Back in Las Vegas’ Rat Pack and “family-friendly” eras of the past, the city was known for 99-cent shrimp cocktails, endless budget buffets and sterile diners. Those days are long gone, as the desert city has embraced fine dining, Michelin-starred chefs, celebrity outposts and culinary risk-taking.
When Formula One (F1) fans once again descend on the city for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, they will be surrounded by diverse menus from some of the world’s greatest restaurants. Over the summer, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants event took place in Vegas, a nod to the city’s burgeoning dining scene.
Visitors regularly ask local residents, “Where should we eat?” The answer is difficult due to the potpourri of mouthwatering fare throughout the city, but it gets even more challenging when limiting the options to the 4.2-mile Las Vegas Strip. Depending on one’s appetite, there’s no right or wrong answer, but here’s our guide to a great 24 hours of eating in Las Vegas — including some trackside spots perfect for those looking to pair high speeds and haute cuisine during the second annual Grand Prix weekend.
Breakfast/Brunch: Giada
Giada, the Italian-inspired restaurant by Giada De Laurentiis, overlooks Las Vegas Boulevard and Caesars Palace with oversized, retractable windows that light up the space. Located inside the Cromwell, Giada — which just celebrated its 10th year on the Strip — boasts a weekend brunch gets guests’ engines revving.
Among the brunch favorites are the Lobster Eggs Benedict, which includes spinach, piquillo peppers, prosecco hollandaise and toasted focacci, and the Polenta Waffle paired with a maple-pancetta gastrique. Those arriving closer to lunchtime might want to opt for the Cannelloni with its braised short ribs and smoked bacon vodka sauce.
De Laurentiis, an admitted “huge” F1 fan, attended the inaugural Vegas race and greeted guests at her restaurant the next morning. This year, she’s upping the ante. During the three race days, the restaurant will host an all-inclusive party complete with food and drinks. Guests can watch from the second-floor windows or via the live race feed on TVs around the venue.
“I was in attendance last year for the inaugural race, and it was epic!” she said in a statement to PEOPLE. “I am sorry to miss the fun this year, but I know my team will create a tremendous, delicious and memorable party for 2024.”
Lunch: Hell’s Kitchen
How about a hell of a midday meal with a seven-time Michelin-starred chef? On Friday, Nov. 21, of race weekend, Gordon Ramsay is hosting a trackside lunch at his Hell’s Kitchen restaurant in front of Caesars Palace and along the longest straightway stretch of the Grand Prix. With Ramsay working the room and discussing all things F1, guests will dine on his famed Beef Wellington, paired with potato puree, glazed root vegetables, red wine demi-glace, and the crave-worthy Sticky Toffee Pudding with speculoos ice cream.
A massive F1 fan, Ramsay attended the inaugural Vegas race in 2023 and even viewed the practice laps from the restaurant’s roof.
The famed chef will be living life in the fast lane during the Grand Prix, as he’ll also host Ramsay’s Garage in the Pit Building, featuring live cooking stations and a pop-up of his renowned London restaurant Lucky Cat.
Dinner: Lotus of Siam
Lotus of Siam is universally regarded as one of the best Thai restaurants in the country, and for good reason. Chef Saipin Chutima and her family have operated the Vegas restaurant, which specializes in northern-style Thai cooking, since before the millennium, and the recipes have been passed down from generation to generation.
Located a rock’s throw east of the Strip and just outside of the 3.8-mile F1 track on Flamingo Road, Lotus is a favorite of both local residents and tourists alike. Mick Jagger, Simu Liu and Pharrell Williams have been seen there. The late Anthony Bourdain made it a point to have a meal there during every visit (his order: Puffed crispy rice salad with preserved pork sausage and pork curry braised with garlic and ginger), and many Food Network chefs won’t leave Vegas without stopping in.
Also on our must list: The Crispy Duck Panang (crispy duck served in a curry sauce, garnished with basil and red peppers) and the Garlic Prawns (you can even eat the shells!). One bite and it’s easy to see why Chef Chutima is a James Beard award winner.
Between the memorable menu and 300+-bottle wine list, it’s immediately apparent why no Vegas trip is complete without a pit stop at Lotus of Siam.
Where To Spot a Celebrity: Bavette’s
Located inside Park MGM, Bavette’s dim lighting creates an old-school ambiance that celebrities have flocked to. At last year’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively were among the guests nestled in the cozy red booths. Others known to dive into the Bavette’s menu include Miranda Lambert and Janet Jackson. During Aerosmith’s residency show at Park MGM, Steven Tyler was a Bavette’s regular.
