Review: The Driftwood Cafe, South Lake Tahoe, CA

I love a good breakfast. In every destination I visit, I make sure to enjoy an early morning meal. I’m referring to eggs, bacon, omelettes or maybe a bagel and Lox. However, my husband prefers to eat lunch and dinner items for breakfast. So, I usually search for a great restaurant to review on my own. The Driftwood Cafe has an excellent reputation and interesting history. So I decided my Morning nosh would be here.

The Driftwood Cafe

I left the HiMark Hotel (see review link below) relatively early to beat the crowd. The Driftwood is known to be a local hub, and it’s been open for over 60 years. So, between the residents and the tourists there can be a wait. 8:30am on a weekday, just after Easter, turned out to be good time for immediate seating.

I grabbed a window seat, and a server named Luke approached my table. He recommended some menu items, including the standard breakfast options. Then he suggested one of his favorites, the Philly cheesesteak. His description sounded amazing, and I already knew my husband would love it. Rich was heading to the mountain soon, and he would need some sustenance for the day. So, I called him. When he heard the word “cheesesteak,” he replied “I’ll be right there.” Yup, I know my man. 

Luke would soon return with a bloody Mary. It was flavorful with a really nice spice and a good kick of vodka. After telling Luke that my husband would be joining me soon, I ordered the Philly cheesesteak and a DIY Omelette for myself. 

DIY Omelette at the Driftwood Cafe

As I sat there, writing my review from the previous night’s dinner, (See review below) Luke arrived with my breakfast. Wow, that was one big DIY Omelette. Luke said my husband‘s cheesesteak would come out soon. The timing was perfect, because my husband was almost there. My eggs looked gorgeous. Plus they were tasty too. I love a “made to order” omelette. My ingredient of choice were Swiss cheese, bacon, avocado, sautéed mushrooms, and scallions. While I was the director of this creation, I must say it was executed quite well. The eggs were perfectly cooked not too hard. The dish came with various options of potatoes. I selected the potato pancake which was quite good with bits of scallions running through it. 

Soon my husband arrived, and so did his Philly Cheesesteak. Of course, I had to taste it as well as those crunchy fries, as the writer of this article. Growing up on the East Coast, I have had a lot of authentic Philly Cheesesteaks. To my delight and surprise, this was in the top five. The sirloin was tender and flavorful. The grilled onions and pepper melted in with the cheese, oozed all over the steak and spilled out over the edge of the bread. Of course, the bread can make or break any sandwich, and this crusty bread brought it to the next level. It was excellent. Kudos to the chef on both dishes! I ended up taking half of my omelette home along with most of my biscuit. Being a food writer, is a fantastic job, but sometimes there is just too much good food to eat. 

Best Philly Cheesesteak

Rich was supposed to take half of his sandwich up to the mountain. He agreed that this was the best idea. As I was talking to a couple of locals across from us, I looked back at our table. The entire sandwich had evaporated. All that was left was a nub of the bread and big smile on Richie’s face. “Well, I guess you enjoyed that.” He grinned. 

About the Driftwood Cafe

Let me give you a bit of background on the Driftwood Cafe. It was originally part of the Driftwood Hotel. That property opened in 1964, just after the 1960 Winter Olympics. The original location was close to Squaw Valley Ski Resort which is now Palisades Tahoe. Due to the demolition of the hotel in 2006, the cafe relocated to Heavenly Village in the South Lake area.

As we approached the exit, I noticed the restaurant was now packed. It is obvious why so many people are flocking to Driftwood Cafe – good grub and a friendly home-grown atmosphere. I’ll be back! Driftwood Cafe, 1001 Heavenly Village Way, STE 1A, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150; https://driftwoodtahoe.com/

See the HiMark Hotel Review and the previous night’s dinner review at Naked Fish (amazing sushi). Visit our California Page and our Global Road Trips Page.