Best Restaurants IMO

In a recent post about managing expectations, I said in all honesty that there aren’t a ton a great restaurants in Lake Placid for foodies. I recently saw someone in a Facebook group complaining about several mediocre meals they had in Lake Placid. When this person named where they ate, it wasn’t surprising. Unfortunately, a number of the Main Street restaurants are underwhelming, with a few exceptions. However, there are some good eats in town! You just have to know where to go. Here’s my list of our favorite spots in and around town.

Best pub food: This is a category where Lake Placid shines. In the 10+ years we’ve been coming to Lake Placid, I don’t think we’ve ever missed having a meal at the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery. Fish & Chips is our favorite menu item. Great beer. Family friendly, but also a great bar. All-around good restaurant with a laid back vibe and solid menu. It won’t win any foodie awards, but their beer is award-winning. If you want something more on the gastropub side, try their sister restaurant Big Slide, which is more farm-to-table pub food.

Best burger: Players has excellent burgers. Hands-down, my favorite. But if you’re not ordering a burger, I’d probably go someplace else. And, if you want a good less-expensive burger, go to the Dack Shack where you can get a solid burger for $10-$14 versus the Players burgers that start at $22.

Best all-around sandwich: Simply Gourmet and Big Mountain Deli. These two storefronts are fun by the same people, with the same sandwiches. One’s on Main Street and one is on Saranac Avenue. My favorite is the Marcy sandwich. And their homemade bread is outstanding.

Best foodie sandwich: OMG, go to Barley Sandwich in Saranac Lake. The guy that owns and runs this shop is crazy amazing. His beef of weck is renowned, but he only makes it on certain days and not every week. Whatever you get there, it will be excellent.

Best place for a cocktail and charcuterie: Top of the Park, which is right above Players, offers craft cocktails and a nice selection of small plates and appetizers. They also have a small but decent selection of wines, which is pretty rare around Lake Placid. A newly opened option is the Cloudsplitter rooftop bar at the refurbished Grand Adirondack Hotel. We haven’t been up to the rooftop yet, but had a good time at their downstairs Marcy Bar when it first opened.

Best Italian meal: For a nice meal out, Caffe Rustica is excellent. Try their house-made pasta or seafood. Top notch and well worth it.

Best farm-to-table foodie meal: Fiddlehead Bistro in Saranac Lake is a tiny restaurant that changes their menu monthly and sources from local farms. They only serve dinner and you’ll need a reservation. It’s also a good place for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dining.

Best bakery and cheese shop: Enuf Pastry & Cheese (aka Enuf Chocolates) on Saranac Ave (right next to Mountain Mist) is a must stop. Their store hours are sometimes sporadic, but they have insanely delicious baked goods — everything from bread, to muffins and danish, to fancy deserts and cakes. Also hard-to-find local cheeses and everything for your charcuterie picnic.

Best bagel: Love the housemade bagels at Soulshine on Main Street. Yum. Freshly made daily. Great for breakfast or lunch.

Best classic diner: There are a few diners around, but I have dreams about the Noon Mark in Keene Valley. They serve breakfast all day. The patty melt is insane. OMG. And their pies are famous.

Best BBQ: Although Smoke Signals is the most popular, I just can’t get past their extreme prices. My favorite is West Shore BBQ and their Texas smokers. Their brisket plate with two sides is literally half the price as the one at Smoke Signals, and just as tasty.

Best food with a view: This isn’t the best meal around, but their view makes up for it. The Cottage on Mirror Lake has a limited menu, but it’s the best choice if you really want to sit outside or have a great view of the lake. I just wish they would freshen up their menu. (The Mirror Lake hotel also has a fine dining restaurant called The View, but it frequently gets poor reviews for service.)

Best cute ADK decor: Ha ha ha! I like going to the Campfire Grill in Saranac Lake just because it’s so dang cute and fun. They also have good food, but it’s really more about the camp vibe.

Best pizza: This is hard, because there isn’t any great pizza nearby Lake Placid, IMO. There are plenty of average pizza joints if you really need a pepperoni for the family. Otherwise, you need to go down to the Dogwood Bread Company in Wadhams, which is a 45-minute drive, for a quality slice. Unfortunately, Dogwood only makes their wood-fired pizzas on Fridays and only for to-go orders. Find a grassy spot by the Bouquet river and enjoy.

Best Mexican food: Being from Texas, I admittedly have high standards for good Mexican food (and also Tex-Mex). The biggest challenge upstate NY faces is a lack of fresh avocados. Most restaurants are using a puree of avocado out of a bag. If you must have Mexican food, seek out Irma’s tamales at one of the summer farmers’ markets. Her tamales are legit.

Best Sushi: No such thing. Just skip it.