Grant Grove Restaurant is a breakfast grab & go stop in the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.



These parks are notable for giant sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on Earth by volume. The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five of the ten largest trees in the world. The park also contains the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m) above sea level.



This was just a quick breakfast, but it wasn't bad. I had a breakfast bagel with cheddar and egg.



Adding a side of fruit rounded out the meal for me and provided a solid start to my day of hiking.



Grade: B

The Annex Kitchen is an Italian-Inspired restaurant influenced by the seasonal offerings of farmers throughout Central California.



The cuisine seeks to reflect the rustic, ingredient focused cooking of regional Italy. The focus of the menu revolves around housemade pastas, grilled meats and vegetables from a wood burning hearth, and pizzas baked in the wood burning Acunto oven. The full bar also draws inspiration from locally sourced seasonal produce in its development of modern crafted cocktails while also paying homage to the classics.



I was here on a mission to try the SWEET PEA AGNOLOTTI with green garlic, english peas and mushrooms. Simon Majumdar said on social media that it was the bedt dish he had that year, and he subsequently chose the dish for his part of the “Life Changers” episode of “The Best Thing I Ever Ate."



The dish was just flawless. The pasta is chewy in the best way, plus cheesy and creamy and also sweet from the peas. it is fresh and springy, yet rich and indulgent. It is just one of my favorites.



I had a side of polenta, which was fine. It's not my favorite to eat on its own, and the agnolotti just blew everything else away.



We split a CHOCOLATE BUDINO with sea salt, hazelnuts & whipped cream. Not a super sweet chocolate, but nice nonetheless.



Finally, we had the BRUTTI MA BUONI COOKIES made with almond meringue. I love the texture of meringue cookies, so this was a winner in my book.



Grade: A

Beef-A-Roo is a fast casual restaurant that began in 1967 and focuses on - you guessed it - beef.



I ordered the Mushroom Swiss Beef - Served on a sesame seed bun, topped with Swiss cheese, mushrooms, and onion rings.



With this flavor combo, I usually need something acidic to cut all the richness. That's why BBQ often accompanies meals like this. Tasty, but can't do too much of it. Fries could've used another minute or two in the fryer.



Grade: C

Base Camp Eatery, which is essentially a food court, at Yosemite Valley Lodge offers a Starbucks coffee bar, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.



Because they do offer three meals a day, there is a pretty wide variety in the grab and go options that they have available. i'm talking pancakes to hamburgers to chicken teriyaki bowls.



I was here for breakfast, so I opted for a yogurt & granola parfait and breakfast burrito. Both were average on all counts. Satisfactory, but nothing outstanding. The best part? The location.



Grade: C

The Mountain Room is located in the Yosemite Lodge at the national park and boasts striking views of the 2,424 foot high Yosemite Falls.



The menu features steaks, seafood and pastas. The chef’s specialties include local, organic & seasonal preparations including fish and seafood.



I enjoyed a steak with rainbow-colored cauliflower, demi-glace and mashed potatoes. it certainly made for a pretty plate, and the meal itself was standard, but good.



For dessert, I indulged in an ice cream sundae topped with caramel and hot fudge, whipped cream, shaved almonds, and strawberries. I don't think it's possible for this to not taste amazing, but in case you were curious, it did indeed taste amazing.



Grade: A