Local Roots Food Tours

Looking for a way to learn about Nevada City? Whether you’re a local, a first time visitor, or a regular in town, a food tour is a great way to learn about the history of Nevada City, try the different restaurants, and feel truly immersed in the town. Eric and Lisa have a food tour business, Local Roots Food Tours, where they take patrons on a tour of the town, while incorporating food and history. Eric and Lisa are locals who live in Grass Valley and started doing food tours in Sacramento. They saw how successful it was down there, that they decided to expand their business to Nevada City.

I joined in on Eric’s tour last weekend and learned so much about the place I call my hometown! The tour meets at Calahan Park, then heads over to Cafe Mekka. Cory, the owner, gave each person on the tour a taste of three of his favorite coffees. He also talked about where he gets his coffee, which is from Temple Coffee Roasters out of Sacramento, (we buy our coffee from him, so if you stay with us, you can taste some of the delicious Temple coffee!) and why he prefers it over other roasters.

  

Eric then took us over to the National Hotel where he talked about the history of the hotel and its significance of the town and the Gold Rush. We then went to Lefty’s Grill where we tried their delicious Italian Butcher pizza. Lefty’s has won awards for their Napa Style Pizza, which has a balsamic drizzle over pears, gorgonzola, mozzarella, olive oil, and fresh herbs. Their flat bread pizzas are all grilled in the pizza oven.

  

The tour moved on to Nevada City Winery, and on the way Eric talked about the Powell House which has just been recently remodeled. Each of the patrons on the tour were welcome to try the many different kinds of wine that Nevada City Winery offers. While at the tasting room, we were also offered to try Calolea Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and their Traditional Balsamic Vinegar. (Interested more about the wine at Nevada City Winery? Read my blog about the day I watched them press the grapes HERE.)

   

Once we left Nevada City Winery (which took much coaxing!), Eric talked about the history of the Miners Foundry. We then headed up to Elevensies where we got to try both sweet (Pumpkin Pie) and savory (The Petey Pie) crepes. (Read my blog from when Elevensies first opened, HERE.) While everyone was munching on their crepes, Eric led us up to our place, where everyone got a brief tour of the Broad Street Inn. We headed back downtown and enjoyed some delicious homemade treats from the Nevada City Chocolate Shoppe. They gave us samples of their famous Gold Miners’ Delight and a pecan turtle. After everyone finished–and after a few bought some fudge–we headed over to Sopa Thai. They brought out a few of their most popular dishes, which were all big hits.

 
 

We were running short on time so we didn’t go up Coyote Street. We then went to Deer Creek Inn where we were offered yummy homemade cookies. The tour then ended at the Stonehouse. The tour was 3 hours long, but went by very quickly. Patrons leave full of delicious food and a good idea of places they would like to return to. We highly recommend going on this tour whether you know the town like the back of your hand or it’s your first visit to Nevada City! Don’t forget about their food tour in Sacramento too!

For more photos from the tour, check out our Flickr page HERE.

Read their awesome reviews on TripAdvisor or write a review if you loved your tour!

Pete's Pizza in Nevada City

Yesterday, we went downtown to try out the newest restaurant in town, Pete’s Pizza. Their first restaurant was opened a few years ago in downtown Grass Valley and after great success, they have opened a second restaurant in Nevada City. We walked downtown and were at Pete’s in just a couple of minutes. We were going to get a small pizza, which is 12″ and just over $10. The owner talked us into getting just a slice a piece, which was the perfect size. The large slice was about $4 and we could add toppings, but opted for a simple slice of Margherita. Pete’s serves a thin, New York-style pizza with a homemade sauce and fresh toppings (they also have a Chicago deep-dish style per request). The Margherita had Roma tomatoes that were ripe and juicy with fresh basil. A slice took a little over 5 minutes and a whole pizza takes about 20 minutes. A pizza-by-the-slice place is perfect for tourists and locals alike, especially during street fairs and events. They have a whole list of toppings or you can choose from their specials, such as the Yuba or Mediterranean. If you aren’t in the mood for pizza, they have calzones (which are packed full and delicious!), salads, subs, and a list of appetizers including fish and chips, chicken tenders, garlic fries, and much more. Pete’s has yet to set hours, but for now they open at 11:30 a.m. and close late in the evening sometime. Pete’s Pizza is at 239 Commercial St. in Nevada City, CA and can be contacted by phone at 530.264.7004

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