The 10 best restaurants in Lake George, NY

Lake George gets quieter after Columbus Day, but plenty of kitchens stay open. This list is for Saratoga-area readers making the drive up the Northway and for Lake George locals deciding where to eat this fall and winter. Five of the ten restaurants are in the Village of Lake George, mostly on Canada Street, and five are in the surrounding Town of Lake George, including four on Route 9 south of the village. The list runs from a $9.95 breakfast sandwich on Montcalm Street to dinner in a lakefront mansion.

Several Route 9 restaurants with Lake George mailing addresses actually sit in the Town of Queensbury, and those are on our Queensbury restaurants list instead. Fall schedules are shorter, and most of these dining rooms close one to three days a week, so check the hours under each entry before you drive.

How we chose

We looked for independent restaurants with a steady local reputation, local press coverage and staying power, and we confirmed where each one sits using Warren County parcel records and New York State Health Department inspection records. Each one was confirmed open as of mid-October 2026 from the restaurant’s own website, a current ordering or reservation page, or a 2026 source, and hours and prices come from those pages. Chains and waterfront places that had closed for the season were left off. The list is unranked and in alphabetical order, and no restaurant paid to be included.

Hours, prices and dates below come from each business or official source and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.

Adirondack Pub & Brewery

Beer brewed a few steps away is the draw at Adirondack Pub & Brewery, which John Carr opened in 1999 after ten years of homebrewing. October is the last month for the Oktoberfest, a märzen made entirely with New York ingredients. The cabin-style dining room serves burgers, salads and char-grilled steaks, with s’mores for dessert. No reservations, but a call 30 minutes before arrival will hold the next table.

Hours: Thu 4–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sun 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; closed Tue–Wed. Monday hours vary, so check before you go.

Address: 33 Canada Street, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• Lake George IPA changes hop recipes at least every 90 days, released as numbered Waves.
• Bear Naked Ale, an amber, and Bobcat Pilsner are year-round house beers.
• The pub has a large free parking lot and sits about three minutes off I-87, according to the brewery.

More details are in our directory listing.

Barnsider Smokehouse BBQ

Ribs come two ways at Barnsider Smokehouse BBQ on Route 9: St. Louis cut from $16.95 or baby backs, with sliced brisket at $29.95. The website cites 32 years of low-and-slow smoking. Groups of six to eight can split the $119.95 mixed grill, dogs are allowed in the outdoor sections, and a party room handles bigger gatherings. The site posts only day-to-day status, so call before a midweek drive.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 2112 State Rt. 9, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• Barnsider took part in Stews & Brews Lake George in January 2026.
• Half trays feed 12 to 15 people and full trays feed 25 to 30, according to the restaurant.
• Seating includes a patio, porches and a party room.

More details are in our directory listing.

Caffè Vero

Caffè Vero moved into the former Lake George Hardware Store building at 35 Montcalm Street, around the corner from the old cafe, and the coffee is still fresh roasted. Bagels, doughnuts and Kaiser rolls are made from scratch, so the egg sandwiches start on house bread. The Adirondacker, with bacon, sausage and chipotle aioli, costs $9.95. Breakfast runs 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., which suits an early start before a hike or a drive north. See the Caffè Vero listing for directions.

Hours: Breakfast served 7 a.m.–2 p.m., per the cafe’s menu; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Check current hours before you go.

Address: 35 Montcalm St, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• Ryan Miller opened the first Caffè Vero in Lake George in 2006, according to a 2012 Glens Falls Business Journal report.
• Homemade bagels come in plain, sesame, everything, onion and Asiago with garlic.
• A stack of homemade pancakes is $9.95, and blueberries or chocolate chips add $2.

More details are in our directory listing.

Caldwell House Restaurant & Martini Bar

Hand-cut steaks and slow-roasted prime rib in King, Queen and English cuts anchor the menu at the Caldwell House, a log cabin restaurant on Route 9. Chef James Domino’s parents bought the business in 1965, when the name was Rocco’s Pioneer Italian American Restaurant; he took over in 1997 and later renamed the place. Start with the chicken liver pâté, then pick from more than a dozen signature martinis.

Hours: Wed–Sun from 4 p.m.; closed Mon–Tue.

Address: 1809 U.S. 9, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• The family has fed locals and visitors in the region for more than seven decades across four generations, according to the restaurant.
• Prime rib costs $40 for the English cut, $50 for the Queen and $60 for the King.
• Any steak can become surf and turf with a lobster tail, Alaskan king crab legs or shrimp.
• Warren County parcel records place 1809 Route 9 in the Town of Lake George, not Queensbury.

More details are in our directory listing.

The Lagoon

Grab a deck table at The Lagoon for a view of the southern end of Lake George and a thin-crust pizza from the wood-fired brick oven. The bar and grill fills the middle and lower levels of the Village Mall, and 20 taps rotate local craft beer and cider. Dogs are welcome indoors and out, a plus for families walking Canada Street. Seating is first come, first served, with tables for up to eight.

Hours: Kitchen opens at noon daily; closes 9 p.m. Sun–Thu and 10 p.m. Fri–Sat; drinks served until close.

Address: 204 Canada St., Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• The Lagoon opened in 2018 and was renovated in 2019.
• Indoor dining, the deck and the lakeside patio are all dog friendly.
• Owner Joe Mondella helped start Stews & Brews Lake George, a January tasting event, in 2023.
• The kitchen has a kids menu plus vegetarian and gluten-free options.

More details are in our directory listing.

