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. [Updated December 2025]
Best pub food: This is a category where Lake Placid shines. In the 15 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 Italian meal: For a nice meal out, Caffe Rustica is excellent. Five star, IMO. Try their house-made pasta or seafood. Top notch and well worth it.
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 very good food, but it’s really more about the camp vibe.
Best burger: As of 2025, the Noon Mark Burgers & Pie on Main Street has ascended to my favorite burger spot. (It used to be Players, which is still good but pricey.) I absolutely love the smash burgers at Noon Mark. So good, and the best deal in town for cheap eats.
Best all-around sandwich: Simply Gourmet and Big Mountain Deli. These two storefronts are run 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: Sadly, my old favorite Barley Sandwich shop is no longer open. RIP. But luckily, Saranac Lake has a new foodie spot with amazing sandwiches: MTN Chef. 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. Another worthy option is the Cloudsplitter rooftop bar at the refurbished Grand Adirondack Hotel. Cloudsplitter is more casual with less food options, and only open in summer. But they have a killer deck.
Best bakery and cheese shop: Enuf Pastry & Cheese (aka Enuf Chocolates) on Saranac Ave 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. And the couple who runs this little shop is adorable!
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 coffee: Capisce Coffee & Espresso Bar is such a gem. The owner is darling, the staff is super friendly, and their coffee and teas are perfectly made. It’s become my favorite coffee shop around. I also like Origin Coffee. And, Nori’s in Saranac Lake is great for coffee and biscotti.
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 it’s better!
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 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, and our pick is Mr. Mike’s Garage. 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 Indian: Heritage Indian Grill is a new-ish Indian restaurant in town, which opened summer 2024. It’s perfect for when you’re in the mood for something other than pub food! Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Rogan Josh and Garlic Naan — yum! The location (down from Hannaford’s and the laundromat) leaves something to be desired, but the interior space was freshly decorated and nice.
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 farmers’ markets. Her tamales are legit.
Best Sushi: No such thing. Just skip it.
For more restaurant reviews, check out these recommendations.
