14 Restaurants in Lake Chelan You Can't Miss

I love exploring the restaurants in Lake Chelan every time I visit. It’s an area about 4 hours east of Seattle known for wineries, but what most people don’t know is it also has an under-the-radar restaurant scene serving some really good food using local ingredients.

If you’re planning a trip to this region, make sure to check out these restaurants in Lake Chelan.

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Restaurants in Lake Chelan You Can’t Miss

Here are my favorite restaurants in Lake Chelan, listed in rough order of preference. Save this to Pinterest for later, as I’ll keep updating it as I find new places to eat.

Blueberry Hill Farm

website | directions | cuisine: American | best for: breakfast

A lot of visitors don’t know about this restaurant in Lake Chelan. That’s probably because it’s on the north shore in Manson, about 15 minutes from downtown Chelan.

Blueberry Hill Farm is a breakfast and lunch spot worth the trip to Manson alone, but I recommend you explore some of the nearby wineries too! Like its name implies, it’s a blueberry farm. They offer u-pick in the summer and sell a ton of blueberry-based products in their gift shop.

But the real gem is the cafe with friendly service and a delicious menu of baked goods and savory dishes. Two stand outs are the blueberry cinnamon roll and egg scramble with ground beef, bacon, and sausage. During the summer there can be a wait to eat here, so arrive early or try to visit at off hours.

Mi Paloma Cocina y Cultura

website | directions | cuisine: Mexican | best for: vegan & vegetarian options

Mi Paloma is closed for the winter. Check Instagram for updates.

If you’re looking for more of a fast-casual spot to visit between wine tastings, check out Mi Paloma. This Mexican restaurant in downtown Manson is serving family recipes for lunch or dinner.

My absolute favorite items on the menu is their Baja fried fish tacos. They also have a delicious menu just for vegetarians and vegans. If you stick to the vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Seattle, you’re going to want to add this to your Lake Chelan restaurants list.

Bear Foods Natural Market

website | directions | cuisine: French | best for: crepes

You’d never guess there’s a breakfast and lunch cafe inside this natural foods grocery store in downtown Lake Chelan. But if you go right upon entering what looks like a convenience store, you’ll find a small creperie serving both sweet and savory crepes.

If you’re going for lunch, definitely get the tuna crepe. It has cheddar on it, which you might not think should go with tuna fish, but it’s so yummy! They have limited hours, so check ahead of time and get there before they close at 2 pm.

Fonda Oaxaqueña

website | directions | cuisine: Mexican | best for: refried beans

There are a lot of Mexican restaurants to choose from in downtown Lake Chelan, but this one is by far my favorite. It’s lively with sports playing on TVs, people gabbing over margaritas, and sometimes musicians roaming the floor. It’s a good spot for after hours thanks to the full bar and delicious menu that will keep your group entertained for hours.

You’ll find a lot of great Mexican dishes on the menu, but the must-get here is the refried beans. You might be thinking, “Uh, wut?” but trust me, their refried beans are out of this world. And lucky you, they serve them alongside salsa when they bring out their free tortilla chip basket.

If you’re looking for a fast food spot with friendly service, make sure to stop at this restaurant in Lake Chelan.

Lago Pasta

website | directions | cuisine: Italian | best for: pasta and pantry goodies

Lago Pasta is a newcomer to the restaurants in Lake Chelan scene. Well really, it’s part restaurant and part grocer. Their tiny space is mostly taken up by shelves and fridges filled with their handmade and curated goods. They don’t even have a full kitchen, so you’ll see them making their pastas on burners outside.

Don’t let this deter you though. Their pastas are excellent and worth a stop or two. If available, get their mac and cheese. It’s the perfect level of creaminess and has sharp cheese in it so there’s more complexity.

Layla’s Bar + Kitchen

website | directions | cuisine: Asian fusion | best for: cocktails over dinner (they’re 21+)

I slept on Layla’s for a long time because I thought there was no way I’d like it. The menu read too eclectic and, in my experience, when a menu lacks focus it’s usually a sign that the restaurant serves a lot of mediocre dishes.

Well, Layla is the exception. I was humbled the first time I tried their banh mi bowl and wedge salad. The portions are large and, while not traditional by any means, they execute flavors well. Plus the fun, adults-only vibe makes for a bustling scene you don’t often get in quieter Lake Chelan.

Pro tip: Seating is first come, first serve. It can feel a bit chaotic when crowded, by perservere!

Sugar Sweet Shop

website | online orders or sometimes at Chelan Valley Farms (directions) | cuisine: baked goods | best for: doughnuts

Sugar Sweet Shop is a Latin-owned bakery that operates out of a ghost kitchen. That means there’s not a place for you to visit, but rather you order ahead online for pick up. They also sometimes pop up at various events around town. You can often find them at Chelan Valley Farms on weekends, too.

That’s where I had their baked goods for the first time. They were serving apple cider mini doughnuts one fall when I visit Chelan Valley Farms for u-pick apples and pumpkins. I loved how soft they were and the ratio of cinnamon sugar was spot on. They sell a lot of other baked goods, so I look forward to trying more in the future!

Apple Cup Cafe

website | directions | cuisine: American | best for: greasy spoon diner food

Sometimes after a day of wine tasting, you want a big, greasy, all-American breakfast the next morning. Apple Cup Cafe will hit that craving.

It has an extensive menu full of eggs, pancakes, French toast, and similar diner fare. It can get crowded, so get their early to avoid a long wait.

You can’t go wrong with most of the omelets, but my favorite is the Apple Cup one with cheddar, ham, pepper, and mushroom. And I love how they serve hash browns. So much better than home fries in my opinion.

