In our country, Independence Day barbeques and grill-outs with family and friends can often lead us to abandon our diets in favor of unhealthy (albeit delicious) items like burgers, steaks, hot dogs, and desserts in just about every combination of red, white, and blue. And while a little bit of indulgence isn’t so bad every once in awhile, there’s something about July 4th and other holidays that tends to make us go overboard.
If you’re feeling that post-holiday eating guilt during your time in the Lake Tahoe area, never fear; our hometown has plenty of healthy, clean, and light options to help you make up for over-doing it on the sweets and meats! Here are some of the best healthy Lake Tahoe restaurants!
Eat a Little Too Much over Independence Day? Give Your Body a Break with Lighter Fare
Located right on the southern end of Lake Tahoe itself, Freshies Restaurant treats patrons to a gorgeous lake view and an abundance of healthful and flavorful dishes. With a vegetarian- and vegan-friendly menu that gives diners the choice of gluten-free, wheat-free, and celiac diet options, just about anyone can find something delicious and nutritious to eat here. Try fantastic items like red curry with ahi, seaweed salad, homemade gazpacho, and grilled Portobello mushrooms with red curry.
Not far from Freshies Restaurant, you’ll find Sprouts Café on the southern shore of Lake Tahoe as well. Specializing in healthy dishes with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, Sprouts Café offers up incredible dishes like the hummus melt (which is basically a gourmet grilled cheese, only on a bagel topped with avocado, hummus, and Monterey jack cheese) and the tempeh burro (an enormous tortilla made from spinach and filled with tempeh, tahini, brown rice, guacamole, and more). Top off your meal with one of their famous smoothies.
On the northern side of the lake in the town of Truckee, the Red Truck Café is uniquely situated in the Truckee Airport. Despite its unusual location, this restaurant’s menu is far from your typical airport fare. Instead, you can enjoy organic and sustainably-grown meals ranging from falafel and samosas to chicken tikka masala, quinoa, and tacos with tzatziki sauce. The menu changes daily, and you just might catch their easily recognizable red food truck driving around Lake Tahoe!
Also located in Truckee is Manzanita, a restaurant tucked inside of the Ritz-Carlton at the Northstar ski resort. Perfect for a fancy night out of healthy eating, Manzanita uses fresh and locally-grown ingredients to create beautiful dishes that will satisfy your taste buds and treat your stomach kindly. Handmade tagliatelle pasta with heirloom eggplant and ricotta, beet and burrata salad, and Bordeaux short rib that has been braised for twelve hours are all delectable dinner items at Manzanita. Finish with a dessert of pumpkin soufflé and butter pecan ice cream—a small indulgence after a healthy meal.
If you’re more interested in vegan fare than other options, Simple Bliss in the South Lake Tahoe area will be the place for you. Situated in the Swiss Chalet Village, the restaurant’s culinary creations are made of locally-grown organic produce. In spite of its vegan status, the menu has a wide variety of options. Recommended dishes include the homemade lentil burger, the blissful breakfast bagel, and the grilled eggplant Panini on sourdough bread.
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Contact our team of reservation specialists to find out more information on these healthy Lake Tahoe restaurants and other delightful places to visit during your time in Lake Tahoe when you reserve your stay in one of our picturesque vacation rental properties today!
