Food Worth a Drive in Nevada: Basque Dinners and Diners

Food worth a drive in Nevada is rarely on the Strip. The state's best road trip meals are in small towns along Interstate 80 and Highway 50, where Basque hotels, steakhouses and roadside diners have fed ranchers, miners and travelers for more than a century. A family-style Basque dinner in Reno is the place to begin.

What makes food worth a drive in Nevada?

Distance is the first answer. Nevada is mostly open desert and ranch land, and towns are far apart. A restaurant that survives in a place like that usually does so by being good and by knowing its neighbors. The result is a state with a surprisingly strong tradition of old-fashioned dinner houses.

Plan the route before you leave. Fill up on fuel, pack water and download a map, because cell coverage drops between towns. A long drive across the Great Basin is part of the story, and the meal at the end is the reward.

The landscape is part of the appetite. Long valleys, dry lake beds and ranges that change color through the afternoon make the drive memorable, and a dinner at a table full of strangers at the end of it feels earned. Many visitors say the Basque meal is the highlight of a northern Nevada trip, and the people who run these houses are proud to explain it.

Where can you eat Basque food in Nevada?

Basque food Nevada style is served family style, at long tables, often with a set menu that includes soup, salad, beans, bread, an entree and a dessert. Basque families came to the state as sheepherders, and the boarding houses they built became restaurants.

In Winnemucca, a Basque hotel is a well-known stop. In Elko, a long-running Basque hotel is a major draw, and in Reno a long-time Basque restaurant serves family-style dinners. Seating styles differ from place to place, so call ahead, and ask whether you will share a long table with strangers, which is half the point.

Which Reno restaurants are worth a visit?

Reno restaurants offer a gentle introduction to the state. A long-time Basque dining room is the classic choice in the city. Beyond that, the city has a growing downtown dining scene, with breweries, coffee shops and bistros.

Reno is also a good base for a drive south. The city sits at the foot of the Sierra, and the mountains give it a different feel from the desert towns to the east. A morning in a downtown cafe, a walk along the river and a Basque dinner make a satisfying day before the long drive begins. Carson City has a Basque cafe known for its chorizo sandwich, and Gardnerville has a Basque bar and dining room. Both are reachable within an hour or so.

What are Nevada small town steakhouses like?

Nevada small town steakhouses are simple and generous. Nevadans drive hours to small town steakhouses just for the ribeye, and many of them are Basque. The pattern is clear: a bar up front, a dining room behind and a menu built around beef.

Expect friendly service and large portions. Reservations are a good idea on weekends, and calling ahead is wise because small restaurants may close on certain days. Bring an appetite and leave room for pie. Tables in these rooms are often shared with ranchers, road crews and families, and the conversation is half the evening. Ask the server about the house specialty, and accept the offer of a second helping of bread.

Which Nevada Highway 50 diners should you know?

Highway 50 crosses central Nevada and is nicknamed the Loneliest Road in America. A remote steak and burger stop on the road is close to a rite of passage for Highway 50 drivers.

Services along the road are few. Stop when you can, eat when you can and fill the tank at every opportunity. Pack a cooler with water, fruit and sandwiches so that a closed cafe does not turn into a hungry afternoon. The towns along the road are small, and a friendly word at the counter often turns up the best advice for the next stretch. Roadside diners here are modest, and the rewards are the quiet and the scenery as much as the food.

How do you order a Basque dinner?

Arrive hungry. A typical Basque dinner begins with soup and salad, followed by beans, pasta or potatoes, bread and an entree such as lamb, chicken, steak or oxtail. Dessert and coffee close the meal. Dishes arrive in bowls and platters that you pass around the table.

Picon punch, a bittersweet orange cocktail, is a traditional drink. Ask the server how the evening works, since customs vary. Share the table with other guests if you are seated with strangers.

What other tips help on a Nevada food drive?

Weather matters. Summer is hot, and winter can bring snow to the passes. Watch for wildlife on the road at dusk, especially deer and livestock. Keep the tank above half.

Hours in small towns change, so call ahead. A closed kitchen after a four-hour drive is a bad surprise, and a phone call is a cheap precaution.

Where can you read more?

For another take on Basque cooking, read the Boise Basque Block guide. For the city side of Nevada, see the Las Vegas Arts District restaurants guide or the best ramen in Las Vegas. The US guides page lists more places.

How do you remember a Basque dinner after the long drive?

Dinner houses fade from memory unless you write them down. In the Mosey app you rate each dinner you eat in Elko, Winnemucca and Reno by the dish, with a note on the soup and the pie, and build a Nevada list for the next trip.

Add the Group Dining tag to the long-table dinners, and share the list's invite link with the friends you drove with. Rate your next dinner in the Mosey app.