Local Myth Pizza

website | directions | cuisine: pizza | best for: pizza with wild toppings

Pizza is the ultimate fast food for lunch or dinner, and you know given my obsession with finding the best pizza in Seattle that I’d be all over the pizza scene in Chelan.

While it’s not the best pizza I’ve ever had, Local Myth is the best option for pizza in Lake Chelan. They have a delicious menu with funky toppings, such as the “taco wagon” or barbecue chicken pies.

This is also a great option for people who are gluten free or vegetarian. In fact, my favorite pie is their vegetarian Chrome pie with sun-dried tomato, basil, roasted red pepper, pepperoncini, kalamata olive, feta, pine nut, garlic, and both a pesto and red sauce.

Lake Chelan wineries with restaurants

Don’t want to miss valuable time wine tasting? Most wineries offer charcuterie nibbles, but here are Lake Chelan wineries with restaurants. I haven’t been to all of them yet, but I’ll note which ones I have!

Sorrento at Tsillan Cellars

website | directions | cuisine: Italian | best for: a fine dining experience

Tsillan Cellars (pronounced “shuh-lan” like the region, it just uses the Indigenous spelling) is one of my favorite wineries in Lake Chelan. They serve Italian-style varietals in their over-the-top winery with Italian decor and architecture.

Matching their tasting room ambiance is Sorrento, a fine dining restaurant with breathtaking views of the lake. I love how it serves traditional Italian-American dishes I grew up eating, like chicken marsala and picatta. While dishes can be hit or miss, when you order good, it’s goooood.

Standouts from our last trip included the butterscotch boudin dessert and swordfish puttanesca. The fish was perfectly cooked and had a great combination of olives and tomatoes that whisked me back to Sicily.

Dan and I were torn on the meatballs. We joke he’s a meatball hoe and has pretty low standards since he likes them so much, but he was really down on Sorrento’s. He said they were too dense. However, when I told him it seemed they used sausage in their meat mix given the consistency, he warmed up to it.

I’m typically a meatball hater because I’m super picky, but I actually thought they were quite good. Best I’ve had? No, but satisfying after a day of wine tasting.

Lake Chelan Winery

website | directions | cuisine: barbecue | best for: casual food while wine tasting

In the summer, Lake Chelan Winery has covered outdoor seating right outside its tasting room for you to enjoy barbecue and wine. Think smoked chicken, ribs, mac and cheese, etc. I haven’t eaten here yet, but try it out if you want low-brow food with 5-star views and ambiance.

18 Brix at Karma Vineyards

website | directions | cuisine: Pacific Northwest | best for: fine dining

Karma is an award-winning winery on the south shore of Lake Chelan that focuses on some of the finest wines with bubbles. They have a sweet wine cave that doubles as a tasting room where you can order food from their restaurant, 18 Brix.

The “brix scale” refers to the system used to measure the sugar contents of grape. The restaurant offers outdoor seating on their beautifully-landscaped patio, or you can turn it into a fine dining experience and rent out their wine cave. Regardless of where you choose to eat, you’ll find a Pacific Northwest menu that leans French, with gourmet sandwiches served during lunch.

I ate here once about a decade ago, but I barely remember it. So let’s pretend I haven’t and let you form an opinion yourself!

Siren Song Vineyard Estates & Winery

website | directions | cuisine: pizza and small plates | best for: pizza

Siren Song is one of the best Washington wine country hotels because you can stay right on the property. Guests don’t even have to leave their south shore tasting room thanks to their on-site restaurant serving shareable small plates and artisan pizza.

I haven’t eaten here yet, but you can enjoy bites overlooking Lake Chelan on their beautifully landscaped patio and enjoying some of the area’s finest wines.

Siren Song, place to stay in Chelan, WA wine country — *Photo courtesy of Siren Song Vineyard*

Winemakers Grill at Wapato Point Cellars

website | directions | cuisine: Italian | best for: fine dining

Wapato Point Cellars is a winery on the north shore of Lake Chelan. I haven’t been yet, but I know they offer an extensive menu with favorites like pasta and steak.

Vin du Lac

website | directions | cuisine: Pacific Northwest | best for: farm-to-table food

Vin du Lac is a tasting room on the north shore of Lake Chelan with some of the most stunning views out of all the wineries in the area. It has a beautifully-landscaped patio overlooking the water, with plenty of outdoor seating for wine tasting.

Their bistro serves food using ingredients from their own garden, with a seasonally-changing menu highlighting what’s fresh. I haven’t been yet, and likely won’t go because I had a weird interaction with this winery when they emailed me and rudely asked me not to use a photo I took at their property, but there’s no denying this spot is popular.

Other Lake Chelan restaurants to try

Here are a few restaurants on my short list of places to try next time I visit.

Lake View Drive-In – Seasonal spot with burgers and soft serve ice cream
Chulita Antojo Sabor y Tradicion – Mexican place in downtown Lake Chelan
River Walk Inn & Cafe – Hotel near the lake said to have great baked goods
Goldie’s – Seasonal smoothie spot I desperately want to try, but alas it’s always closed when I visit
Deep Water Inn – Summer only walk-up cafe known for biscuits

Map of Lake Chelan restaurants

Here’s a map of all the best restaurants in Lake Chelan alongside my favorite Lake Chelan wineries to give you a sense of where to stop between wine tasting. It also includes other restaurants I’ve been to and an unfiltered assessment of what I thought.

Things to do between eats in Lake Chelan

Hey, even champion eaters need a break! See my other guides for activities besides eating.

Overwhelmed by all the options? I’m a certified travel planner that can build you a custom trip itinerary. All you’d have to do is show up!

Places to visit near Lake Chelan, WA

Will you be in Chelan for a few days? Take day trips to these areas nearby!

14 Restaurants in Lake Chelan You Can’t Miss