Keeping you informed of Northern Nevada and Tahoe/Truckee’s local food-and-drink news.
One of the best aspects of fall is how it combines so much of what we love. We haven’t fully switched gears from patio dining and cool cocktails, but we’re also embracing cozier spaces to hole up in and enjoy the coming cold weather. One day you can be soaking up the sun, and the next you’re wondering which restaurants have fireplaces. Fortunately, Reno-Tahoe has all this and more, for whatever fall vibes you’re feeling. Here’s the latest news.
Openings
Whether it’s recently opened or just about to, you’ll find the info here! We have plenty of new places to sip and savor this fall in the region.
Tallinn Creperia flew under the radar when it debuted in March in the Spanish Springs Town Centre. The Estonian-style crêperie serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner most days. Stop in for sweet and savory crêpes, Belgian waffles, and fries.
Just across the street, Golden Tea Café in Sparks opened on March 18. In addition to Taiwanese boba tea, Golden Tea also sells espresso, Vietnamese coffee, and soft-serve yogurt.
Wine bars are having a moment in Reno. Belleville Wine Bar opened on June 8 on Fifth Street in Downtown Reno (formerly a Starbucks). The charming space has a Parisian aesthetic, named for the Belleville neighborhood in Paris. In addition to sommelier-chosen wines, the bar also serves delicious artisan small plates. The wine bar’s ambience is inspired by international flavors and blue birds. Stop by to give it a try Wednesdays through Sundays.
Great Basin Brewing Co. is expanding its empire by opening a brewpub in Minden this fall. Customers will find the business’ award-winning craft beer, food, and locally produced Park Ranch Meats — a gourmet food and butcher shop. The new space, at 1573 Hwy. 395, will include a large outdoor patio with mountain views, a fire pit, and outdoor games.
The Cheese Board opened a second location on Aug. 8. The popular lunch spot — serving sandwiches, salads, charcuterie, wine, and more — is part of the Meadow Creek shopping center in South Reno, across from Reno Ice on Wedge Parkway.
Silk Road International Market opened its doors on Plumb Lane in Reno in April, specializing in Turkish, Persian, and Afghani fare. In addition to fresh kebabs and other delicacies cooked to order, patrons can peruse international treats and spices on the specialty grocer’s shelves.
The Sticks in Midtown Reno gained a new tenant. After Whispering Vine Wine Co. closed its Midtown location in April, Atlas Landing moved in. Officially opened in May, the spot has both new owners and new management. While wine still is served by the glass and bottle, there is a heavier focus on cocktails. Snacks and charcuterie also are available.
Beloved’s Bread is opening a brick-and-mortar location in Reno’s Shoppers Square. While it’s near the Reno Public Market, the storefront will not be part of food hall but rather a neighbor. Team members are hard at work getting the doors open for the public, and they are hopeful to be serving patrons before the end of the year.
When Neil and Dalice Cavanagh launched Reno Roots Kava Bar on March 14 on North Virginia Street in Reno, they intended to sell plant-based kava tea inside a coconut shell as it is commonly served in the Pacific Islands. However, they ran into a major snag. Though the holistic alternative to alcohol is sold in establishments throughout the nation, rules governing the supplement haven’t been designated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Each county can govern its use, and Washoe County health officials chose to mandate that it only be sold in supplement form. To work around the rule, the Cavanaghs now have customers mix the kava extract — which is referred to as nature’s Xanax — in water themselves. Reno Roots Kava Bar also serves ayurvedic infusions, loose-leaf tea blends, and a wide variety of boba milk teas.
Two hours north of Reno in Chester, a charming California town near Lake Almanor, there’s been a bit of a new business boom. For those who love beer, Timber House Brewery, Distillery and Lodge reopened in January under new ownership, breakfast hotspot Lola’s Family Restaurant followed in April, and The Elegant Farmer — an events space and garden shop where you can enjoy wine, beer, and appetizers — opened in June. All three businesses are located on the town’s main drag, Main Street.
And on June 27, Sarah Grace opened The Sandpiper in Westwood, a small town in Plumas County. The restaurant offers cuisine with California flair and a farm-to-table approach.
