Silver Lake Resort just might have the best breakfast in all of the Eastern Sierra
The Silver Lake Resort is an absolute jewel of a destination on the June Lake Loop, located adjacent to the idyllic Silver Lake. The resort, owned by the Jones family since 1977, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016—there are 17 cabins, a marina, RV park, store, and, of course, the incomparable cafe.
A staple for ravenous fisherman, breakfast starts at 7 a.m. and goes “‘till about noon,” with lunch taking over until about 2 p.m. Breakfast is the real ticket, with a wait list most mornings (it’s worth it) due to the small size of the cafe. The wooden walls sport trophy trout, old-timey kitchen implements, crosscut saws, and photos from the days when the Silver Lake Resort was known as Carson’s Camp, named after fisherman Roy Carson who founded the place (nearby Carson Peak is also named after Carson).
What’s best about Silver Lake’s breakfast menu is the way it combines all the favorites into single dishes. I always want biscuits and gravy, but I want them with an egg, and I don’t need a whole plate of just biscuits. I can get that in the “Farm Breakfast,” a single biscuit in a dish with diced up sausage and homemade gravy, topped with one egg, for under $9. I absolutely love French Toast, but again, I don’t need an entire plate of it. The Rush Creek Delight will give me just a couple pieces, plus two eggs and bacon. Each dish comes with a piece of very fresh fruit. The huge mugs of coffee are perpetually refilled. The servers are bustling but friendly. There’s a great wooden bar with swivel stools where you can probably sidle up to a local fisherman and maybe even get some advice about where the trout are biting.
Lunch is also a delight—the homemade pie changes daily, and the Silver Lake Burger can’t be beat for a classic quality lunch.
Things are pretty kid friendly, and there is a “no-fishing” trout pond in the back of the store that is a delight to experience—the trout are more like pampered pets, and kids will squeal with delight as the lunkers approach them in anticipation of pellets.
The Silver Lake Resort is located at 6957 Highway 158. Open in summer only, May-October. Call 760.648.7525 or visit silverlakeresort.net.
Sarah Rea is a freelance dirtbag-turned-journalist who has been living in the Sierra on and off for twenty years, with eight spent in Yosemite National Park and five in Mammoth Lakes. She likes dogs, rocks, good food and jumping into cold water.