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 Cheeseburger at Ryan’s Saloon
Duncan Mitchell took over a Wells Avenue institution and quietly turned it into one of the best bar kitchens in Reno. The burger will make you a regular. The fries will make you stay.
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.
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.
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.