We’re excited to announce the opening of Noodle Box Kitchen, at 490 S. Center St. next to The Discovery Museum in Reno. The concept comes from the fabulous home-cook-turned-restaurantowner Perapol Damnernpholkul, who also owns Rice Box Kitchen, at 555 S. Virginia St. in Reno. The menu features Thai-style street food noodles, hot pot, dim sum, and more. It opened July 24.
Calafuria in Reno has opened a bar on its charming property, called No 731. It’s located in the small cottage behind the restaurant/events space. The owners serve classic Italian cocktails, domestic and imported beers, signature spritzes, nonalcoholic cocktails and drinks, and a small bites menu provided by Calafuria. The quaint bar will be open 4 p.m. to closing Wednesdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. to closing on Sundays.
Newsworthy Happenings
Extra, extra! Read all about it! We’ve gathered all the region’s need-to-know news.
Nothing To It! Culinary Center in South Reno was featured in an episode of the new show Stone Cold Takes on America on A&E, featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin of wrestling fame. Austin traveled to Northern Nevada to compete in a car race in Fernley, take out a dune buggy on Sand Mountain in Fallon, fish at Pyramid Lake, and prepare venison Thai lettuce cups, butterfly elk, and roast Poblanos alongside a team of hunters and the center’s culinary director, Lara Ritchie.
In other Great Basin Brewing news, the business left its Taps + Tanks production brewing space in Reno, because the landlord was doubling the rent, and moved its larger-scale commercial brewing operation into Revision Brewing’s Sparks space. The two businesses created an alliance to do so. Each will maintain its independent brand and operations, and Great Basin still will brew out of its three locations.
The Atlantis Steakhouse and Bistro Napa have both been honored, receiving Wine Spectator’s 2023 Restaurant Awards for their exceptional wine programs. The efforts of Christian O’Kuinghttons, the property’s longtime sommelier d’hotel/cellar master/ mixologist, garnered the awards. He crafted a comprehensive wine program that complements Atlantis Casino Resort Spa’s award-winning restaurants. Atlantis Steakhouse has earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence 23 straight years while Bistro Napa has won it 22 years in a row.
Washoe County Health District made its name change official on Aug. 31. The agency’s new name is Northern Nevada Public Health. Locals can expect to see updated branding, including a new logo, color scheme, and outdoor signage to reflect the new moniker. A new website and email addresses are coming, too.
Speaking of name changes, in late May, a rebranding campaign for NevadaGrown was launched under the name Grown in Nevada. The organization is partnering with Made in Nevada to support local food and agriculture businesses. Rick Lattin of Lattin Farms founded NevadaGrown more than 20 years ago as a marketing and business planning resource for Nevada farmers and ranchers. Teams at the Nevada Small Business Development Center and Nevada Department of Agriculture are partnering to make Grown in Nevada a one-stop spot for consumers, retailers, and distributors seeking Nevadagrown produce, locally crafted products, and Silver State experiences.
On June 23, local Raley’s stores began selling Clean Cheatz products created by Mother of Macros in Sparks. The stores in Spanish Springs, Incline Village, Truckee, West Reno on Robb Drive, and Raley’s O-N-E Market in Galena Junction all will stock the local products.
In other Raley’s news, the Seventh Street (Reno) location of the grocery chain reopened at the end of May after renovations caused it to close for months.
Beginning in late April, Brothers Barbecue in Reno experienced a rash of thefts of its barbecue equipment and brisket. That’s how good Brothers’ meat is! The thief also hit Bangkok Cuisine in Midtown. On July 16, Reno police officers caught the man responsible, Martin Escamilla, nicknamed The Brisket Bandit. He is facing charges of vehicle burglary, commercial burglary, and violation of probation.
In July, Carson City District Judge James T. Russell gave the green light on a proposed slaughterhouse off Highway 50, after Carson City’s board of supervisors blocked the special use permit more than a year ago. The decision came after the company behind the project, Carson Valley Meats, filed a petition for judicial review that, so far, has been successful.
