Recently, I went to Las Vegas for a long weekend. I’ve been to Vegas quite a few times, both when I was drinking and since I’ve been sober.
I’m stating the obvious: They are completely different experiences
But I do have to say, although the first time I visited Vegas sober I thought I would hate it, I actually had a great time. Since then, I’ve gone three more times and enjoyed them all.
So what is there to do in Vegas if you don’t drink? Surprisingly, a lot!
First off, there are some amazing restaurants. And with all the money you save on not drinking, you can work them into your budget!
There are also a lot of great shows and activities on the Strip, but I’ll cover those in a later post. Right now let’s chat about the food!
Hexx Kitchen & Bar
This 24-hour spot located on the front end of the Paris hotel was the perfect place to start the trip. My flight got in late, so we headed there for dinner and got a spot on the patio. I’d highly recommend sitting outside because the people watching is seriously the best in Vegas. Also, you’re right across from the Bellagio, so you get to watch the world-famous fountain show while you dine.
My husband and I are going through a little cheese plate obsession right now, so when we saw this one on the menu, we had to check it out.
It comes in an oversized pretzel. How fun is that? Beyond that, the pretzel wasn’t just for show. It was super soft and delicious.
For dinner we split a pizza, which was plenty for two. Fully carb-loaded and less than 3 hours into my vacation- I was a happy girl!
Foundation Room
The next night we went to the House of Blues Foundation Room in Mandalay Bay for dinner. It’s at the top of the hotel and the views are second to none. They have a balcony you can hang out on, which is awesome. Because Mandalay Bay is at the end of the Strip, the vantage point is amazing.
The food was perfect. I had a great Filet Mignon and my husband had the Shrimp Thai Curry.
Fair warning: only order the curry if you like spice- a lot. This dish is no joke. I’m a wimp, but my husband loved it.
Dessert for me was bread pudding with a scoop of ice cream. I know bread pudding isn’t for everyone, but this one had caramel sauce on the side and was amazing! My husband had the orange crème brulee, also delicious.
Lavo Italian Restaurant
Lavo is my top pick for dinner in Vegas. I love trying new places, but this restaurant never moves off the list.
Our starters included a dozen oysters on the half shell and salads (beet for me and wedge for the hubby). Everything was awesome.
Next up, we split one of their large meatballs with ricotta cheese. This is a signature dish at Lavo and I can’t recommend it enough. You’ll be thinking about it long after you leave Vegas.
For our main course we split the chicken parmigiana and a side of polenta fries.
Side Note- the portions are huge at Lavo. We got way too much food (on purpose) and we didn’t finish any of the dishes. Everything can be split here, so talk to your waiter before you order individual entrées. It’s only necessary if you can’t agree on what to get.
We ended the Lavo experience with the Oreo Zeppole dessert. It’s basically perfectly deep fried Oreos accompanied with a malted vanilla shake. It is amazing.
Thank God we have a small kitchen in our hotel suite. The leftovers made me so happy!
Secret Pizza
Secret Pizza is a must in Vegas. Finding it isn’t easy, but totally worth it. It’s in the Cosmopolitan Hotel on the third floor. You basically go down this funky tunnel (there aren’t any signs- hence the “secret”) and there it is.
It’s New York style pizza, so the crust is the thin fold-in-half style. Perfect place for a mid-day snack or late-night slice of pizza.
Don’t feel lame when you’re mindlessly looking around for it. That’s half the fun!
So those are the top spots for dinners. I’ll do a separate post on dessert spots, because let’s be honest, they deserve to be highlighted all on their own.
