What Are the Best Restaurants in the Placerville Area?

Our top-notch chef at Eden Vale Inn prepares extraordinary culinary options that our guests continuously rave about. If you do want to get out and explore, there are many fine dining experiences within a short drive. A number of excellent chefs have made El Dorado County their home. They have remarkable resources to use, including exquisite Sierra Foothills wines and fresh ingredients from local family farms. Below are some of the popular restaurant options for you to consider when you stay at Eden Vale Inn. When planning your trip, please feel free to call and ask us for recommendations or to make your reservations. Also, keep in mind that most restaurants in the area close for service by 8:30 to 9 p.m.

Request your free Vacation Guide now for more information on the best places to eat, things to do, attractions to see, and much more! It will help streamline your planning process and bring you closer to experiencing a one-of-a-kind getaway.

The Best Places to Eat in the Placerville Area

Italian Cuisine

Papa Gianni’s

Pizza at an Italian restaurant near Placerville

For nearly 20 years, Papa Gianni’s in Cameron Park has been serving authentic Italian cuisine using family recipes passed down through generations. Their family-owned restaurant offers an extensive menu based on traditional dishes from Southern Italy. They serve soup, salads, and antipasti. Homemade pasta dishes include ravioli, gnocchi alla vodka, and hearty meat dishes including pollo parmigiana and vitello piccata. You’ll also find custom-made Italian sodas, draft beers, and local and Italian wines. Satisfy your evening sweet tooth with homemade desserts like tiramisu, cannolis, and a variety of cheesecakes. Directions | Website

Pizza Bene

Pizza Bene is on historic Main Street in downtown Placerville and serves Italian food using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Their authentic Napoletana pizza is made with Italian flour and cooked in a pizza oven brought from Naples. Enjoy pizza flavors that appeal to both the “carnivoro” and the “vegetariano.” All of their pastas are made fresh in house using an Italian Bottene pasta machine. They also offer gourmet Italian sandwiches and calzones, salads, and antipasti. Desserts include gelato, cannoli, and braised banana panetta. They also have craft beers on tap, over 16 local wines, and coffee. Dine inside or on the patio where dogs are welcome! Directions | Website

Smith Flat House

The Smith Flat House is located in Placerville near Apple Hill and serves locally sourced food with an Italian and Mediterranean spin. The history and ambiance of the restaurant makes for a unique dining experience, with the dining area in a restored mine. Their lighter options range from lemongrass grilled prawns, seasonal salads, and soups. Entrees include all-natural grilled ribeye, bouillabaisse, pastas, and brick oven flatbreads. They serve microbrews, espresso drinks, and have patio seating in warmer weather. Directions | Website

Traditional American Food

Bricks Eat & Drinks

American food at restaurants near Placerville
Bricks Eats & Drinks is located on historic Main Street and has a contemporary pub-like setting. They serve light New American fare and full entrees. Smaller selections include appetizers, sandwiches, salads, burgers, and pasta. Some of their top-notch entrees are their center-cut ribeye steak and filet mignon, grilled lamb chops in tarragon cream, and ratatouille. Bricks has an extensive wine list featuring local wineries, brews on tap, and a full bar. They are very kid-friendly with a children’s library and a children’s menu. Directions | Website

The Independent Restaurant and Bar

The Independent Restaurant and Bar is known for its American fusion style, combining the best cuisines of regional American cooking. Their talented cooks and bartenders use only the freshest and finest ingredients. For delicious starters, try their appetizers of ahi tartare and chicken & waffle sliders. Enjoy a variety of sandwiches at lunch and beef and salmon burgers at dinner. Entrees include certified Hereford stout marinated skirt steak, free range herb-roasted chicken, and vegetable romesco. They offer a full bar and an espresso bar. Seating is indoor or under the stars in a private garden patio. Directions | Website

Cafes, Bakeries, and Quick Snacks

Argonaut Farm to Fork Cafe

Sandwiches from a Cafe near Placerville

Located in Coloma’s Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, the Argonaut is a riverfront café serving breakfast, lunch, snacks, and espresso drinks. Their menu is often organic and locally sourced, and they serve Sacramento’s Temple coffee. Menu items include quinoa salad, organic smoked turkey sandwiches, juice, soup, and gelato. They accept phone orders for lunches to-go and stock organic picnic items. Plus, seating is available indoors and outdoors in scenic Coloma, and they have free WiFi. The Argonaut now serves dinner Friday and Saturday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. Directions | Website

