If gluttony is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, it only makes sense that Sin City is the best spot to dig in and drink up. Here are a few of our fresh favorites for wining and dining in Las Vegas in the New Year.
As its name suggests, a sweet selection of rare and vintage marks from producers in Scotland and a decadent lineup of steaks are on the agenda at Palms Casino Resort’s Scotch 80 Prime. If the buttery leather booths, golden chandeliers and smartly dressed servers don’t clue you in that you’re in for a seriously fine dining experience, the menu of wagyu, fresh truffles, oysters and caviar sure will. The ribeye ravioli with roasted bone marrow is a great start, and the mouthwatering desserts could double as high-end sculptures. And don’t overlook the bread basket, especially the cloudlike brioche topped with sugar and sea salt.
Though a casual stop for all-day dining, Lucky Penny at Palms Casino Resort impresses tired taste buds first thing in the morning with its creative a.m. eats. Settle into a cozy blue-velvet booth to stick a fork into a breakfast as light (with a power juice and a banana split breakfast parfait with fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and house-made granola) or as decadent (via the butterscotch pancakes or lobster scampi omelet) as you’d like. For a serious wake-up call, Lucky Penny also whips up boozy shakes with hard-to-resist monikers like Oreo-M-G.
Hong Kong’s Lai Sun Group made its debut on this side of the globe when it opened the otherworldly China Tang at MGM Grand. The restaurant celebrates China’s golden age of cosmopolitan culture and cuisine, which is apparent in the fit-for-royalty service, vibrant dining areas and exceptional bill of fine fare. Every bite is magic—from the delicate steamed pork Siu Mai to the stir-fried wagyu beef with broccoli to the outstanding lobster presentation. However, the Peking duck is what an adventurous appetite’s dreams are made of. The chef shaves the delicate, crisp skin tableside, followed by the tender breast meat; he then walks diners though the trio of ways to enjoy the fruits of his labor, including simply crowning the golden skin with sugar (which, basically, is heaven).
It’s a fact that one can’t go to Vegas without visiting at least one buffet. If over-the-top presentations and fanfare aren’t your style, the A.Y.C.E. Buffet at Palms Casino Resort will suit you just fine. The buffet has a strong Craftsman style with fun, kitschy artwork and a focus on worldly cuisine. Diners can dig into from-scratch eats from seven delicious stations, including fresh sushi and bao, vegetarian bites and plenty of comfort food staples like mac and cheese, carved meats and warming soups. For a little—or a lot—something sweet, there’s ice cream, cookies, puddings and pastries (even sugar-free options) to choose from.
The Underground at the Mob Museum
The Underground at the Mob Museum welcomes visitors to the Prohibition era of mobsters, jazz and, of course, moonshine. The speakeasy is accessed through a basement door with a password (follow the museum’s social media accounts to get the day’s code) and features displays of flapper fashion and black-and-white imagery of the 1920’s most notorious faces. Behind one of the photos is even a top-secret room for the most mysterious sipping sesh. Even the cocktails themselves follow the Prohibition theme, with an Old Fashioned that is hidden in a vessel in an old book, and the Lock & Key, a fusion of tea, blueberries and vermouth, served in a teacup and saucer. Photo op: Less than five minutes away, the nonprofit Neon Museum’s Boneyard is a super-cool spot for checking out an ever-changing collection of defunct Vegas signage from the 1930’s to the present day.
A new addition to the lineup at Park MGM, Juniper Cocktail Lounge is home to the most extensive collection of gin in Las Vegas. The arsenal of creative, Instagram-ready cocktails features house-made juices and syrups and is served in a sexy, swanky salon. The Carnival, topped with cotton candy, and No Judging, which is crowned with a flaming bushel of mint, are two of the more theatric options, though a gin and tonic will more than please libation traditionalist. (For those who love a living legend as much as they love gin, Juniper is the perfect spot to sip before taking in a Cher show at Park Theater, mere steps away. She will take the stage during a lineup of shows in March.)
Wolfgang Puck’s legendary Spago recently opened its doors at Bellagio, inviting diners to enjoy market-driven eats with a front-row view of the famed Fountains of Bellagio. For a low-key but still luxe time, pop in at lunchtime for a plate of hand-crafted pasta or a wood-oven pizza, with a show-stopping cocktail to wash it all down. The premium barrel-aged options are tops—no frills but full of refined flavor.
The right of any vacation is a breakfast buffet—and the Italian-inspired one at Veranda at Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas is a good bet. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, the casual dining destination welcomes gorgeous displays of chia pudding, made-to-order mini doughnuts, chock-full breakfast pizzas, seasonal pancakes, decadent egg dishes, two-bite pastries (like the you’ll-want-seconds sticky buns) and much more. And to drink? The Ultimate Bloody Mary, with a jumbo poached shrimp. Tip: Dine alfresco for pool and palm views.
