Being a “foodie” is serious business. You look for the best restaurants because you no there’s no such things as “just a meal”. If you’re a foodie who’s looking for a new place to try, check out thesetop-rated restaurants in El Dorado County.
The Independent Restaurant, Placerville
Whether it’s lunch or dinner, stop by The Independent Restaurant in Placerville any day of the week for meals from an outstanding American fusion menu.
Choices for lunch include a salmon avocado burger, with house-made honey dill aioli, seared white polenta cakes, and pilsner beer battered fish and chips, just to name a few. For dinner, a pappardelle pesto pasta dish or one of several meat dishes may be just what your palate craves.
Be sure to save room for desserts like chocolate pot de crème and crème brulee. The Independent Restaurant is also known for its chic cocktails like the Miss American Rye and the Kentucky Bloom.
Heyday Café, Placerville
Opened by the same family who owns The Independent Restaurant, the Heydey Café has been a local favorite in Placerville for a decade. Whether you come in for lunch or dinner, there’s a dish for every foodie out there. For lunch you can share a pizza with toppings ranging from classic cheese to a BBQ chicken complete with applewood smoked bacon and Gouda cheese. A variety of paninis complement the lunch menu at the Heydey Café.
Dinners feature modern dishes that capture the flavors of the season. Scallop Ceviche served with a house-infused chili oil and Seared SkunaBay Salmon are just a couple of the choices. All desserts are hand-made daily so you’ll want to be sure to try Grandpa’s Cellar Apple Pie or the Molasses Ginger Bread Cake. The Heydey Café is open seven days a week.
Sienna, El Dorado Hills
The warm ambience of Sienna in the El Dorado Hills is the perfect complement to the variety of dishes offered for brunch, lunch and dinner. If you’re looking for lunch items that stretch beyond your classic burgers, Sienna has several options for your palate. The Portobello mushroom risotto and prime rib French dip make for different lunch choices.
Meanwhile for dinner, try the pesto chicken gnocchi, complete with asparagus, capers, and hickory-smoke bacon or the seared duck breast. If you’re watching your weight, Sienna offers a weekly fitness special for either lunch or dinner that is 450 calories or less. Brunch is also offered at Sienna on Sundays from 10am-2pm and includes made-to-order omelets as well as crème brulee French toast and lunch specialties.
Smith Flat House, Placerville
Smith Flat House works to support local farmers and food artisans with its diverse menu. Enjoy dinner selections that include a variety of brick oven pizzas with toppings like pears and prosciutto.
Choose a heartier meal like cannelloni, which are house-made crepes stuffed with beef and pork sausages, ricotta cheese, fresh herbs and topped off with home-made alfredo and marinara sauce. Dinner is served daily Wednesday-Sunday. If you come in on the weekends, you can take advantage of the lunch menu that includes salads and specialty sandwiches like the sundried tomato pesto chicken sandwich. Smith Flat House also hosts Sunday brunch with menu favorites like build-your-own omelets and waffles with pears. Just a note, Smith Flat House is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Taste, Plymouth
Although it’s not located in El Dorado County, Taste, in Plymouth needs to be on any foodie’s list as it was selected as one of the Top Wine Restaurants in America by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Rightfully so, with an extensive wine menu as well as wine flights to choose from, there is a vintage to complement any meal.
On the dinner menu, choose from a grilled New York steak or Creekstone Farms Filet Mignon while seafood lovers can enjoy Ora King Salmon or Day Boat Sea Scallops. For lunch try something small like the cheese plate, or something a little heartier like the Beeler Farms Pork Chop. Whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong. Lunch is only served Friday-Sunday. Taste is closed on Wednesday, but serves dinner every other night of the week.
That’s a lot of food info for any foodie to digest. Choose one or try them all; it’s a foodie’s fantasy in El Dorado County!
