With its own small culinary school in-house, Stella has added some gourmet excitement in a town, Truckee, with relatively anemic offerings. Try to get a seat in view of the kitchen so you can watch Chef Jacob Burton roast up some halibut filet, home-made fettucini, or sous vide short ribs. A tasty amuse bouche or intermezzo will undoubtedly make its presence known in between courses, along with Stella's stellar (pun intended) wine list.

Set in an unsuspected converted Tahoe cabin, Evan's intimate setting and fabulous meat-heavy offerings have been a quiet favorite among the South Lake options. Diners are usually welcomed with warm homemade bread and a pate and get to choose from favorites like duck confit pizza, veal medallions, and white chocolate lemon cheesecake. The chef will usually make an appearance to discuss the prep and approach of their cooking of your meal, as well. This one is high on the intimacy scale.

Tahoe City's penultimate mountain town diner has been serving some of the best breakfast on the Lake for years. Huevos rancheros, the home-made baked goods, coffee, omelettes and kielbasa hash pop up constantly in diner reviews as favorites. Just be prepared to wait - this cozy spot is packed for breakfast and lunch no matter if it's Christmas week or the spring off-season.

Cafe Fiore is another intimate and excellent Tahoe restaurant tucked into a small, cozy space. Fiore packs only 7 tables, ensuring attentive service and a quiet atmosphere as you enjoy adventurous Italian-inspired dishes like eggplant crepes, carmelized onions and ricotta cheese raviolis appetizers, a famously tender veal and great seafood. Home-made white chocolate ice cream to cap it off, anyone?

Despite being vegan and cash-only, plenty of omnivores find an excuse to make the trip to Sprouts in South Lake for lunch. The fruit and veggie smoothies get high marks along with soups, salads, and sandwiches like the A.T.O.M Melt - avocado, red onion, tomato, melted monterey jack cheese, and green onions served with sesame tortilla chips. If you need a lunch break while skiing at Heavenly, this should be on your radar.

Enclosed in a historic brick structure, not a common site in Tahoe's wood frame-dominated architectural landscape, Pianeta also splits in two upon entering. Downstairs a full bar awaits with a casual appetizer menu, while a full dining room is set on the upstairs mezzanine. Pianeta has a classic Italian menu with seasonal items, including pastas, copious salads, and seafood risotto. Most of the menu is homemade and sourced locally, giving you plenty of reason to enjoy the rustic interior.

The River Grill, situated across the babbling Truckee River from the Bridgetender's awesome backyard patio, is famous both for its location and its excellent happy hour specials, which run seven days a week from 5:00-6:30. The burgers, jumbo shrimp dynamite, turkey & shitake meatloaf wrapped in bacon, and ribeye steak are all hits, and chances are you'll be enjoying dinner with the accompaniment of lots of goggle tans and some live music - this is a great stop on the way back to Tahoe City from Squaw Valley or Alpine Meadows.

Chart House is yes, a chain restaurant, but it has the unique benefit of an amazing view that catches the sunset from the East side of Lake Tahoe. That means that while you chomp on baked stuffed shrimp, lobster spring rolls, chicken romano, or a great filet mignon, you can watch the sun fade into the orange horizon as it sets over the peaks of the the popular backcountry skiing areas that stretch North from Emerald Bay to Rubicon Peak. Only a few minutes from the casinos closer to the lake, the Chart House nonetheless gives you a chance to enjoy the pure natural beauty you should be coming to Lake Tahoe for in the first place.