THE GETAWAY CAFÉ
ADDRESS: 3140 U.S. Highway 50, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
WEBSITE: http://getawaycafetahoe.com/
The reason of how we ended up eating breakfast at The Getaway Café is a rather unexpected one, and we solely have Google Maps to thank. The previous night, I was checking the route to drive down to the San Francisco area from Lake Tahoe when I happened to stumble across this restaurant marker on the way out from the area. It had very good reviews, and after a quick poll to the cousins and brother, it was on the docket for a morning stop.
I’ll be honest that I did not go in with any expectations at all, and was blown away by how delicious the breakfast was. We had the opportunity to chat with the owner, Diane, who mentioned that everything on the menu was made from scratch. She also strongly recommended the homemade chorizo, which was one of their specialty items. I ended up getting that on my breakfast order and did not regret it one bit.
The inside dining area is what you would define as “cozy,” with the tables bunched up together a bit. It was definitely a popular spot, as the place was packed when we got there and we had to wait for a little bit before getting seated. But even though the dining room was packed, it didn’t really detract from the atmosphere. If anything, it helped to make the place feel more lively.
Like I mentioned before, Diane was the one that came by our table initially to greet us and help give a rundown of the menu. From a breakfast standpoint, there was certainly no shortage of options to be had. Pancakes, French toast, eggs benedict, omelettes, all of the breakfast staples were there. Everything sounded great, and I wasn’t looking to get into a food coma before the 4-hour drive we had to San Francisco.
Diane’s recommendation of the chorizo was still fresh on the mind, so I was able to whittle down the options to between the Chorizo Quesadilla or the Hangover Helper. But in the end, the Hangover Helper won out: a combination of chorizo, home fries, tomatoes, onions, and peppers, served with two eggs and toast. Normally it’d be topped with melted cheddar cheese, but I asked for a substitution of avocado slices instead, which I thought really helped tie the entire dish together.
Right away, that fiery flavor of the chorizo hits you. It has a very distinct flavor, being bold but not overpowering at the same time. The potatoes were fried crisp, with the peppers, onions, and tomatoes seasoned well. I could only imagine how the melted cheddar cheese would help to tie all the flavors together, but the avocado did really well, in my opinion, as a stand-in.
Bite after bite, I couldn’t stop eating until the entire plate was polished off. The dish really was that good, and the homemade chorizo lived up to the hype. All around the table, everyone echoed the same sentiment when it came to the food: not talking because we were all too busy eating and enjoying how delicious the food was.
It was a unanimous decision that it was the best breakfast that we had eaten while staying at Lake Tahoe. The only disappointment was that we discovered it as we were on the way out of the area. But The Getaway Café for sure has landed onto my list of must-visit places while back up at Lake Tahoe. Breakfast there every day of vacation? Sign me up.
Let’s now take a look at The Getaway Café Dish Spotlight. Asterisks (*) below mark my recommended dishes.
** Hangover Helper **
Homemade chorizo, home fries sautéed with tomatoes, onions, and green peppers, topped with avocado slices. Served with two eggs and toast.
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And finally, here are my rankings for The Getaway Café:
Food: 5 / 5
The flavors were spot on, and the homemade chorizo didn’t disappoint. There was certainly an eclectic variety of dishes depending if you were in a sweet or savory mood. With everything on the menu being made from scratch, it seemed hard to go wrong with any of the choices.
Atmosphere: 4.25 / 5
Although the inside dining area felt a little bit on the packed side, the breakfast crowd definitely helped give a lively feel to the place. The noise level was actually pretty well balanced, so I never felt like I was shouting or anything to have a conversation. The décor definitely reminded me a bit of being inside someone’s home as well.
Service: 4.75 / 5
The waitstaff took great care of us, and it was really nice for the owner, Diane, to also be out and about the dining room, spending time talking with customers and helping with service. She was very nice and welcoming when she stopped by to chat with us. Even with a full house of diners, the kitchen did a great job cranking out the orders in a reasonable time.
Price: 4.75 / 5
The quality of the food alone definitely made it worth the price you pay. There isn’t anything on the menu that felt unreasonable, and I thought you do get a pretty significant portion of food as well.
Overall:
18.75 / 20
(94%)
Categories: California, Restaurants
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