The use of neonicotinoid pesticides now is forbidden outside of commercial farms since AB-162 was signed into law on June 6. The bill is the result of efforts between Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, Help Save the Bees Foundation, Beyond Pesticides, National Resources Defense Council, and Silver State Government Relations. Anyone who doesn’t comply will incur a penalty.
Lovable chef Scott Lee, market manager at Sierra Gold Seafood, retired in July. Rusty Mafield was promoted from within the business to replace him.
Shita Yenenh is seeking a buyer for her Zagol Ethiopian restaurant, at 3314 S. McCarran Blvd. in Reno. After 16 years, she is ready to retire. Yenenh says she will continue operating until she finds a great replacement for her beloved eatery, the first and only in the area to offer modern and traditional Ethiopian dishes.
Changing Hands
New ownership is revitalizing the Northern Nevada food scene. Instead of closing doors, these businesses are getting new leadership.
Brent Ross, previously with South Reno’s South 40, purchased Washoe Public House from the previous owner, Brett Moseley, in June. Moseley will continue to put his skills to work offering private chef services.
California Avenue’s sweets business Black Rock Dessert also underwent an ownership change. Jeremy DeMarzo, who opened the Reno shop in 2020, in 2021 sold it to Marlon Salazar, whose father is in the Guatemalan bakery business (currently with a bakery on Vassar Street in Reno).
In July, social media channels were swirling with news that Brasserie Saint James in Midtown was closing, but that was just a rumor. The truth is that the business is partnering with Lake Tahoe AleWorX, the pour-your-own business with two locations at South Lake, where Josh Watterson (Brasserie’s former head brewer) curates the beer selection. AleWorX purchased Brasserie’s brewing equipment and will use it to produce Brasserie’s core beers, as well as other brews. Additionally, that equipment was moved into the former Record Street Brewing location on Fourth Street in Reno, which AleWorX also purchased. What will happen to the 4,000-square-foot space left at Brasserie now that the equipment is gone? The jury is still out, but it may be rented out to another business or become an event space for Brasserie. Watterson and Luca Genasci, AleWorX’s owner, did not respond to questions about the fate of the former Record Street Brewing location. It’s unknown whether it will reopen to the public.
Sam and Diane Francovich sold The Grill at Quail Corners in South Reno to one of the company’s longtime employees, Brandi Nason, on June 9. Nason is a two-time graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, an accomplished restaurant manager, and a former sales representative for food distributor Sysco. The Francoviches owned the restaurant for 23 years.
In late May, Bill Foley — of Foley Family Wines, based in Sonoma County, Calif. — purchased Bently Heritage Estate Distillery in Minden and renamed it Minden Mill Distilling. Foley owns the Vegas Golden Knights NHL franchise, Henderson Silver Knights American Hockey League team, Vegas Knight Hawks indoor football team, City National Arena, America First Center in Henderson, Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, and the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation. Foley’s team will produce spirits at the LEED-certified facility with locally sourced grains, and they will be available through national wholesale markets and direct-to-consumer channels, including the Minden tasting room. Lucas Huff, who made it through the transition, now is Foley Family Spirits Ambassador. Minden Mill Distilling’s grand opening is scheduled for Sept. 9.
Farewells
Though goodbyes are never easy, fortunately, our farewells list is short this time around.
Alberto Gazzola, owner of Centro South restaurant, closed his Rancharrah location on July 29, which opened in March 2022. Perenn Bakery, located next door and started in 2018 in Midtown Reno, is moving into the Centro South space in late 2023 to feature a larger variety of bake-at-home options, private events, dinner offerings, and a yet-to-be-announced new offering. Centro South’s executive chef, Geoffrey Caliger, left on July 8 to work as a food industry executive recruiter in his father’s business. A post on Centro South’s social media platforms stated that Centro Midtown, opened in 2015 on California Avenue, will continue to operate.
Rebel Pioneer Bakery closed its location at The Sticks in Midtown Reno in May, having opened there in January.
