Located at the resort’s airport, Lake Tahoe’s Red Truck Cafe is becoming a cult favorite thanks to affordable, delicious meals — and the chance to spot celebrities disembarking from private jets
- Red Truck Café has been operating at tiny Truckee Tahoe Airport since 2012
- Chef and owner Larry Abney said his priority is low prices and quality food
- The restaurant brings throngs of diners to the otherwise pricey area
An independent coffee shop at a tiny Lake Tahoe airport has become a cult favorite for locals thanks to its cheap, delicious food and the chance to watch stars land in private jets.
The Red Truck Cafe is located in the main terminal building of the tiny Truckee Tahoe Airport, which offers private flights for local and vacation stars.
The likes of Tahoe’s Kourtney Kardashian and Jeremy Renner have been spotted vacationing in the area, while some of SFGATE’s most loyal diners told SFGATE they recently spotted actor John Stamos on the airport runway.
But despite the high cost that prevails in the scenic, star-studded eastern California region, Red Truck keeps its prices comparatively low, with its customers’ favorite breakfast burrito costing $10.
Chef Larry Abney, 49, who opened the restaurant in 2012, said maintaining prices affordable is his top priority.
Chef Larry Abney, 49, who opened the restaurant in 2012, said maintaining prices affordable is his top priority
The Red Truck Cafe is located in the main terminal building of the tiny Truckee Tahoe Airport, which offers private flights for local or vacation stars
Despite the high cost that prevails in the scenic, star-studded region of Eastern California, Red Truck keeps its prices comparatively low, with its customers’ favorite breakfast burrito costing $10
The likes of Tahoe’s Kourtney Kardashian and Jeremy Renner have been spotted vacationing in the area, while some of SFGATE’s most loyal diners told SFGATE they recently spotted actor John Stamos on the airport runway
“I’m sick of the high prices in downtown Truckee,” he told SFGATE.
“I keep my prices low so people can come and eat here every day.”
“I feel like people in Truckee are being ripped off with high prices just because they can.”
“The airport has made a report of what people think about it and we are consistently the main reason people come to the airport.”
“This little airport was pretty quiet when we got here,” he added.
But the budget-conscious café owner doesn’t cut corners when it comes to his meals — he adds creative options to the menu each week and uses fresh produce from local, sustainable vendors.
“I go to the farmers market every week and force myself to come up with a new recipe,” Abney said.
“Last night I was thinking about what to do with eggplant for something I haven’t made before. ‘I’m working on an eggplant samosa – this could be awful!’
His high standards include using local food sources such as the Tahoe Food Hub, Hole-in-One Ranch and the Truckee Farmer’s Market.
The more permanent menu includes colorful bowls of quinoa with fresh vegetables and a variety of meats — from chicken tikka masala to coconut curried lamb — for just $10.50.
The likes of Jeremy Renner and Kourtney Kardashian have been spotted vacationing in the area, while some of SFGATE’s most loyal diners told SFGATE they recently spotted actor John Stamos on the airport runway
But the budget-conscious café owner doesn’t cut corners when it comes to his meals — he adds creative options to the menu each week and uses fresh produce from local, sustainable vendors
“This little airport was pretty quiet when we got here,” Abney said
Red Truck also offers several fresh salads, make-it-yourself sandwich options, and its locally-renowned naan sandwich with meat, hummus, and yogurt topping for $11.50
Red Truck also offers several fresh salads, make-it-yourself sandwich options, and its locally-renowned naan sandwich with meat, hummus, and yogurt topping for $11.50.
Born in Wyoming, Abney learned to cook in the kitchen from his mother before attending the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont.
His culinary career began in restaurants in DC and New York before moving to the West Coast.
Abney told SFGATE that he joined the “food truck revolution” when he moved more than a decade ago and that his Red Truck business started as a pop-up catering service for events.