Check out 10 top hotspots for Vegas dining
TOP 10 BETS FOR DINING IN LAS VEGAS
With more than 1,450 restaurants and 258 buffets, southern Nevada offers an astounding number of dining options. Though I have barely scratched the surface of the Las Vegas food scene, over three visits I’ve found some sure bets for first-time visitors looking for foodie thrills at several price points. Here are my top picks for great Las Vegas fine dining, good eating or simple snacking.
1 SAY YOU WON BIG AT THE TABLES OR YOU WANT TO POP THE QUESTION: RESTAURANT JOëL ROBUCHON, AT THE MGM GRAND
Where do I start? The plush European setting … the wow-worthy bread cart … the balletic service … the sharp sommelier … the mind-boggling mignardises selection? Robuchon’s isn’t an ingredient-based cuisine as much as a technique-driven cuisine. This is French nouvelle cuisine in its highest form. Expect to pay $127 to $435 per diner for tasting menus. mgmgrand.com/restaurants/joelrobuchon
2 YET ANOTHER MIND-BLOWING MEAL, THE LIGHT VERSION: L’ATELIER JOëL ROBUCHON, AT THE MGM GRAND
If you’re interested in the Robuchon experience without blowing a mortgage payment, check out the adjacent Joël Robuchon’s L’Atelier, where $159 will get you a 10-course tasting menu made by the same kitchen with the same ingredients as the higher-end restaurant next door.
Robuchon’s L’Atelier line of restaurants (there are eight worldwide) are uniformly superb, and the food is far less fussy and more edgy than at his classic restaurant next door. Dishes range from luxurious foiegras-stuffed, free-range quail with Robuchon’s famous mashed potatoes, to exotic langoustines cooked in a green curry with coconut milk. mgmgrand.com/restaurants/atelieraspx
3 THE ELEGANT OUTDOOR LUNCH: LA CAVE, AT THE WYNN
New to me, this wine-driven restaurant doesn’t serve the most edgy vinos, but I was pleasantly surprised by the food and setting. This restaurant has an air-conditioned terrasse that overlooks the Wynn pool area. The menu features an appealing selection of flatbreads, vegetarian dishes and grilled meats. You can enjoy several wine flights (big reds, Pinot Noirs, adventurous whites, etc.) as well as some fine cocktails, including the best margarita I’ve ever tasted. Gluten-free menu, as well. wynnlasvegas.com/Restaurants/ CasualDining/LaCave
4 FOR BREAKFAST, BRUNCH OR WHENEVER: BOUCHON, AT THE VENETIAN
Thomas Keller’s Bouchon is an oasis of French-meets-American perfection in the form of a bistro straight out of central casting. Breakfast here is unbeatable as everything from the waffles with strawberries and maple syrup to the spinach quiche to plain ol’ bacon and eggs is exemplary. But breakfast aside, the menu here is a winner, with French bistro classics given their due.
bouchonbistro.com/lasvegas
5 24-HOUR BREAKFAST OPTION: LE CAFé, AT THE WYNN Vegas is an all-night town, which means you could be waking up for breakfast at 5:30 a.m. or 8 p.m. This coffee shop not only has great coffee, (not something easy to find in Sin City) but also terrific croissants, cinnamon buns, muffins and the most buttery kugelhofs. wynnlasvegas.com/Restaurants/ CasualDining/DrugstoreCafe
6 THE HOT NEW FOODIE DESTINATION: JALEO, AT THE COSMOPOLITAN
Operated by Washington-based Spanish chef José Andrés, Jaleo is the restaurant for those looking for culinary thrills to match the surroundings. Start with one of the inspired gin and tonics, then sample a few tapas plates along with a glass of sherry or Spanish red wine. Count on great service and crackling ambience to match. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/taste/ restaurant-collection/jaleo.aspx
7 STEAK: PRIME, AT THE BELLAGIO; CARNEVINO, AT THE PALAZZO
There are more steak houses in Vegas, it seems, than any other category of restaurant, and the choices are staggering. I recommend these two because the names behind them are huge. At Prime, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten uses pristine ingredients (with high prices to match) and transforms them simply, relying on some Asian accents alongside American and French classics. As for Carnevino, this is chef Mario Batali’s Italian-style steak house where meats are gorgeously marbled, well-aged, charred to perfection and — of course — pricey. There are many other dishes on the menu but really this is the place for steak lovers to go all out. bellagio.com/restaurants/primesteakhouse. carnevino.com
8 YOU GOTTA DO A BUFFET: BACCHANAL BUFFET, AT CAESARS PALACE
Buffets were the bane of Vegas’s gourmet existence for a while, yet you can now find some fantastic buffets where the food is taken seriously. I certainly enjoyed the orgiastic excess at the new Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace; The food stations include seafood, Mexican, Italian, Asian, soup, salad, American (great ribs!) and a huge central dessert station filled with cakes, ice cream, pastries and more. For $26.99 at lunch and $39.99 at dinner, this buffet is one of the best deals on the strip. caesarspalace.com/ restaurants/bacchanal-buffet.html#.
9 FOR SWEETS: PAYARD PâTISSERIE AND BISTRO, AT CAESARS PALACE; JEAN-PHILIPPE PâTISSERIE, AT THE BELLAGIO; MAX BRENNER, AT THE FORUM SHOPS AT CAESARS PALACE
Head to Payard Pâtisserie and Bistro at Caesars for outstanding chocolates and macaroons. Don’t miss Jean-Philippe Pâtisserie at the Bellagio for beautiful pastries, cookies, cakes, sandwiches and crepes. And while you’re savouring that lovely millefeuille, look up to admire the largest chocolate fountain in the world. Another recent favourite is the Max Brenner chocolate shop at Caesars Palace. caesarspalace.com/restaurants/payard-pastisserie.htmlbellagio.com/restaurants/jeanphilippe. maxbrenner.com
10 FOR THE KID IN YOU: SUGAR AND ICE, AT THE WYNN Next to a 30-metre waterfall at the Wynn resort, this posh gelato parlour is a great place to grab a fast snack and enjoy the otherworldly surroundings at this swank hotel, which is definitely worth a strollthrough to see Las Vegas at its most glamorous. wynnlasvegas.com/Restaurants/ CasualDining/Sugar_Ice