Tradition has always been a huge part of my family. I’m sure it’s the same for most families, and I’m sure that holiday traditions are some of the most important and meaningful. For as long as I can remember I’ve spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day doing more or less the same thing, surrounded by extended family and eating amazing meals like honey ham, huevos rancheros with chorizo and prime rib as we opened presents and played Christmas music.
Some years certain situations abruptly altered the traditions. One year the power was out in half of Reno, and we drove to a last minute late dinner at Louis' Basque Corner. Another time the dumping of snow onto Northern Nevada made getting together impossible, leaving just my immediate family and I to a delicious dinner at San Marcos Grill – a welcome escape from the ice storm outside, despite breaking the tradition.
These holiday traditions bridged childhood to my adulthood as some family members arrived and grew up and others passed on. I’ve realized how fortunate I am to have these memories and to be able to return to something so warm and familiar year after year, despite the constant change on the outside.
Reno, in its rebirth and regrowth, still remains true to its roots, its new shops and restaurants surrounded on all sides by the unforgettable and esteemed businesses and attractions that have stood the test of time. Just like my own holiday traditions, these places are testaments to the power of family and community. For this special Christmas week blog, I honor a few of the places that are Reno traditions in and of themselves, full of millions of memories.
One of the oldest running and most beloved restaurants in Reno is Johnny’s Ristorante, the Italian family-owned spot in West Reno on Fourth Street (from back when Fourth Street was the throughway to the Bay Area from Reno). The restaurant, still in the name of its founding family, continues to make the same authentic handmade pastas it has since its 1966 inception. For the holiday season or any other season, it’s a quiet, elegant, traditionally romantic place for a bowl of fresh pasta and a glass of Italian wine on any given evening. The restaurant endures.
As for bars, there’s no University of Nevada college bar more definitive than the Little Waldorf Saloon. The place is nearly 100 years old, founded by World War I vet and chef Red Waldorf. The essence of the Old West lives on in the Little Wal’s decor, where wagon wheels hover on the ceiling and Red’s famous cannon sits on display. The spot is still a haven for beer and bar snack aficionados, and its place in Reno history is solidified.
After nearly 90 years, the El Cortez Hotel has watched over Downtown Reno. Designed by George A. Ferris (of Ferris Wheel fame) and once the tallest building in Nevada, the hotel still stands in its 2nd Street location, outliving even the infamous Mapes Hotel. The place is worth a visit if even just to step inside its old-fashioned lobby area, shared with Noble Pie pizza parlor. It’s amazing to stand on this spot and think about the history this famous location has seen in its lifetime.
Last, there’s the Sundance Bookstore. The independent shop has been around for decades, though it’s only recently moved into the great Victorian Levy House on California Street. Now the bookstore really feels like it belongs in the historic rooms and halls of the home, making it one of Reno’s most unique and wonderful places to visit. Wintertime just calls for a great book, and there may be no better place in Reno to find one.
These businesses and places to see, among so may others, define Reno as a town full of history and lived-in tradition, spanning decades and generations of people walking through these doors. So celebrate this holiday in Reno with some time with loved ones, perhaps at places like these, where new traditions can be made and sealed with the decades of others.
For all the events this week, visit our Daytime, Nightlife and Community pages. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
About the Author Bryan Akerley
Bryan was born and raised in Northern Nevada and is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno. When he’s not writing, he’s keeping up with pop culture as a lover of movies, TV, music and books or out exploring the area through its restaurants, bars and nightlife. Then he’ll unwind by playing the drums or piano or spending time with his corgi, Teddy. 
