6 eateries worth a stop on your way home from Seattle’s closest ski areas

Despite it being early in the winter season, it feels like snow fever has firmly taken hold in the Seattle area. With all the skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and snowboarding naturally my mind goes to one thing. Food. So, there I was, dashing through the snow the other week, on my way to Skykomish to see what I could eat before or after a day spent on the slopes. I pulled off Highway 2 and headed past the bustling LouSkis Deli, driving slowly over the snow-covered bridge into a town where the only sound was the snow crunching under the tires as I drove past the darkened windows and every shop, restaurant and hotel stood empty.

I headed back to LouSkis where it was confirmed — the power was out. Luckily, LouSkis has a generator, so they were still able to whip up sandwiches and coffee while the rest of the area waited for the lights to turn back on.

Still, there were smiles all around. It’s a theme I found while exploring the areas around three ski resorts closest to the city that Seattleites flock to when the snow flies (Enumclaw was the focus for Crystal Mountain because of the free shuttle bus from the Expo Center to the resort). And sure, the restaurants around ski areas are a little quirky, a little funky — but managed by incredibly friendly people excited about winter. If you’re heading to the snow this winter season and hunger (or thirst) strikes, here are a few great places to check out.

Stevens Pass

LouSkis Deli

Driving distance from the ski area: 16 miles

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; 148 N. Fifth St., Skykomish, 360-677-2211; louskis.square.site

This iconic building just off Highway 2 has been at least four different deli-style spots since I moved to Washington nearly eight years ago. Since first opening as SkyVue Cafe in the ’30s, this little deli/convenience store now serves up breakfast sandwiches, burgers, salads and ice cream. If the power is out in town (which is a regular occurrence during the winter months), LouSkis will still be open and running on generator power. Burgers might not be available because of that limited power supply but you can still get an incredible Rainy Day Rueben ($13.95), stacked high with thinly sliced pastrami and swiss, plus tangy sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, among other breakfast and lunch sandwiches.

Sand Bar Tavern

Driving distance from the ski area: 29 miles

Noon-10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-8:30 p.m. Sunday; 49315 Highway 2, Gold Bar; 425-446-9483

Stepping inside the beige A-frame that houses Sand Bar Tavern is like being transported instantly to the tropics. There’s Jimmy Buffett playing through the speakers, multiple fish tanks burbling, plenty of model ships, and owner Devon Wetzel smiling behind the fishnet-bedecked bar.

“We wanted to bring the beach to the mountains,” Wetzel says with a grin.

Wetzel opened the tavern — which serves beer and wine, plus some premade food items — three years ago, just before the pandemic. The building, which was home to the Mt. Index Cafe from 1948-2012, had been mostly vacant before he took over, and in the intervening years the kitchen had been removed. Bringing the building up to code was cost-prohibitive, so Wetzel decided to keep things simple. There are two beers on tap, plus plenty more options in bottles and cans, wines by the glass and plenty of good vibes.

A small stage is hidden amid all the shipwreck décor — a place where local musicians set up on Wednesday evenings and patrons sing their hearts out at karaoke on Saturday nights.

The Summit at Snoqualmie

Laconia Market & Cafe

Driving distance from the ski area: 413 feet to Central Summit

7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; Highway 906, Snoqualmie Pass; 425-434-9636; laconiamarket.com

There was a steady stream of skiers and snowboarders clomping into this sleek market the day I stopped in for lunch. In addition to the small grocery section, there’s a grab-and-go cooler filled with sandwiches and salads, plus a pastry case and small menu of larger items available for order. I grabbed a curry bowl with chicken ($19), the trash can tots ($10) and a chocolate chip cookie ($3).

The curry bowl was brimming with brown rice, chickpeas, kale, sweet potatoes and a rich coconut curry sauce. It was warm and filling and the chocolate chip cookie, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, was one of the best cookies I’ve eaten lately. The rest of the pastry case looked promising as well, especially the jam-filled biscuits.

There’s limited seating here plus free Wi-Fi for anyone looking to shoot out a few emails between runs.

Bob’s Espresso

Driving distance from the ski area: 0.4 miles to Central Summit

8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Thursday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Sunday; 773 Highway 906, Snoqualmie Pass

It’s easy to miss this little shack, set up on the edge of the Lee’s Market parking lot. One side kind of functions as a drive-thru (the ease of access dependent on how the snow is plowed) while the other is strictly a walk-up window. And while they serve a mean espresso and hard pack ice cream cones, the best thing about Bob’s Espresso are the corn dogs.

Priced at just under four bucks, these nearly-foot-long dogs are dipped and fried to order. The cornbread batter is slightly sweet and has a little crunch to it. They’re best eaten immediately, slathered with mustard squeezed from a tiny packet and they are so much better than they have any right to be even if — like me — you didn’t spend the day playing in the snow.

Crystal Mountain

Branding Iron Cafe

Driving distance from the ski area: 44 miles

24 hours Thursday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday-Sunday; 22712 S.E. 436th St., Enumclaw; 360-802-6761

This no-frills cafe is tucked into the Enumclaw Sales Pavilion, a sprawling, bright red barn just off Highway 164 seven miles from Enumclaw’s quaint downtown. Breakfast is normally served until 11 a.m. — unless you’re there on Sunday when they’ll keep serving up breakfast until they close or run out of eggs.

Unfortunately, a friend and I showed up on Saturday just after 11:30 and were informed by our server Sally that we just missed the best sweet cream pancakes in the region. Nevertheless, the lunch menu at Branding Iron includes a sprawling selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads and soup. There’s also soft serve ice cream.

I had an amazing patty melt ($16), the burger a perfect medium-rare, topped with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions, served with chubby, crunchy golden fries and a fry sauce Sally makes.

The traffic here ebbs and flows — as the sales pavilion hosts livestock auctions every Saturday (the auctioneer was actually the guy pouring our coffee) — but it’s well worth the stop on your way to or from the mountain.

Bordeaux Wine Bar

Driving distance from the ski area: 39.7 miles

3-9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, noon-9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday; 1710 Railroad St., Enumclaw; 360-226-3355; bordeauxwinebar.com

There are few better places to be in downtown Enumclaw on a sunny afternoon than this little house that’s home to Bordeaux Wine Bar. There’s a burbling fountain in the courtyard and a wide porch that is bathed in afternoon sunshine, warm enough to sit outside, even on a winter’s day. Head here for a more “fancy” après-ski vibe — charcuterie boards ($25) or cheese plates to share and small plates like artichoke dip ($7) and truffle popcorn. You can also get salads, soup and sandwiches, and there’s a wide wine and beer selection.