Some bakeries win you over slowly. Dominique Ansel Las Vegas doesn’t bother with that. You walk in, clock the pastry case and immediately know: This is the real deal.
Start with the Cronut, obviously. It’s famous for a reason: part croissant, part doughnut, entirely worth the hype (and the lines that formed when it debuted in New York City). Every month brings a new flavor exclusive to Las Vegas, which means there’s always something to bring you back. Right beside it sits Ansel’s other signature creation, the DKA (that’s the kouign amann for the uninitiated), with its caramelized edges that shatter and buttery layers that pull apart like edible silk. It’s the kind of pastry that makes you realize not all butter is created equal. Ansel only uses French butter, like Beurre d’Isigny, for its flexibility and moldability, owing to its higher fat and lower water content.
The viennoiserie is where Ansel’s French pedigree shines. Croissants are proper and perfect, crisp and golden and must be eaten in breathless, blissful bites. The mini madeleines, baked to order and served warm, are a small luxury you didn’t know you were missing.
There’s more to sigh over: The chocolate-covered strawberry sneaks Chambord mousse and rosé génoise under a dark chocolate shell. The cinnamon roll trades sticky-sweet for something gentler: cinnamon chiffon, apple compote and mascarpone mousse. And the gluten-free liège waffle? Impossibly light and airy, with caramelized pearl sugar in each bite.
What keeps you coming back to this brightly lit bakery is the sheer wonder of it all. You might walk in for the Cronut, but you’ll leave planning your next visit for everything else.
Ansel’s influence extends beyond the bakery, too. His cookbook, Everyone Can Bake, breaks down his techniques into something doable at home. I’ve been making his banana bread on repeat and am moving onto the sablés next for the holidays.
Or maybe I’ll just pop into the Caesars Palace location instead.
Caesars Palace. 702.731.7865. caesars.com
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