Sierra Rizing Cafe & Bakery

Sierra Rizing is a bakery and coffee house that offers lunch, beer, local wine, and weekend dinners. Sit indoors or on the dog-friendly patio by the river in Lotus, right next to Coloma. Enjoy their fresh baked goods, fine desserts, and locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks. For lunch, they have delicious quiches, frittatas, and award-winning chilis. Casual dinner is Friday through Sunday with rotating specials, kid-friendly food, and vegetarian options. Hungry for dinner? Try their salads, tamale plates, and cheese lasagne. They also have live music on the second Saturday of each month for you to enjoy! Directions | Website

Fork Lift

Fork Lift is a great place to get picnic items. They stock over 20,000 natural, organic and specialty items. Choose from quality meats, a staffed cheese station, fresh and organic produce, deli dishes, and fresh baked goods. Fork Lift even has a self-serve grain and soup bar, full-service charcuterie, and sandwiches made to order. Explore the largest microbrew beer selection east of Sacramento, and feel free to ask their wine stewards any questions you may have. Directions | Website

Cozmic Cafe

The Cozmic Café serves lunch and light dinner made with organic and GMO-free foods, locally grown when seasonally available. They are located in a historic Gold Rush building on Main Street in Placerville. Try their sandwiches and wraps with hormone-free turkey, grilled portabella mushroom, and nut burgers. Enjoy a variety of salads, soups, and rice bowls, too. Cozmic also serves excellent tacos, quesadillas, and nachos. Beverages include fine coffees, microbrews, and wine. Kids’ menus are available here as well. Directions | Website

Cuppa Coffee & More

Cuppa Coffee & More serves lunch and pastries, Vaneli’s coffee drinks, and beer and local wines. You can find them at their peaceful retreat on historic Main Street in Placerville. The coffee shop menu has wonderful quiches, frittatas, Cornish pastries, salads, and desserts, with gluten-free and vegetarian options. It is important to note that they cook and bake everything on site! Directions | Website

Dedrick’s Cheese

Dedrick’s Cheese is on historic Main Street in Placerville and is the perfect place for all your gourmet picnic and lunch needs. Choose from over 300 award-winning cheeses from boutique producers in California, across the country, and around the world. Complete your lunch to-go with a wide assortment of gourmet salamis, olives, patés, nuts, fresh bread and crackers, and chocolates and cookies. Owner Mary Dedrick has even won awards in Cheesemongers Duels! Directions | Website

Heydey Cafe

Heyday serves lunch, dinner, and everything in-between. Their cuisine is New American with French and Italian influences. The café is located on Main Street in a historic building that used to be a gold assay office. They have a high-quality, fresh menu that features a variety of salads and soups including sherry-infused lobster bisque. They offer pasta and pizza dishes, paninis, and entrees of Hereford skirt steak, linguini pomodoro, and seared ahi tuna. Heydey also has a selection of draft beer and an extensive wine menu. Dinner reservations are highly recommended! Directions | Website

Sweetie Pie’s

Sweetie Pie’s is a great lunch spot on Main Street in historic downtown Placerville. Eat on the deck or patio (dogs welcome), or in the quaint, historic restaurant. They offer quiche and soup of the day, a variety of salads, and sandwiches including melts and veggie paninis. Splurge with their bacon avocado cheeseburger or chili relleno casserole, or stay light with a Cobb or chef salad. Directions | Website

Nugget Market

When you want to provision a picnic or have your dinner at Eden Vale Inn, Nugget Market has an excellent take-out section. Drive to Eden Vale Inn on Hwy 50 and it’s just off the freeway in El Dorado Hills. Their professional chef creates a unique restaurant-within-a-store. Nugget Market sell deli and prepared foods, fresh baked breads, and pastries. Beverage choices include beer and wine as well as juice and coffee. Their cheese specialist can help you pair your selection of many types of cheese and wine choices. Directions | Website

Sellands Market Cafe

Sellands Market Café is located in the El Dorado Hills town center shopping area and offers real food made from scratch. They have delicious entrees, sides, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, soups, and chili. Hot entrees include teriyaki chicken thighs, BBQ beef brisket, and roasted vegetables. Enjoy offerings from their full service bakery as well, such as cookies, cupcakes, cake by the slice, and panna cotta. Directions | Website

Beth Sogaard’s Amador Vintage Market

Beth Sogaard’s Market provides everything needed to satisfy an appetite, from a quick snack to a full meal. Select from fresh sandwiches, home-style salads, charcuterie, artisan cheeses, desserts, and Ciao Bella gelato. They offer convenient boxed lunches to go and have seating indoors and outdoors. The Market also offers a variety of specialty beers and wines to accompany your meal or to take with you. Directions | Website

More Great Options

Forester Pub and Grill

Fish and chips at a restaurant near Placerville
The Forester has a varied menu to enjoy near Apple Hill. They offer authentic Mexican food like carne asada tacos, standard pub fare from fish and chips and shepherd’s pie to German food such as Jaeger Schnitzel with spaetzle and red cabbage. Meat lovers have many choices with their steaks, pork chops, and ribs. All of their food is prepared fresh daily! Enjoy the dog-friendly patio and a selection of fine local wines and great draft beers. Directions | Website

Allez!