The Lakeside Restaurant & Lounge

Inside the Fort William Henry Hotel, the Lakeside Restaurant & Lounge serves breakfast every morning and dinner Wednesday through Sunday, with indoor and patio tables looking out on the lake. Dinner entrées on the current menu run from a $17 cherry tomato arrabbiata to a 12-ounce New York strip at $40. Friday nights bring live music from 6 to 9 p.m. Park free in the hotel’s North Lot; the public is welcome year-round.

Hours: Breakfast daily 7–11 a.m.; dinner Wed–Sun 4–9 p.m.; bar Wed–Sun noon–10 p.m.

Address: 48 Canada Street, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• Happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
• A gas fire table outside the restaurant is open to guests during regular hours.
• Wood fire pit rentals come with a dedicated server for groups of up to eight.
• Breakfast includes a Focaccia Eggs Benedict for $18.

More details are in our directory listing.

Mama Riso’s Italian Restaurant

Families have been ordering hand-cut veal at Mama Riso’s since 1953. The Veal Sorrentino ($36), topped with eggplant and melted cheese in a wine and mushroom sauce, is a house special, and every pasta plate comes with minestrone or salad. Portions run large, so the antipasto and eggplant rollatini are sized for two to four. Call ahead for a table; the current schedule runs Wednesday through Saturday.

Hours: Wed–Sat 4–9 p.m.; closed Sun–Tue.

Address: 2119 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• Mama Riso’s has served Italian food in Lake George since 1953, according to the restaurant.
• The menu lists homemade linguine arrabiata at $24, and menu prices are cash prices, with a 3.7% fee for cards.
• The restaurant hosts events for up to 50 people on site and caters off site for up to 100.
• Warren County parcel records place 2119 Route 9 in the Town of Lake George.

More details are in our directory listing.

Mario’s Restaurant

Paul and Nancy Nichols host the dinner crowd at Mario’s, a Canada Street dining room that dates to 1954. The menu mixes Italian and American plates: hand-cut veal specialties, osso buco, steak pizzaiola, braciole and seafood fra diavolo. The dining room sits at the north end of the village and serves dinner five nights a week on the current schedule. Reservations are suggested, and a full bar and wine list round out the meal.

Hours: Thu–Mon from 4 p.m.; closed Tue–Wed.

Address: 429 Canada St., Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• Mario’s has cooked for Lake George diners since 1954, according to the owners.
• The menu runs from imported pastas with made-to-order sauces to steaks, pork chops and salmon.
• Mario’s has been listed for sale since January 2024, when The Cat reported the owners planned to retire, and the restaurant still posts a full fall schedule.
• Warren County parcel records place 429 Canada Street inside the Village of Lake George.

More details are in our directory listing.

Prospect Mountain Diner

A Silk City diner bought in 1950 started the Prospect Mountain Diner, which first stood at Routes 9 and 9L as the Point Diner. After a 2007 fire, Pat Humphrey contracted with Dinermite Diners for a replacement, so the diner-car look survives on Route 9; she has owned the diner since 2013. Breakfast is served all day; the Adirondack Slam stacks two pancakes, two eggs, sausage and bacon for $15. Call for fall hours, since the website lists only summer times.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 2205 U.S. 9, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• The diner moved to the current Route 9 spot after the highway was widened in the 1960s.
• Chef and kitchen manager Stephen Allen has worked at the diner since age 16, according to a 2025 Glens Falls Business Journal profile.
• Maple syrup, poultry and bagels come from regional suppliers, the Glens Falls Business Journal reported in 2025.
• Outdoor patio seating is available under a tent.

More details are in our directory listing.

Shepard’s The Restaurant at Erlowest

Erlowest went up in 1898 as the lakefront home of Brooklyn attorney Edward Morse Shepard, and Shepard’s, the dining room at the Inn at Erlowest, now carries his name. Chef Scott Dewar’s dinner menu runs from lobster bisque with maple crème to a grilled New Zealand elk chop with venison sausage, and each dish lists a suggested wine. Save this one for an anniversary. Book through OpenTable or by phone, and skip Tuesdays, when the dining room is dark.

Hours: Dinner 5–8:30 p.m. six days a week, dining room closed Tuesdays; breakfast 8–10:30 a.m. daily, May through October.

Address: 3178 Lake Shore Drive, Lake George, NY 12845

Why they made the list

• The kitchen buys from regional farms and producers, according to the restaurant.
• A certified sommelier builds wine pairings around the seasonal menus.
• Guests may bring their own wine for a $35 corkage fee per bottle.
• Parcel records place Erlowest in the Town of Lake George, outside the village line.

More details are in our directory listing.

Frequently asked questions

Which Lake George restaurants are open in the fall and winter?

Adirondack Pub & Brewery, The Lagoon, Mario’s, Mama Riso’s, the Caldwell House and the Lakeside Restaurant & Lounge all post current fall hours, and the Lakeside says the dining room is open year-round. Caffè Vero lists only Thanksgiving and Christmas as closed days. Most of these kitchens close one to three days a week, so check before a midweek trip.

Do Lake George restaurants take reservations?

Mama Riso’s, Mario’s and the Caldwell House take reservations by phone, and Shepard’s at Erlowest books through OpenTable or by phone. Adirondack Pub & Brewery and The Lagoon seat walk-ins first come, first served, though the pub will hold the next table if you call 30 minutes ahead.

Where can I get breakfast in Lake George in October?

Caffè Vero on Montcalm Street serves breakfast from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Lakeside Restaurant & Lounge at Fort William Henry serves breakfast daily from 7 to 11 a.m. Shepard’s at Erlowest serves breakfast from 8 to 10:30 a.m. through October. Prospect Mountain Diner on Route 9 serves breakfast all day; call for current hours.

Last checked October 19, 2026. See a place we missed or a detail that has changed? Send us a correction.