On the Strip: Lavo
If you crave variety but find the Las Vegas buffet to be overwhelming, the new Endless Italian Brunch Buffet at Lavo (The Venetian, 702.791.1800) hits the sweet spot.
Start with the raw bar spread, where shucked oysters and peeled shrimp sit chilling on ice. Across the room, an antipasti selection of cheeses and cured meats, including prosciutto di San Daniele, Tuscan finocchiona salami, spicy soppressata and porchetta, are laid out with salads and grilled vegetables. And it’s never too early for calorie-busting decadence: Heap fettuccine with lobster and truffle prepared in a Parmigiano wheel on your plate, or hit up the omelet station for eggs made to your liking. And does dessert ever adhere to a timetable? Here you’ll find a Cointreau Noir chocolate fountain in all its silky, sweet glory, with accoutrements such as marshmallows and strawberries ready for dipping. There are also a la carte items made to order, such as breakfast mac ’n’ cheese and eggs Benedict. –Genevie Durano
Off the Strip: Hardway 8
Bar-oriented restaurateurs Bryant Jane and Lyle Cervenka cut their teeth in fine-dining destinations and upscale bars on the Las Vegas Strip before moving on to their own creative enterprises in the city's hippest neighborhoods. Their latest creation is a sports bar-gastropub mash-up in Henderson, named for a classic UNLV Runnin’ Rebels hoops squad. Hardway 8 (46 S. Water St., 702.410.5124) serves wings, wedge salads and Buffalo fried oysters and tavern entrées like fish and chips, cottage pie and beer-can chicken to go along with signature skillet pizza, craft beers and inventive cocktails. It's a very local slice of Las Vegas. –Brock Radke
#trending: Ike's Love & Sandwiches
Bay Area-based Ike’s Love & Sandwiches (Fashion Show, 702.500.8687) made big news with its first opening on the Strip, thanks to an opening day of giving away free sandwiches and a special High Roller menu that includes the $100 Howard Hughes sandwich with more than two pounds of premium meat. But it’s settling into a regular stop for Vegas visitors and locals thanks to beloved flavors like the Backburner, with roast beef, jalapeño bacon, barbecue sauce and cheddar and American cheeses. –BR
