Taking It Back To The 90s!
The Starters
If you haven’t been alerted by the sudden reappearance of JNCO baggy jeans topped by Stussy tees or crop-top tanks, the 90s are back — and Las Vegas just installed a time machine. The immersive Saved By The 90s bar has popped-up at the Venetian, engineered to transport Millennials to a simpler, more analog time. Think inflatable furniture, walls of CDS, dial-up nostalgia, and cultural artifact cocktails from a Millennial’s childhood brain (Appletini, anyone?). It’s the kind of experience where you walk in for “a drink” and leave wondering why your back hurts and you suddenly miss Blockbuster . The bar runs runs through August, so get your dose of 90s this summer — Lollapalooza tickets not included.
When a kitchen alumnus of the Strip’s vaunted Estiatorio Milos opened a fast-casual Greek eatery near Spanish Trail in 2017, it took less than a year to hit the Yelp Top 100. Now, Meraki Greek Grill — co-founded by chef Nikolaos Georgousis — is continuing its local takeover with two new locations. Known for its gyros, skewers, salads and staples like falafel and hummus, the sixth area Meraki is slated to open in the Arts District this month. Number seven (Henderson) comes later. Meraki also has locations in Utah.
The buzz is brewing. San Diego’s Insta-fave Better Buzz Coffee is about to double its Las Vegas footprint, with three additional locations debuting in rapid succession. The first (fourth?) opened on Rainbow Blvd last week with a special rainbow matcha that looks like it was designed in a group chat (iced vanilla matcha, strawberry vanilla cold cream, rainbow sprinkles). Intrigued? It’s available only for the first 30 days. Two more locations are lined up for late June in Henderson (Lake Mead Pkwy) and Summerlin (W. Sahara Ave). All will offer time-limited specials and seasonal sips.
Are you one of those 𝗐̶𝗁̶𝗂̶𝗇̶𝗒̶ frugal suburban folks who cries about having to pay and then walk a whole block to hang out Downtown? Fear not, Meter Miser! Centennial Hills just scored a taste of Arts District energy… but with free parking. Able Baker’s Bomb Shelter leans into the craft-forward beer lineup (26 taps!) and hangout vibe that makes its Main Street flagship a neighborhood fave. Add food from a former Mother Wolf baker, and you have the perfect recipe for those nights when you want to feel hip without the commute . We think the Arts District must be doing something right, as there’s been a number of DTLV-to-the-’Burbs expansions recently.
Spilling the Tea
A new food festival is coming to Las Vegas this fall, emerging as the flip-side to the chef-driven vibe of foodie-fave Unstripped. Rather than testing the talents of some of our city’s top chefs by asking them to produce one-off tastes, Vegas Bites will celebrate the tried and true best dishes from our city’s top restaurants (Ferraro's Osso Bucco, maybe?). We’re intrigued! …
Downtown appears to be in its French Renaissance period. In the Arts District, Bar Boheme recently launched a Sunday-only brunch. And come June 20, its new third-Saturday-only bakery pop-up will offer all manner of French pastries, as well as beloved Esther’s Kitchen sourdough loaves, all sold to go…
And in what may be even bigger news (to longtime Las Vegans, anyway) is chef Andre Rochat’s Andre’s (1980–2008) — a French restaurant widely appreciated as one of the city’s best of its time — is about to enjoy new life as a (wait for it) French café. French Riviera Tropézienne Bakery will soon take over the recently renovated 6th Street spot to serve its popular pastries, crepes, and croissant sandwiches. Honestly, we won't argue with more pastries (or ) — or the rebirth of this wonderful Downtown building. C’est incroyable!
Pet Peeve of the Week
When you go to a specific restaurant for a specific item on the menu and they don’t have it available for whatever dumb reason... –S.T.
Order of the Week
Short Stack @ Du-Par’s
Ash’s go-to at the legendary Du-par’s is the Short Stack — because the move isn’t always “what’s new” but “what still hits every single time.” These classic diner pancakes are done the old-school way: golden edges, soft centers, and a consistency that doesn’t require a rebrand or seasonal flavor drop to stay relevant. You don’t overthink it, you just add syrup (the butter is already there!) and enjoy.
