys hidden gem worth the drive.
The Awful Awful
The Awful Awful Burger is a Reno icon born in 1954 — two quarter-pound patties, secret sauce, and a mountain of fries that defined a city for nearly 70 years. Still alive at Baldini's Casino in Sparks and the Carson City Nugget. Some things are too good to stay gone.
Picon Punch
Picon Punch is Nevada's official cocktail and a cornerstone of Basque culture in the American West — found at Basque restaurants throughout Nevada and now protected by Reno's Ferino Distillery, which produces the original Amer recipe. The most iconic drink in the Biggest Little City.
Scampi at The Copenhagen
Copenhagen Bar in Sparks Nevada serves shrimp scampi every Friday at 5pm — cooked to order on a hot plate by owner Doug Quilici, whose family has run this neighborhood institution since 1949. One of the best kept secrets in the Reno-Tahoe dining scene. Cash only.