City Guide: Las Vegas
A mostly off the strip guide to Las Vegas for like-minded enthusiasts of food, coffee, and good vibes.
Las Vegas is a city of excess and indulgence. But for me, it's the offbeat pockets beyond the Strip that I love. I'm not a gambler or drinker; I'm here for food, relaxation, and exploration. While I appreciate the grandeur and spectacle, it's hidden gems and the tiny, peculiar enclaves that make it one of my favorite cities.
Here are some cool places in Vegas I've found so far:
Eats:
Get a Reservation:
Esther’s Kitchen - my favorite and most recommended restaurant in Las Vegas. Everything is perfect. Go for breakfast, go for dinner.
Carbone - absolutely impossible to get a reservation in NYC. Possible in Vegas.
Golden Steer - classic, rat pack, old Vegas steakhouse. Book a week or two in advance. Sometimes you get lucky and get to sit in Frank Sinatra’s booth.
Momofuku - for all my David Chang fans. Everything is delicious but the bo ssam and the off-menu bacon fat fried rice that they are sometimes generous enough to make are pretty special.
Other Mama - one of the best restaurants in Vegas. Japanese-inspired seafood and cocktails. Chef Dan Krohmer has one a ton of awards, and for good reason. He was recently a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: Southwest.
Lotus of Siam - delicious Thai food by a James Beard Foundation award-winning chef. Always a good choice.
Kabuto - this is where all the chefs go to eat sushi so you know it’s good. Very few seats so make a reservation.
The Black Sheep - incredible Vietnamese food. Menu is seasonal and delicious.
Best Breakfast:
Esther’s Kitchen - My go-to is ‘The Proper Breakfast’ with sausage and bacon but again, everything is good.
Omelette House - Omelette House is the SPOT. Great, no frills diner food. Huge omelettes, thinly sliced, crispy potatoes, and warm banana bread. Line is long but moves very quickly.
Egg & I - Classic diner breakfast in Vegas. Good eggs, bacon, potatoes, pancakes, and banana muffins (get a banana muffin with butter).
Bouchon - for when I want to be briefly transported back to Paris eating mini croissants, pain au chocolate, soft scrambled eggs, and bacon while drinking orange juice and cappuccino.
The Peppermill - solid, very popular breakfast spot. Classic breakfast food, plus some fun, unique dishes.
Casual Eats + Sweet Treats:
In n Out - mostly adding for my non-California friends but you can never go wrong with In n Out. Double Double, animal style, with both grilled and raw onions, add chopped chilies and pickles + fries (spread packets for dipping) is the move.
Eataly - Finally opened a Vegas location for Eataly. Great spot to walk around and try lots of authentic Italian dishes and treats.
888 Korean BBQ - best Korean BBQ in Vegas, but need to add yourself to the wait list ~2 hours before you’re ready to eat.
Tacotarian - solid, casual vegetarian taco spot if you need a break from repeatedly putting yourself into a food coma.
Milk Bar - Right next to Momofuku in the Cosmopolitan. Get the corn cookie and the cereal milk soft serve.
Coffee:
Vesta - usually my go-to coffee spot since it’s next to Esther’s Kitchen, but it’s also a great spot to bring a laptop and hang out for a little while.
PublicUs - I’m putting this under coffee because their coffee is solid, but they also have delicious breakfast food.
Yaw Farm - Some of the best beans in Las Vegas. Owners are passionate about coffee.
Mothership Coffee Roasters - another very chill spot to bring a laptop and hang out in the morning. Coffee is pretty solid. Good gives all around.