13 Best Restaurants in The Far North, California

Many Reddingites consider this softly lit restaurant with black-linen-topped tables and artworks for sale adorning the walls their town's best fine-dining option. The menu tilts heavily Italian (gnocchi, lasagna, chicken Marsala) and American (braised short ribs, pan-seared fish, an elk burger), but the chef ventures across the Pacific for dishes that might include a pork-belly appetizer or Thai coconut curry entrée.

Dining at the Highlands Ranch Resort’s contemporary roadhouse restaurant is in a stained-wood, high-ceilinged indoor space or on an outdoor deck with striking views of a serene meadow and the hillside beyond. Among the few sophisticated eating options within Lassen Volcanic National Park's orbit, the restaurant serves updated pasta, fish, chicken, beef, and lamb dishes.

Travelers mingle with locals at this downtown spot for microbrews and pub fare that includes vegetarian-nut, elk, and ½-pound Angus-beef burgers, along with pesto-cream mussels, duck tacos, and smoked-salmon and classic BLTs. The house brews range from pale ale to a porter, with growlers available to go.

A homegrown variation on the Panera theme, this extremely popular operation (as in expect a wait at peak dining hours) serves pastries, eggs and other hot dishes, and good coffee drinks, juices, and smoothies for breakfast. The chefs whip up a diverse selection of wraps, panini, sandwiches, burgers, rice bowls, and soups the rest of the day.

Tap into the spirit of 21st-century Weaverville at this mellow café that serves breakfast (all day) and lunch, in winter specializing in hot soups to warm body and soul. Expect all the usual suspects at breakfast, along with Country Cheesy Potatoes (topped with green chili) and sausage between two biscuits topped with homemade sausage gravy; a spicy club wrap and several vegetarian sandwiches are among the lunch offerings.

The chef-owner at this light-filled restaurant in a strip mall 1½ miles southwest of downtown incorporates seasonal organic produce, free-range meats, sustainable line-caught fish, and cage-free eggs in his cuisine. Staples include salads, fish tacos, pasta dishes, and burgers (standard, veggie, or teriyaki mushroom Swiss) for dinner daily and lunch except on Sunday, when buckwheat pancakes, French toast, and two variations on eggs Benedict headline the brunch menu.

The famous brewery's high-ceilinged, heavy-on-the-wood taproom bustles day and night with patrons washing down well-conceived gastropub grub with the best-selling Pale Ale and smaller-batch offerings, some only available here. The open kitchen turns out sandwiches, burgers, wood-oven pizzas, and fish-and-chips (the fish's batter made with Pale Ale) with remarkable speed.

This convivial neighborhood pub stands out because of its abundance of shaded patio seating (and full horseshoes pit) in the landscaped backyard. After a long day of hiking and exploring, the restaurant is a reliable bet for hearty comfort fare—sandwiches, half-pound burgers, fish-and-chips, and tacos, plus a daily special or two.

Craft brews, from pale ales to stout, and food that's a cut above the expected have made this brewpub with a cavernous industrial interior a hit. The cheese-curd and chicken-wing starters and burger and grilled-chicken sandwich are among the best sellers.

Patrons of this comfort-food haven across from downtown's 1935 Cascade movie palace wash down elevated pub grub with classic and craft cocktails and wines and beers from California and beyond. The fare includes salads, sandwiches, rice bowls, a locally revered mac-and-cheese, truffle burgers, fish-and-chips, and a few heartier entrées.

Beloved on social media for its sticky buns, addictive two-cheese tater tots, and bacon-jalapeño and other 100% grass-fed burgers, this festive, brightly painted joint wins most diners' hearts with its house-made ingredients, dozens of beers, and upbeat staff. You'll pay more than expected but will likely leave feeling you got your money's worth.

The northern sibling of the Yaks on the 5 restaurant in Dunsmuir begins the day serving breakfast burritos and sandwiches, staying open until mid-evening for lunch- and dinner-oriented burritos and Buddha bowls along with burgers overflowing with ingredients that might include bacon, avocado, pickled jalapeños, crispy onion strings, and one or more cheeses. Smaller than the original Yaks but similarly enlivened by colorful murals and pulsating to indie rock, the Mt. Shasta iteration benefits from zealous staffers aiming to please.