VEGESCAPE

DECADENCE

in the Desert

Once synonymous with greasy buffets, $1 shrimp, and run-of-the-mill steakhouses, Las Vegas is now in a plant-based renaissance where vegan dining is no longer a crap shoot—it's a bona fide jackpot.

by DIANA EDELMAN

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1/Savor The Strip Leave it to Chef Tal Ronnen to finally bring upscale vegan dining to Las Vegas. Opened to much fanfare at the Resorts World casino right on The Strip, the second iteration of Ronnen’s celebrated Los Angeles restaurant Crossroads Kitchen is wowing guests with its signature dishes such as spaghetti carbonara and Bordelaise eggplant fillet. But the menu also features a number of tantalizing Vegas exclusives including chestnut foie gras and caviar. So whether you’re a veteran at Ronnen’s Melrose Avenue flagship or a first-timer all around, a visit here is sure to leave you feeling like a high roller.

2/All hail King Kenny

Ask most vegans in town for a dinner recommendation, and you’re sure to hear “Chef Kenny’s,” where even the most steadfast omnivore will succumb to Kenny Chye’s tasty plates. His menu is loaded with everything from medium-rare steak sushi rolls, curry duck, and Chilean sea bass to Kung Pao scallops and his famous sweetand-sticky bites of orange chicken. You can find all of this at Chef Kenny’s Asian Vegan Restaurant, plus a massive selection of vegan dim sum at Chef Kenny’s Dim Sum.

3/Spanish nights

From the crispy layered potatoes that are Chef Oscar Amador Edo’s take on patatas bravas to the earthy mushrooms al ajillo in a garlic and parsley oil, the veganfriendly EDO Tapas & Wine is where to go for a taste of Spain. Edo’s sultry $60 sevencourse tasting includes the above, plus dishes like Arroz Meloso with bomba rice, and strawberry granita with almond milk yogurt espuma. You can also order any of the dishes à la carte to still get a taste of the acclaimed chef’s offerings.

4/Tacos takeover

Bubbly queso fundido, jackfruit-Beyond Meat birria with dipping broth, the “world’s biggest taco” (that’s easily as big as an adult’s forearm), and nearly 20 other plant-based tacos all await lovers of the humble handheld at Tacotarian. When the restaurant opened in 2018, the goal was to have a taco shop on every corner. Four years later, it’s well on its way, dominating Las Vegas and readying its first out-of-state location in San Diego.

5/All-day cravings

When it comes to Chef Amelia Cooper’s Graze Kitchen, plan for a few return trips to get the best of her spectacular all-day menu. Kick off with a brunch of crispy cauliflower and flaky biscuits smothered in gravy. For lunch, indulge in Korean BBQ nachos topped with saucy-spicy soy curls, Fresno chili, gochujang aioli, and smothered in cashew queso. And for dinner, the grilled, marinated tofu served on a bed of white rice with scallions, shiitakes, napa cabbage, and a lip-smacking chili-garlic-sesame sauce—paired with a stone fruit sundae with peaches, apricots, bourbon-brown sugar caramel, and pecan crumble—will leave you wanting to do it all over again the next day.

6/Luxe be a lady

For a swanky night out in downtown, head to Barry’s Downtown Prime, a conventional steakhouse with an unconventionally

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decadent vegan menu. Luscious soups and artfully crafted vegetable dishes abound, but the star of the show is Chef Barry Dakake’s vegan meatloaf made with a medley of seasonal veggies, smothered in a mushroom gravy, and topped with shaved truffle. Even the duo of desserts—an ultra-rich chocolate raspberry cake draped in 24-karat rose gold leaf and a blueberryMadeira coconut milk cheesecake—are to die for.

7/On a roll

There are plenty of spots in Las Vegas to find excellent vegan sushi, but Chikyū Vegan Sushi and Izakaya’s offerings are plant-based, thoughtful masterpieces. Chef John Le takes vegetables and fruit to a new level, creating stunning and unique rolls like the crowd-favorite Desert Gold—a tempura-fried tofu and tapioca roll with shredded spicy tofu, negi, ito togarashi, sesame, microgreens, and a spicy secret sauce on top. Wash it down with sake, or try the mood-enhancing, nootropic mocktail made with mango shrub, sour plum, aquafaba, and five spice.

8/Pizza for all

For the best vegan pizza in town, Robby Cunningham’s Detroit-style deep dish spot Guerrilla Pizza can’t be beat. Think thick, rectangular slabs of molten cheese, dollops of tangy red sauce, and all the vegetable toppings you could want, baked atop a crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-onthe-inside crust. Hungry for more? Don’t miss the build-your-own rolls with vegan sausage seasoned with Cunningham’s grandma’s Hungarian spice recipe, crispy poutine tots, and chewy garlic knots.

9/Class is in session

Founded by animal activist Heather Heath, Vegas Vegan Culinary School and Eatery is a vegan cooking school where anyone can take a class. The adjacent eatery serves veganized deli favorites like the loaded potato salad with cheddar cheese and vegan bacon, plus savory quiche, lobster salad rolls, and BBQ jackfruit sandwiches with pulled jackfruit on Texas toast with slaw.

10/Chick’n sandwiches everyone will love

Vegas darling Garden Grill started as a pop-up in 2013, quickly amassing a cult following at local festivals thanks to Leslie Marroquin’s juicy, crunchy fried chicken sandwiches. Now a brick and mortar, the restaurant draws crowds for all sorts of spins on the cluck-free sandos, ranging from original crispy, fiery buffalo with cool-and-creamy dill sauce, and smoky blackened with chipotle aioli. Still hungry? Try the huge California burritos, the loaded carne asada fries, or hit the Thursday pop-up for cheesy chicken-and-bacon stuffed doughnuts.

DIANA EDELMAN (@vegansbaby) is the founder of Vegans, Baby and shares the best spots to find vegan food in Las Vegas, New York, and on tours she curates and hosts around the world.