Anyone who knows our family also knows that when we’re road tripping, we don’t eat out much. We have a variety of food allergies and issues, so we pack all of our own food and enjoy tailgate picnics for also every meal. To know us is to also know that we eat A LOT of potatoes. We love them.
In fact, potatoes are Natalie’s favorite food. So when we found out The Lighthouse Grill in Trinidad serves something called a mashed potato cone, we knew that we were going to stop there for dinner.
We arrived at 5:30 pm and the line was already out the door and it didn’t move very fast. Normally we wouldn’t stay in such a slow-moving line, but Natalie was determined to get a Mashed Potato Cone: a savory waffle cone made with cornmeal, garlic, rosemary, and chives that is stuffed with mashed potatoes are your choice of toppings: beef or veggie gravy, cheese, bacon, and chicken or brisket.
The menu in this small town, eclectic, order-at-the-counter restaurant is diner-esque with:
- Humboldt grass-fed beef burgers plus a nut burger and a tofu burger
- Fresh fish and chips and grilled or fried fish sandwiches
- Chicken, tuna, beef brisket, and grilled cheese sandwiches
- A variety of soups and sides, including clam chowder, chili, and all sorts of french fries
- Homemade ice cream, milkshakes, and floats
- Beer, wine, and ciders
- And of course, the Mashed Potato Cones
Our food was delicious and we sat outside on the patio, which was really nice on a cool summer evening along the coast.
I had a burger, Brian ordered the fish and chips, and Carter ate fries, but… the clear stars of the show — and the entire reason we stopped at The Trinidad Lighthouse Grill — are the incredible Mashed Potato Cones!
Natalie devoured hers then ate the cone and she swears it was the best thing ever.
We’re from the greater Sacramento area, America’s farm-to-fork capital, so what Brian and I really appreciated about The Lighthouse Grill is their buy fresh, buy local approach and the fact that:
- Everything, including the buns and the sodas, is fresh and homemade.
- The ice cream is homemade in small batches and even the toppings mixed in are home made.
- The fish is caught fresh and the fries are hand cut.
- The produce is sourced from local farms and the beer and wine are also local.
Know Before You Go
- The Lighthouse Grill is located at 355 Main Street, Trinidad, California 95570 in Humboldt County.
- As you enter Trinidad, The Lighthouse Grill will be on your left — it’s in a small cottage in the middle of a large grocery store parking lot.
- The restaurant is open from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm every day.
- Gluten-free buns are available by request.
- Almost everything on the menu is locally sourced and homemade.
