Food & Drink

Best sandwiches

Rose’s
725 S. Center St., 329-7673

This little restaurant, located in a comfy converted house, is only open for lunch these days. But those lunches are delicious. Rose’s sandwiches are approaching a legendary status, with their freshly made bread, delicious ingredients and wonderful presentations. Don’t miss the Sydolly, a sandwich featuring sliced turkey smothered with a garlic salsa sauce that’s to die for. The restaurant also serves a number of vegetarian sandwiches for the no-meat crowd out there. During the winter months, sit next to the fireplace for a little extra ambience.

Best place to get a vanilla Coke

Mel’s Diner
Sands Hotel-Casino 345 N. Arlington Ave., 348-2200

Located just inside the northeast corner of the Sands, Mel’s Diner serves all the American standards with a ‘50s flare not seen in Reno since the old Five & Diner closed. This popular West Coast chain, made famous in the old TV show Alice, even features the little jukeboxes at each table. Nice touch. The service can be spotty at times, but the atmosphere is always nice, especially since the restaurant is almost completely isolated from the casino floor. And, ah, the joy of a vanilla Coke …

Best place to get obese

Meadowood Mall Food Court
5000 Meadowood Mall Circle, 827-8450

This is a sweet tooth’s dreamland. Within several dozen feet, a dozen or so fast-food restaurants co-exist and (seemingly) do some amazing business. You’ve got your pizza (Sbarro), your burgers (Burger King), your cookies (Mrs. Field’s Cookies), your Mexican food (Taco Maker), your Asian food (Edo Japan and Fusion Express), your ice cream (Dairy Queen) … we could go on, but all of our teeth would fall out just thinking about it.

Best use of straw in decorating

Cattlemen’s
555 U.S. Highway 395, Washoe Valley, 849-1500

This Washoe Valley landmark (which, despite what Cattlemen’s says, is NOT in Carson City) has been one of the area’s most enduring freestanding steakhouses. They come and go, but Cattlemen’s hangs on. The restaurant’s top-notch food, always-friendly service and festive Western decor (yes, that is a bale of straw on top of the booth next to you) keep the customers coming back. While the Washoe Valley Cattlemen’s may be just one in this West Coast chain of restaurants, it doesn’t have that chain feeling at all.