Celebrity Chef Opens New Tahoe Restaurant Just in Time for Ski Season

Just in time for a massive Thanksgiving snowstorm, Bay Area chef and restaurateur Michael Mina has opened a location of his upscale tavern, Bourbon Pub, at Tahoe’s Northstar California Resort. Local fans may have already experienced it at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, and at San Francisco International Airport. 

Despite operating 40 restaurants throughout the country, it’s the San Francisco-based chef’s first restaurant in the Tahoe area, though he says the location has always been on his radar. Bourbon Pub is all about indulgent aprés ski fare, offering dishes like a Truffle Caesar Salad and Spicy Korean Wagyu Tacos. Mina’s signature mash-ups of cuisines will be seen throughout, especially in dishes like ‘General Tso’ Chicken Wings with sweet and spicy sauce, and Cauliflower Steak with tahini sauce, pomegranate, za’taar, and pistachios. There’ll also be a bevy of craft cocktails, beer, and wine by the glass. 

Located right in the village at the base of the Big Springs Gondola, Bourbon Pub has a spacious, 125-person dining room designed by one of San Francisco’s hottest design firms, ROY. It’s all plaid, buffalo check, and warm leather throughout the space, which will definitely bring a polished vibe to the mountain. Families can play vintage board games over plates of chili-topped nachos or shrimp lettuce cups before heading back to the slopes. 

The new restaurant joins Northstar’s existing aprés offerings, which includes a poutine and beer spot, a Mexican restaurant, wine bars, Starbucks, and more.