Bizarre Bites in Nevada: Far-Out Foods for the Adventurous Traveler

From cotton-candy burritos to 9,000-calorie burgers, Nevada has plenty to offer the more adventurous foodie
From cotton-candy burritos to 9,000-calorie burgers, Nevada has plenty to offer the more adventurous foodie | © Andrew Cebulka / Stocksy
Maxine Sheppard

From the highest of high-end restaurants to old-school Sagebrush Saloons, Nevada offers plenty of kooky culinary experiences for the curious foodie traveler.

Without a doubt, Nevada is one of the most offbeat states in the US. Lonely highways are dotted with cowboy hangouts, and century-old saloons buzz with hushed conspiracy theories of a crashed UFO spacecraft. Futuristic cities fizzle with the whir of spinning slot machines, while tumbleweeds blow through desolate Gold Rush ghost towns. Wherever you go, whatever you eat, expect the unexpected.

Welcome to Foodie Las Vegas

For hungry Nevada travelers, the adventure begins in Las Vegas. Let’s face it – whatever you want to eat here, you can almost certainly get it. This food-obsessed city is continually pushing the boundaries of contemporary cuisine and earning itself a reputation as one of the most diverse dining destinations in the nation. When it comes to sophistication, Vegas is the equal of NYC or LA. But it also does lowbrow with flair, too, tapping into the visitor’s sense of abandon and excess.

Take the Heart Attack Grill. Never a venue to shy away from controversy, this hospital-themed diner is best known for its quadruple bypass burger, served by waitresses, or rather “nurses”, to a stream of gluttonous patrons dressed in surgery gowns. Awarded the title of the most calorific burger in the world by Guinness World Records (only 9,983 calories per serving!) it’ll kickstart your journey towards upping your weight to 350lb (159kg) – the point at which you qualify for unlimited free food. Clean your plate and earn the honor of being pushed out to your car in a wheelchair. Political correctness is not really a thing here, in case you were wondering.

If you weigh more than 350lb (159kg) you automatically qualify for unlimited free food at the controversial Heart Attack Grill

For something a little less filling, the multi-award-winning Donut Bar, just around the corner, offers a savory twist on the sugary treat – a gooey grilled cheese doughnut. If you want to replicate it at home, take two freshly baked cinnamon doughnuts, slice in half, then spread on a thick layer of butter before lightly toasting on a griddle. Add heaps of cheddar and havarti cheese, and serve with sriracha mayo or chipotle sauce. No wonder it immediately went viral. Launched as a short-term special in 2018, it’s now a consistent bestseller.

Sweet-toothed travelers are equally well catered for. If you’ve no fear of the dentist, we dare you to try the cotton-candy burrito at Creamberry. This Willy Wonka-style confection consists of three scoops of ice cream topped with sprinkles, marshmallows and brownie chunks, all wrapped in a multicolored layer of spangly cotton candy. Warning: it’s probably the most garish dessert we’ve ever seen. If that’s over the top, head to Dirt Dog for some marginally less extravagant deep-fried Oreos and Twinkies.

It would be rude to order a multicolored cotton-candy burrito and not post a picture on Instagram

Desert Diners and Alien Ale

For more of Nevada’s culinary oddities, you’ll need to hit the highway – no hardship in the road-trip capital of the USA. Head north along US-93 and drop by E-T Fresh Jerky for some delicious jerky that not even an alien could turn down, before turning onto State Route 375, aka the Extraterrestrial Highway. This scorched ribbon of road passes by Area 51, the notoriously secretive air-force base and site of numerous reported UFO sightings. Halfway along the route, the Little A’Le’Inn serves its world-famous alien burger and alien amber ale.

The mining town of Tonopah is a quirky place for a break on your journey. Supposedly haunted, the atmospheric Mizpah Hotel is the best place to stay, though the Clown Motel up the road (next to a graveyard and stuffed to the brim with scary clown dolls) will also give you a night to remember. If you’re heading on to Lake Tahoe, check out the chalet-style La Fondue restaurant in the ski resort of Incline Village on the north shore of Tahoe. The alpine cheese fondue for two, featuring imported emmenthaler and Swiss gruyère melted with kirschwasser (morello cherry brandy), brings the spirit of the Matterhorn to Nevada – the perfect après-ski to round off an afternoon on the slopes.

Dubbed the Biggest Little City in the World, Reno may still be a casino town at heart, but its culinary scene has grown in recent years. The Riverwalk District is home to several innovative restaurants, and a stroll along the Riverwalk is a great way to burn off your newly acquired calories. When you reach the Rolled Mountain Creamery, you can put them all back again with a stir-fried, Thai-inspired “rolled” ice cream. Try the Green Tea Boba: green tea blend and red bean paste, topped with whipped cream, boba pearls and a Pirouline wafer.

You can pick up Thai-inspired stir-fried ice -ream rolls at Rolled Mountain Creamery

Ghosts With the Most

Alternatively, if you’re circling back to Vegas, Highway 95 takes you past some of the eeriest ghost towns in Nevada. In the boozy, boisterous gold-prospecting years, windswept Goldfield was the largest city in the state. Today, this “living” ghost town is worth a stop, if only for the Dinky Diner’s sweet tortilla chillers, or an ice-cold beer at the Santa Fe Saloon, served by “Nevada’s meanest bartender”. Be sure to call ahead if you’re planning a visit, as the opening hours can vary.

Another two-hour drive will bring you to the former boomtown of Goodsprings. This dusty detour is worth the effort for the historic Pioneer Saloon alone, which opened in 1913. Here you can wolf down a haunted hot dog with ghost sauce at the Wild West-style bar. From here, it’s only a 45-minute drive back to Las Vegas, where more oddball food adventures await.

Santa Fe Saloon is a real nod to the gold rush

The weird and wonderful world of Nevada awaits. Start your journey now

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article