One of the more challenging reservations to get in Las Vegas, Bavette’s revolves around its square bar — but insiders regularly descend on a smaller, secretive back bar area known as The Parlor to indulge in smoky old fashioneds, classic gimlets or an array of martinis.
But Bavette’s isn’t just about the ambiance; its meats easily lap other steakhouses, including the 16-ounce Chicago Cut Classic Ribeye, the Spiced Fried Chicken accompanied by cipollini gravy and the Roasted Bone Marrow with caramelized red onion jam.
Late Night: Peppermill
For those unwilling to wave the (checkered) flag on their evenings just yet, the Peppermill, which sits on the north end of the Strip, is easily one of the most classic Vegas restaurants. Enjoy the throwback vibes of the plush purple couches, blue carpeting, neon interior lighting and stained-glass light fixtures featuring pink flamingos. Pink blossoms cover the ceiling. A recent $1.8 million renovation did nothing to dilute the vintage charm.
Since opening in 1972, the restaurant has been featured in a bevy of TV shows, as well as films “Casino” and “Showgirls.” Dean Martin could sometimes stop in during Vegas’s “Rat Pat” era, and Adam Lambert filmed his “Another Lonely Night” music video there.
Guests can certainly opt for oversized pancakes, the battered and golden brown pickle fries or the old-fashioned hot pastrami on rye (with a mustard-mayo sauce), but a highlight of the menu is the stomach-filling, hangover-killing Joe’s San Francisco Special, a combination of hash browns, scrambled eggs, spinach, onions, ground sausage and beef, all topped with an ooey gooey golden cheese sauce. Accompanying the meal is toast or blueberry muffin. S
eeing that this is Vegas and the restaurant is open 24 hours on weekends, late nights at the Peppermill often turn into early mornings, and breakfast cocktails are almost the norm… even encouraged!
Bonus: Trackside Dining at Ole Red
Since opening its doors a few weeks after the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, Blake Shelton’s Ole Red has been all gas, no brakes, and is ready to capitalize on its multiple levels and center-Strip location. The restaurant/bar/music venue features a third-floor outdoor balcony that sits above the race track, as well as a fourth-floor rooftop, giving thrill seekers a bird’s eye view of the speeding cars. On Saturday, Nov. 23, those VIP experiences come with an All-You-Can-Eat menu of upscale bar food consisting of Honey Hot Chicken + Waffle Skewers, a down-home combination of buttermilk fried chicken breast, Nashville hot honey, Belgian waffles and maple syrup, or the Lobster + Shrimp Guacamole Stack, a mixture of poached lobster, Mexican white shrimp and Haas avocado on a bed of made-in-house tortilla chips.
For all three days of race weekend — Thursday through Saturday — Ole Red is opening its doors to the public at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis and will show the race on its 38-foot LED screen inside, but the biggest race fans will want to opt for the 777 Table, an exclusive VIP area under the Vegas sky that juts out over the Strip offering clear, unobstructed views of the track and the iconic Bellagio fountains. The table, which includes a built-in ice bucket for beer and liquor, will be one of the hottest tickets in town due to its prime location.
Bonus: Trackside Dining at Bellagio Fountain Club
The Bellagio Fountain Club bills itself as “the epitome of luxury and location,” which was built specifically for the race in front of the famed Bellagio Fountains. It’s an indoor/outdoor venue that offers a rotating menu from top chefs including Masaharu Morimoto, Alain Ducasse, Mario Carbone, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and David Chang (who’s prepping a Tuna and Foie Gras Tartlette and Lamb Ribs with chili yogurt, tingly salt and cilantro). Master mixologists and sommeliers have curated the bar, as well. The floor-to-ceiling windows and open-air rooftop deck give guests the unique opportunity to gaze at the erupting fountains behind them without missing a moment of the race.
Mark Wahlberg watched the 2023 race from there, and Eva Longoria was even videoed drinking tequila from a high-heeled shoe on the rooftop. “Everyone has their traditions, and drinking it out of a shoe is the only way to do it,” she said.
Bellagio Fountain Club might just give fans the most up-close looks at the evening’s drivers, too. Following the race on Saturday, Nov. 23, the top three finishers will immediately head to the luxury space for post-race interviews.
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