Best Breakfast in South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is a popular vacation destination known for its beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. The area also offers a variety of dining options, from casual eateries to fine dining restaurants. If you are a breakfast lover, there are so many options for a hearty breakfast before you hit the slopes. Read on for the best breakfast options in South Lake Tahoe!
1. Ernie’s Cafe
Ernie’s Cafe is a South Lake Tahoe staple with an enormous menu and efficient staff. Ernie’s is a cozy diner with lots of natural light and a tried and true system to get diners in and out quickly. Try the crispy waffles or the Huevos Ernesto. It’s like Huevos Rancheros but with added shredded beef.
Ernie’s has its own parking lot but since it’s one of the most popular restaurants in South Lake, be prepared to wait 30-45 minutes for a table on the weekends.
Address: 1207 Emerald Bay Rd South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
2. Heidi’s Pancake House
Decorated like a Swiss chalet, Heidi’s is another staple in the South Lake Tahoe community. The star here is the stacks of pancakes but they also have some amazing omelets and crepes. Overall, it is a great breakfast place with a clean and functional layout.
Heidi’s has ample parking in front of the restaurant.
Address: 3485 Lake Tahoe Blvd South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
3. Getaway Cafe
The Getaway Cafe is such a charming spot right next to Highway 50 that leads to Tahoe to the north and a beautiful mountainside to the south! Getaway Cafe is located in Meyers and is probably the newest restaurant addition in South Lake. This cafe has phenomenal chorizo, eggs benedict, and as well as a selection of unique French toast dishes.
They have a lovely patio as well as indoor seating. The bathrooms are clean and there is ample parking, although, like the other restaurants on this list, the weekends are busy!
Address: 3140 Hwy 50 Meyers, CA 96155
4. Bert’s Cafe
Bert’s Cafe is a classic diner with hearty breakfast dishes that South Lake Tahoe locals congregate at. Located in South Lake just off Highway 50, Bert’s is a small space that gets crowded daily! The menu is quite extensive but we definitely recommend going for items that are made in-house such as biscuits & gravy, sausage patties, etc.
Don’t forget the hot chocolate with whipped cream!
Address: 1146 Emerald Bay Rd South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
5. Free Bird Cafe
If you drive by this unassuming little green cafe make sure to stop! Freebird’s homemade chai is completely different, on par with high-end coffee shops in the city.
Try the everything bagels with cream cheese and açaí bowls. They also serve regular lattes, chai lattes, and smoothies!
Address: 2753 Lake Tahoe Blvd South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
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6. Crazy Good Bakery
Known for its fresh baked goods, this spot has a few tables or you can grab and go! Over our time visiting Crazy Good Bakery we’ve had the quiche, breakfast bagels, coffee, cinnamon rolls (HUGE!), croissants, and blueberry lemon cake.
It’s a popular spot with locals and has a warm cozy welcoming vibe.
A favorite though? The lemon blueberry Danish. It’s soft with a sweet glaze on top with a tart lemon curd cream cheese filling and blueberries on top.
Address: 2040 Dunlap Dr South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
7. Maggie’s
Tucked away at the Desolation Hotel is a fairly new restaurant called Maggie’s. Maggie’s offers upscale food and a cozy but beautiful setting. Their simple menu features fresh ingredients, strong portions, and well-seasoned plates.
Try the raspberry french toast or the Osso Bucco chilaquiles!
Maggie’s is pet friendly and allows dogs on their patio but make sure to call to confirm this policy still exists.
Be sure to make a reservation due to the limited capacity except on the weekends they only take dinner reservations so breakfast and lunch are first come first serve.
Address: 933 Poplar St Desolation Hotel South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
8. Ameca Bakery
If you need a quick option, head to Panaderia Ameca near Heavenly. They sell Mexican sweet bread “pan dulce” and have a wide variety of options. The bakery is self-serve and to the right they have glass cabinets holding all the pastries.
Parking is tricky but we recommend checking the area to the left of the bakery for open spots.
Address: 1168 Emerald Bay Rd South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
9. Freel Perk Cafe
Freel Perk Cafe is a newer coffee shop near Meyers, CA. They have everything from smoothies to chilaquiles to breakfast burritos. We love Freel Perk because you can order online for pickup or you can relax on their patio and have a leisurely breakfast.
Our favorite breakfast here is the acai bowl, which is essentially a smoothie bowl with granola and fruit on top.
During their busy hours, parking is nearly impossible since this coffee shop shares parking with several other businesses.
Address: 3141 Hwy 50 South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
10. Tahoe Bagel
Tahoe Bagel flavors are delicious and their cream cheese is so good. The bagels are moist and fluffy plus they offer bagel sandwiches and freshly made lattes. Try the oatmeal coffee latte which is perfectly sweet.
Tahoe Bagel also offers specialty bagel sandwiches. It also has plenty of parking which makes it a must-try for us!
Address: 1018 Al Tahoe Blvd South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