After nearly two years in business, Wonder Aleworks brewpub in Midtown Reno closed its doors for good on July 14. The location was once home to Under the Rose brewing, which opened in spring 2018 and closed later that year. Wonder owner Nick Fischella owns a couple other businesses in Las Vegas, including Banger Brewing and Doggie Oasis Day Care & Boarding. Word on the street is that Fischella is moving back to Las Vegas.
Ferino Distillery’s owner, Joe Cannella, announced in July that the Fourth Street business abruptly shut its doors and ceased all sales because the State of Nevada froze his business’ operations and product, claiming issues with his licensing. Cannella disputed the state’s claims and retained counsel to fight the action. A few weeks later, he was allowed to reopen. However, he said he needed a large financial investment ($750,000) to continue sustainably.
Freshies, located inside Downtown Reno’s The Basement, didn’t quite make it to its first anniversary. The casual lunch stop closed at the end of May.
Redwood Rotisserie + Grill on the corner of Kietzke and Plumb lanes in Reno closed on July 23, after six years. On social media, the business posted the reason for the closure was its building (a former Carrows family restaurant) “reaching the end of its life.”
June 16 marked the last day of service at Juicy’s Giant Hamburgers’ Wells Avenue location in Reno; the McCarran Boulevard eatery in South Reno will continue to operate. The closure, due to the sale of the rented property, came as a shock to many who have enjoyed Juicy’s for 40 years. The owners have indicated a desire to open in a new location.
We are sad to report that Wayne Tuma passed away on July 6. He expanded the culinary arts program at Hug High School in Reno and taught nutrition classes at University of Nevada, Reno. He completed the first baking specialization apprenticeship with the American Culinary Federation in 1976. He moved to Flagstaff, Ariz., and opened Middle Earth Bakery. The family moved to Reno in 1981, and in 1984, Wayne and his wife, Bridget, purchased Polly Ann Bakery on Arroyo Street, an iconic Reno institution. He is survived by Bridget, his wife of 45 years, and many children, grandchildren, and other family members. A donation can be made in his memory to the World Central Kitchen at Donate.wck.org.
Tahoe/Truckee News
Over the Sierra and through the woods, the news is flowing almost as fast as the Truckee River.
Chris and Nicole Smith of South Lake Brewing Co. just opened The Libation Lodge in the Tahoe Village Center across from Heavenly Village, at 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Ste. 26, in South Lake Tahoe. The taproom will serve craft libations and pub food, as well as craft beer to go.
The Woods Restaurant & Bar, a contemporary restaurant in South Reno created by local brothers Dillon and Connor McKeen, held its grand opening on June 10 in the old Pick 6 location. To elevate the cuisine, they brought in chef Chris Ibarra, a name once synonymous with both the Anaheim Angels and Marriott Hotels. The two-story building offers two experiences: The first floor caters to dine-in customers but also features a large bar and TVs, while upstairs, a walkup bar and indoor/outdoor space are good for mingling.
Reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump announced her newest culinary venture will be at Harveys Lake Tahoe in South Lake. Wolf by Vanderpump will utilize The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules star’s over-the-top aesthetic to turn out a stylized food-anddrink concept. The design will relate to the restaurant’s namesake the wolf, while drinks and dishes will reflect local themes and flavors. It’s expected to open this winter. Vanderpump currently has two other restaurants in Nevada, both in Las Vegas.
Tahoe Food Hub, based in Truckee, reached its 10th birthday in June. To celebrate, the organization set a goal to raise $10,000 and donate 500 healthy food boxes to families in need. As of press time in early August, the organization was 80 percent to its goal and expected to meet its target.
Finally, just south of Lake Tahoe, the 107-year-old destination once known as Sorensen’s Resort has yet again changed ownership and undergone another name change. In 2019, the property was sold and renamed Wylder Hotel Hope Valley, and then on June 18 of this year the property sold again and was renamed. Now it’s called Desolation Hotel Hope Valley, to align with the name of the region, Desolation Wilderness, and the company’s South Lake Tahoe property of a similar name.
The news just keeps coming. Stay tuned for more exciting openings and news on the horizon; we know the holidays are going to bring tidings of comfort food and joyful cooking.