Allez offers gourmet French cuisine to go, or to enjoy in their rustically elegant dining room located in Diamond Springs. Their fresh and healthy items include sausage, vegetarian, and crab cake sandwich baguettes. You can also enjoy a variety of salads and seasonal entrees like wild mushroom pasta and filet mignon. Other suggested dishes are their escargot, spicy prawns, Coq Au Vin, and rack of lamb. Allez also offers local and imported cheeses, wines, baked goods, and unique gifts. Their lunch box special includes a sandwich, side salad, brie cheese, chocolate chip cookie, and dessert tart. Feel free to grab a meal-to-go and head out for a picnic in Gold Country! Directions | Website

Farm Table

Farm Table serves authentic Californian cuisine with a French and Cajun influence. Their dishes use house-made ingredients like specialty meats, pickled seasonal vegetables, preserves, and condiments. All-day deli menu items include turkey tarragon and other sandwiches, charcuterie and cheese platters, soups, salads, and desserts. Duck confit and sausage cassoulet, and vegetable lasagna are a few of their great dinner options. They offer local and imported wines, microbrews on tap, and old-fashioned and gourmet sodas. There are many gluten-free and vegetarian options, too! Directions | Website

Cascada Restaurante & Cantina

Cascada serves a mix of Mexican favorites and California cuisine in an upscale setting without the upscale price. To start, try their appetizers of shrimp cocktail, nachos, or quesadillas. They serve burgers, sandwiches, salads, and soups as well. Their entrees include grilled mahi-mahi, roasted pork and steak dishes, and vegetarian enchiladas potosinas. Afterward, indulge in lemon-berry mascarpone torte and churros. They also have an extensive wine list featuring local wineries and a full bar with specialty margaritas. Directions | Website

Aji Japanese Bistro

Aji Bistro in El Dorado Hills serves high quality, contemporary Japanese food. Aji’s raw and sashimi bar includes oysters on the half shell and sushi rolls, cones, and nigiri. Enjoy ramen, salads, donburi rice bowls, lunch plates, and entrées such as wild caught Misoyaki Sea Bass. Or, allow your server to order for your table and share dinner Aji style. They have a full bar with specialty cocktails including handmade infusions and syrups. The restaurant is very family friendly and dogs are permitted on the patio. Directions | Website

Bamiyan

Bamiyan Restaurant serves authentic Afghan cuisine with a distinctive palette of seasonings. They have earned many dining awards for healthy dishes including a variety of meat, fish, and shrimp shish-kebabs. They also offer special rice, dumpling, and pasta dishes. Try their boiled dumplings filled with scallions and spinach, topped with spiced beef and yellow peas in a yogurt, garlic, and mint sauce. They have many vegetarian options available, too! Directions | Website

Chantara Thai

Chantara has a variety of Thai salads, soups, and appetizers including satay and angel wings. They also serve excellent duck and pineapple curries. Their various noodle dishes include pad Thai with rice noodles and kai gow with fried, flat noodles. We also recommend their seafood fare of spicy catfish and clams with oyster sauce. House specialties also include marinated spare ribs, spicy Cornish hen, and asparagus. Directions | Website

Sienna Restaurant

Sienna Restaurant is in El Dorado Hills and provides indoor and outdoor dining for lunch and dinner. Enjoy food made from scratch in their casual, upscale ambiance. Get started with appetizers of Thai chicken spring rolls, macadamia nut crusted brie, and soup of the day. Enjoy a variety of salads, wood stone flatbreads, sandwiches, and burgers as well. Entrees include Sienna ale braised short rib, scallop risotto, and a daily “fitness special.” They provide a gluten free menu and a children’s menu with crayons and activities. Finish the evening with decadent desserts like chai creme brulee, dessert wines, and espresso drinks. Directions | Website

Taste

Taste provides healthy, flavorful, seasonal meals. It is located in Plymouth and has won many awards for its dining experience. Small plates include mushroom cigars and housemade potato gnocchi. Larger plates range from Creekstone Farms filet mignon, Grimaud Farms duck breast, and DayBoat sea scallops. They provide a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and kids menu upon request. Monday supper has the option of a three-course prix fixe special. Reservations are recommended for dining room seating. Directions | Website

Looking for more information on the best places to eat in the area? Request our free Vacation Guide for information on restaurants, things to do, local events, and so much more!