Cafe Fiore

Information may not be reliable

As featured in- The San Francisco Chronicle, The Sacramento Bee and Best Places To Kiss In Northern California.
Awarded the "Wine Spectator Award of Excellence" since 1992.

"You don't have to worry about distractions at Cafe Fiore- there are only 7 tables! It doesn't get more intimate than this. Candles glimmer at each of the window side tables arranged in the cozy wood paneled dining room. In the summer, tables are set up outside. Wherever you sit, be adventurous: the Italian menu features items such as Eggplant Crepes served with sun-dried tomatoes with sherry wine sauce, among other unusual selections. Desserts are out-of-this-world, especially the homemade white chocolate ice cream. We were tempted to stay an extra day in South Lake Tahoe just to come back here..."
From the book, "The Best Places to Kiss in Northern California"

Cafe Fiore is open for wedding parties during the months of April/May and October/November. Custom menus available.

A short drive from Casino Row, on the California side, is the Cafe Fiore, a seven-table restaurant that has lived many lives over the years, including one as a private residence. Luckily for us, Nick Ashmore has had the place for the past year and a half. Between him and young (26) self-taught chef Gilberto Ruelas, the restaurant has never been stronger or more versatile. (The sauces really stand out; they're not timid about making a statement.) The high ceilings and overhead fan give the small room at least a sense of spaciousness (there's summertime alfresco dining that doubles the seating). It is rather ironic that conversant diners enjoy more a sense of privacy here than in many larger dining rooms. Cafe Fiore has the world's second-best garlic bread, based on the theory that there likely is a better one elsewhere in the world -- though we haven't found it. The house-specialty appetizer is eggplant crepes, four thinly sliced eggplant rounds stuffed with smoked salmon, grilled and served in a sherry cream and sun-dried tomato sauce. Luscious. Another winner was the grilled tiger prawns with pancetta, served with a fresh fruit compote. The menu has some hearty pasta dishes -- linguine with seafood sauted in a cognac, caper and lemon butter sauce; fettuccine tossed with garlic, artichoke hearts, broccoli, olives, pine nuts and tomatoes in a white wine sauce -- and a lineup of imaginative dinners starring chicken, pork tenderloin, filet mignon and veal. But it was two specials that grabbed our attention the other night: grilled lamb chops with shiitake mushrooms and pine nuts in a Madera wine reduction sauce; and tender ahi with crushed black peppercorns, seared in olive oil and finished with garlic butter sauce. The chops and the fish were some of the best we've tasted anywhere. The house-made white chocolate ice cream with sliced strawberries ended things nicely. And the two Wine Spectator awards by the front door reminded us that more than 330 vinos are available. Cafe Fiore, 1169 Ski Run Blvd., No. 5. Dinner from 5:30-10 p.m. nightly. Call (530) 541-2908.