The secret’s out – downtown Las Vegas is “the” hot spot for new restaurants.
As famed chefs, James Beard Award finalists, culinary entrepreneurs, master brewers and successful restaurateurs recognize the arts and cultural uniqueness and popularity of downtown Las Vegas, they are opening a cavalcade of scrumptious eateries. From elegant dining experiences to comfort food bistros, and more!
Here’s a sampling from the menu of new restaurants to experience in and around the downtown Las Vegas Arts District and Fremont East District.
The brainchild of Wolfgang Puck executive David Robins, 1228 Main is an artisan bakery and café by day and craft restaurant and bar by night. Located at the heart of the Arts District at 1228 S. Main St on the corner of W. Colorado Avenue, 1228 is open daily for coffee and fresh pastries, breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night dining. The lunch menu highlights sandwiches like grilled cheese on sourdough with tomato soup, a prosciutto sandwich on a baguette, and a croissant egg salad sandwich. Dinner is a more formal affair, and the bar is open late. Brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday.
Located in downtown Las Vegas at 700 Fremont Street, Zai Restaurant & Bar offers new world fusion cuisine and a high energy rooftop bar featuring DJs and performers, Latin and hip-hop music, and open mic nights. Founded by Chef Noe, who is known for his innovative approach to cooking and his ability to blend traditional Latin American flavors with modern techniques, the ZAI menu features such delights as corn ribs topped with cotija cheese, Tajin, cilantro, and Pop Rocks candy. A sushi bunker piles shrimp, crab, cucumber, and avocado into a stack with eel sauce. For dessert, maiz ice cream comes with berries and cinnamon popcorn.
An Arts District’s favorite, Esther’s Kitchen is expanding to a much-anticipated larger space at 1131 Main Street. The new building will encompass at least 12,000 square feet with lots of windows overlooking Main, a terrace and 170 seats. The restaurant that launched the Art District’s culinary culture has been delighting diners since 2017. Accomplished chef and owner James Trees brings a menu of authentic Italian cuisine like rigatoni carbonara and butternut squash tortellini, as well as melt-in-your-mouth meatball. As to what will take the place at Esther’s old location – perhaps L’Aristocrat serving French food according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.
The chic 8,560-square-foot jazz club and Italian restaurant named after downtown’s iconic neon cowboy, Vic’s Las Vegas, and located adjacent to the Smith Center for Performing Arts in Symphony Park, has quickly become the go-to hub for jazz-lovers to enjoy a roster of local and nationally acclaimed jazz artists. The perfect place for a meal or just cocktails before or after a show at The Smith Center, Vic’s offers a spacious, warm, wood-paneled mid-century modern main dining room anchored by a low stage and live music room, a glass enclosed bar, two outdoor patios and a separate gaming bar with an adjacent lounge.
A Mexico City-inspired hideaway, a pink neon monkey marks the entrance to the new Mexican restaurant La Mona Rosa at 100 S 6th St. Executive chef Isidro Marquez-Castillo has curated a menu of regional Mexican classics and an inventive brunch menu with dishes like corn flour pancakes with strawberries and tres leche espuma and tacos with beer-battered shrimp and roasted green habanero salsa.
When nothing but pizza will satisfy that craving, Rufino’s Pizzeria, at 321 S. Casino Center Blvd., is serving up a variety of pizzas, wings, hot sandwiches, chicken fingers and more.
To find out more about downtown Las Vegas restaurants check out the Eater’s A Comprehensive Guide to Dining in the Las Vegas Arts District, 13 Restaurants to Try in Downtown’s Fremont East and 17 Restaurants to Try Near the Fremont Street Experience, plus The Complete Guide to the Arts District in Las Vegas from Vegas Food & Fun.
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