Wolfgang Puck is a world-renowned chef, but its arguable that the greatest impact he ever made in the culinary world was when he opened the Las Vegas outpost of his popular Beverly Hills restaurant Spago. Not only did it elevate Vegas’ dining scene in the ’90s, which was surprisingly unremarkable at the time, but it opened the door for other chefs of Puck’s stature to bring their culinary skills to the city. Now, along with being the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas is one of the world’s top dining destinations, and much of the credit goes to Puck.
Yet, despite the growth of Vegas’ dining scene, Puck’s Spago remains very much a culinary mainstay. And its move from The Forum Shops at Caesars to Bellagio in 2018 made the restaurant even more intriguing—now Puck’s classic menu is paired with a beautiful view of the Fountains of Bellagio, making it a very Vegas experience, indeed.
To double down on that Vegas experience, a meal here must start with a fancy cocktail. Try the Reel Around the Fountain, a refreshing blend of Aperol, St-Germain, Moscato d’Asti, strawberry and lemon juice. But if you’re more old school, the barrel-aged Negroni hits the spot.
Move on to chilled starters like the kaluga caviar or the seafood tower, which includes poached Gulf shrimp, Maine lobster, seasonal poke, king crab legs and more. But you may want to try one of Puck’s signature dishes, and the smoked salmon pizza with dill cream, red onion and salmon pearls is a showstopper. To make the dish even more decadent, top your pizza with kaluga sturgeon caviar.
For an entrée, you can’t go wrong ordering one of Puck’s handmade pastas, such as the butternut squash ravioli, or the spaghettini pomodoro topped with Sungold cherry tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Genovese basil. But if you’re seeking something more substantial, opt for the roasted Colorado lamb rack, the miso-marinated organic salmon, the 12-ounce New York strip or 8-ounce wagyu ribeye. End the night with the dark chocolate soufflé served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, and you’ll leave feeling satisfied, knowing exactly how Spago helped shape the Strip.
Bellagio, 702.693.8181
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