Grass Valley & Nevada City are blessed with some truly wonderful restaurants that run a broad spectrum of the food gamut.
Here are a few of our absolute favorites, where comfort foodies, food adventurers, and those with strict dietary considerations alike are sure to find fare to delight.
ELIXART: A unique and "totally Nevada City" treasure. Living here for over a decade might make a person forget that places such as Elixart are few and far between.
However, we were reminded of its uniqueness just the other day. We were there sitting at the bar sipping on a Fritillary Lung while contemplating the menu, vascillating between the Manna Mushroom Burger or the Nori Nacho Strips, when some muggles walked in.
It was obvious they'd entered another realm entirely and weren't sure if this strange place and the creatures within it were safe. But one cheerful 'hello' from Atma, the Culinary Alchemist responsible for most of the raw, vegan and 'high vibration' food served there, and they were lured in for the experience of a lifetime (not without some serious whispering and mutterings under their breath. Dear, dear muggles.)
The Saffron Chai latte made with Black Sesame Milk is especially yummy, as is the above-mentioned Fritillary Lung (particularly if you have a cold). Miso Soup with the onion flatbread and avocado dish is a delicious combination. Finish it off with a raw cacao chip walnut cookie, and you're an Elixart convert.
Purchase a crystal skull, or a trans/multi-dimensional work of art on your way out, or shop their specialty tinctures, potions or teas. Any way you do it, you'll be glad you visited!
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays (though, magically open Tuesday night from 10pm - midnight), open at noon the rest of the week. We suspect that Elixart staff spend their mornings polishing unicorn horns, harvesting dew, and breathing in the miracle of life!
HOURS:
Wednesday: Noon-8pm
Thursday: Noon-8pm
Friday: Noon-12am
Saturday: Noon-9pm
Sunday: Noon-7pm
Check out Elixart...
FUDENJUCE: This informal street-side shack about 1 mile from downtown Nevada City is staffed by some of the most irreverent raw and/or organic food movers and shakers around. You feel special that they've actually taken your order. The staff is fueled in part by trance/techno music which escapes from out of the service windows through which they take your order and deliver food.
They serve a multitude of organic, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Freshly juiced fruits and veggies, burritos, buddha bowls, freshly made kitcharee (you can order it with sunflower oil or ghee - or 'dry' - and topped with avocado, if that's your preference), falafel, salads, and more.
Bonus - you can get a good espresso here, with some locally baked dessert goodies.
They have only a very small indoor dining area -- and a very large outdoor patio in back.
Our favorite Fudenjuice items; the Ginger Rogers (beet, lime, apple, ginger juices) and the Dairy-less date shake (Almond Milk, Dates, Bananas, Almonds).
Also -- the crunchy vegan salad with tempeh, walnuts and apples is delicioso! Don't miss their house-made green goddess dressing... if you love it as much as we do, you can ask them to serve up some for purchase to take home with you. Yes, it's that good.
Note: This is the PERFECT stop before or after a trip to the river for a smoothy on a summer's day!
HOURS:
Mon-Fri: 8am-7pm
Sat: 10am-7pm
Sun: 10am-5pm
Check out Fudenjuce...
LIKA'S QUARTER CAFE: This kid-friendly cafe serving Cajun-Creole breakfast & lunch is a funky/quaint space with indoor and outdoor patio dining in downtown Nevada City. Catch it in the spring when their ginormous cherry tree is blooming and you're in Shangri-La.
Sourced farm to table as much as possible, their menu reads like a novel with so many things to choose from, and mmm, mmm, good. We recommend the Red Beans and Rice Plate with cornbread and gingered greens.
Queues can get long at standard breakfast and lunch times. Seating is more limited in cold weather because the courtyard is closed. Get there early, put your name on the list and be prepared to wait. They don't take reservations. It's worth it.
HOURS:
Closed Tues. & Wed.
Breakfast & Lunch 8:00 am-2:30 p.m.
NOT a dinner spot.
Check out Ike's...
HEARTWOOD: A new addition to the Nevada City food scene (July-ish, 2017), Heartwood promises to nestle into the diadem of sovereign NC eateries like the gem it appears to be at the outset.
Billed as a local, seasonal, farm to fork eatery it offers nourishing whole foods and down-home eats in an uber-casual, NorCal aesthetic. Basically... Heartwood: it's SO hot right now.
The menu is simple. Whole-grain buddha bowls made to order as you pick and choose from an array of toppings (hot smoked salmon, pickled red onions, shaved beet, and garbanzo beans are a few examples).
Toast/bread combination offerings, such as a thick slice of locally made organic levain or sourdough served up with butter, a soft boiled egg with salt and pepper or, better yet -- avocado -- are also delicious, simple, and filling. Their gluten-free 'adventure bread' is a must-try.
Tonic shots of turmeric, ginger, lemon and honey are cra-mazing and immune boosting, not to mention good for digestion. Espresso and Chai are also on the menu.
There's a tacit invitation to stay-a-while and read your book or catch up on emails in the vibe of the place. A nice view of Commercial street promises excellent opportunity for that age-old past time, people watching.
HOURS:
Closed Mondays.
Tuesday - Sunday: 10 AM – 4 PM
NOT a dinner spot.
Check out Heartwood...
THREE FORKS BAKERY & BREWING COMPANY: Ah, Three Forks. How divine this place is for quality coffee/tea/chai and a baked goody or dessert, a wood-fired oven pizza, locally brewed beer, kombucha on tap, turmeric/ginger/lemon tea, and so much more!
A favorite gathering spot for locals that, upon opening in 2015, single-handedly transformed downtown Nevada City culture - this place is not to be missed.
Here's what they say about themselves: "Airy cafe with a farm-to-table focus serving wood-fired pizza, artisanal breads, & house-brewed beer."
Woe betide the person who gets a hankering for Three Forks on a Tuesday and arrives there full of hope and good cheer only to fall into a pit of despair when confronted by a 'Closed' sign.
HOURS:
Mon, Wed, Thurs - 7am-10pm
Fri - 7am-11pm
Sat - 8am-11pm
Sun - 8am-10pm
Closed Tuesdays
No reservations, and no phone-in to go orders after 6pm. Kitchen closes 30 minutes before bar. Lunch menu available starting at 11:30 am (soup from 10am-close).
Check out Three Forks...
SOUTH PINE CAFE: The 'quick-view' Google business listing for South Pine lacks a snappy one-line description. It brings to mind the mystic saying by His High Holiness or somebody-or-other that goes like this; "He who knows the Tao does not speak of it. He who speaks of the Tao does not know it."
It's much the same with South Pine. To attempt to describe the sweet small-town bustling vibe of South Pine or the deliciousness of their fare would rob you of the actual experience and expose the inability to do the place justice with mere words.
Go there. Order one of their three Eggs Benedict breakfasts (chorizo, lobster or bacon), or get literally the best Huevos Rancheros you've ever had (ask for the home-fries extra crispy).
If you're in the mood for a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa - or even a cider - they have it. Freshly juiced apple or orange juice? Yep. House-made ketchup? They've got that, too. And a fantastic lunch menu to boot. Lots of yummy vegetarian options are available, by the way.
You can pretty much bet on needing to put your name on a waiting list and twiddling your thumbs until your seat is available. Fortunately, Grass Valley provides opportunity for some of the best people watching around. It's a win-win. Food AND a show? Mmmhmmm. Be sure to get there BEFORE you're super hungry so the plate lands at your table just prior to "Hangry." You're welcome. 🙂
HOURS:
Monday - Sunday 8 am - 3 pm
NOT a dinner spot
Check out South Pine Cafe...