This California Ski Town Is a Hidden Gem for Dining and Drinking
The mountain is cool and all, but it's the restaurants and bars that make Mammoth a truly great winter destination.
If you’re going to Mammoth, it’s probably not for the food. You’re most likely there to shred the slopes, or in the warmer months to hike, mountain bike, camp, drink, and explore the gorgeous Eastern Sierras. But maybe it’s worth reconsidering your goals—Mammoth Lakes is a surprisingly solid food town, especially considering its adventure-first focus. The best restaurants in Mammoth are diverse, interesting, and so much better than they have to be.
Whether you’re looking for pub classics, pizza, ramen, or breakfast burritos, this mountain town has you covered. Here’s our guide to the best restaurants in Mammoth Lakes.
The mountain classic Mammoth Brewing is an essential stop, whether you’re a beer nerd or not. It’s been around since 1995, serving solid beers and excellent vibes in their taproom and in the beer garden out front. Get a flight of brews to sample their wide range, and to pair with their interesting pub food, from Falafel Tacos to BBQ Chicken Flatbreads and beyond.
Latin Market
This mostly anonymous and generically-named market has a not-so-secret specialty: there’s an excellent taqueria inside. The tacos are great, they have a rockin’ California Burrito, and if you need a hearty pre-ski meal you can’t beat their breakfast burritos. And best of all, this place is the opposite of a tourist trap; you will be eating with local ski bums, outdoor guides, and construction workers, not the couple in the Tesla with unblemished skis and matching pristine Canada Goose parkas.
For a slightly daintier breakfast, head to the food garden at Outbound Mammoth, where the Café Crêpe truck is posted up. They have a full menu of savory and sweet crepes, from options with smoked salmon and cream cheese to treats like the house special Fireside crepe with apples, cinnamon, caramel, and whipped cream. They also make excellent espresso drinks using local Black Velvet Coffee.
If you’re headed to the ice rink for some hockey, skating, or curling—or to the excellent playground just outside—you’re in luck. You’ve also stumbled into the immediate vicinity of one of Mammoth’s hidden dining gems, Capybara Empanadas. The Argentine-style empanadas come in several varieties, including Beef, Chicken, or American with cheddar and bacon. There are also several vegetarian options like Truffle, and for something a little different don’t miss the sandwiches like the Choripan or the eponymous brie and sun-dried tomato Capybara Sandwich.
There’s nothing better for recovery on a cold night than a big old bowl of ramen, and Gojira is the go-to spot in town. The Godzilla-themed spot serves excellent broth, from the Black Garlic Tonkotsu to their vegetarian Mothra Ramen, and they make some very solid rice bowls too. There’s an expansive sushi menu if you’ve got a craving, and they lean into exuberant heavily-sauced rolls that are consistent crowd pleasers.
If you visited Mammoth back in the day, you remember The Mogul—an unpretentious steak-cabin where you could grill your own steaks near your table and enjoy an all-you-can-eat salad bar. Times may have changed, but you can always count on The Mogul to provide a fun, casual, vintage steakhouse dinner. Save room for the Cinnamon Charlotte cupcake and ice cream concoction, a house specialty since 1971.
The Stove is a Mammoth fixture that’s been in operation for more than 50 years. It's legendary for diner-style breakfasts, but that lofty status means you should expect a wait on weekends. The menu has all of the easy brunch classics like Pancakes, Omeletes, and Huevos Rancheros, and The Stove is also open for lunch with a full menu of sandwiches, soups, and salads.
This fun and funky restaurant is located between downtown Mammoth and Snowcreek Resort, serving up a mix of Cuban, Spanish, and Puerto Rican cuisine and showcasing stunning mountain views from the dining room. Lean into the Caribbean specialties like Escabeche and Puerto Rican skewers, and then roll your shoulders as you eat to the live music and dancing on weekends.
This brewery caters mainly to locals and visiting beer insiders who come here to unwind with an excellent IPA, a game or two of pool, and some solid straightforward pub food. It’s in a former police station in a strip mall in the heart of town, so what it lacks in epic views and stylish ambience it makes up for with quality, convenience, and mellow, good vibes.
Usually there’s nothing good happening above a bowling alley, but in Mammoth Lakes it turns out that’s the local go-to for fine dining. Executive Chef Gaby Fernandez has put together a menu of elegant Continental classics in the upstairs portion of Mammoth Rock ‘N’ Bowl, with Escargot a la Bourguignon, French Onion Soup, and Duck Confit. The room is beautiful with spectacular views of the mountains and an atmosphere that is grown-up and hushed—you can’t even hear a pin drop.
As you make your way through The Village, wander into Shelter Distilling and take a seat at the bar or one of the high tables inside. If you can find a seat, that is—Shelter is one of the most consistently popular spots in town. That’s because it does so many things so well: it’s not only a distillery and brewery that makes all of its spirits and beer in-house, it is also a restaurant with a full bar that serves eclectic pub food to match their Mountain West-inspired spirits. That means there are hand rolls, tacos, pizza, and pasta to match creative cocktails and flights of either spirits or beer. They also have a very solid happy hour.
Danielle Bauter is a contributor for Thrillist.