The food in Vegas is so good, you may wanna pack extra napkins just for the trip. Four spots to grab some seriously great grub in Downtown Las Vegas:

Start at Carson Kitchen, complete with a garden-style rooftop patio offering a space to dine as well as enjoy live bands and DJ’s. The menu, which has an emphasis on sharing, includes social plates, sandwiches, entrées and stone-oven flatbreads.

For a great group dining setting, check out the appropriately named eat. This breakfast and lunch hotspot features fine, fresh soulful flare presented in an unpretentious, uplifting atmosphere.

Le Thai in the Fremont East District showcases Chef Dan Coughlin’s famous 3 color curry (a blend of red, yellow and green curry), homemade Thai noodle soup and their signature waterfall sauce.

----

Cory Harwell (President, Simon Hospitality Group): You know if I had to describe Carson Kitchen in three words it would be approachable, recognizable, and comfortable.

You know the vision really is for us to provide and help to create downtown as a dining destination. It’s long been known as a fun place to go and have a few drinks and have some laughs and meet some great people and we really wanted to be the group that brought a finer dining opportunity down here.

My business partner Kerry Simon, known as the “Rock and Roll Chef” (he had that moniker given to him by Rolling Stone Magazine 20 years ago). We really wanted to develop a venue that would give you an idea of what the experience would be like if you were eating in his home. 

The biggest tip I can give you is allow your server and your bartender to really hold your hand and walk you through what some of the most popular are. We see on a nightly basis any number of vehicles from some of the larger casinos bringing their guests down here. I mean there are so many great cities where you can get sun or you can get nightlife or good dining or shows but there’s very few cities in the world where you can get all of that in one place and Vegas really is the kind of king of that. I mean, when you ask anybody about what’s the one place you want to go to for a weekend or you know to see great shows and everybody says Vegas and actually they say “Vegas Baby”! 

I love downtown and the energy and the vibe that it brings. I’m really proud of not just what we built but where we built it and that we’ve really had such a phenomenal impact on this downtown community. I’m very, very proud of that.
 

Natalie Young (Owner/Head Chef, eat): Now when I built this restaurant it was definitely based on what I thought the community was lacking which was just a place for family and friends to gather. 

eat is a community based restaurant with New American cuisine which means pretty much whatever I want to put on the menu.

Lanny Chin (Chef, eat): It’s just simple, flavorful, great food. We have very generous portions and we have so many great things on the menu like the best way to experience eat is to experience all of eat. 

We get everybody. You know it’s really kind of crazy you know. Last week we had some people in here from South Africa. We had some people in here from Russia, you know we have locals every day.

Natalie: Tons! Probably half and half. Probably half local and half tourists.

Lanny: It’s amazing how this little place in downtown just draws from all walks of life.

Natalie: I hope that this continues, you know, who knows. I hope that this just keeps going on and on and on. Get your grub on. Enjoy yourself!
 

Dan Coughlin (Owner, Le Thai): We want to set you up for the rest of the night when you want to go out on Fremont Street. Simple, simple philosophy. Drink and eat!

Growing up I was definitely the kid who was always in the kitchen. My Mom has had a Thai restaurant since I’ve been six. With her cooking and my grandma’s style cooking and me going to Thailand is basically what you get at Le Thai. It’s not fusion but it’s definitely like my grandma’s recipes with my twist on it.

Definitely our pork jerky is a top-seller. I think our best dish is awesome noodles. It’s sweet, savory, just finish the bowl kind of dish and of course, Pad Thai but that’s the taco type.

We’re a small town but we have the strip which is like this ginormous city. What, 40 million people come into Vegas every year? I think it’s just going to get bigger down here. I think what we’ve done so far, we’ve gotten a lot of good feedback and the tourists that are coming down here. I think that they want to explore. When I go to a different city I want to explore their downtown area and I think that’s just what’s going to happen. I know, it’s happening right now. I think it’s just going to get bigger.
 

Sonny Ahuja (Creative Director/Owner, O Face Doughnuts): I like the way that coffee is to donuts what wine is to cheese. We’re a gourmet donut shop, we’re chef-driven donuts. We want to take the basic concept of a doughnut and elevate it to a whole new experience. 

Along with donuts we have gourmet coffee. We have artisan coffee from Café Vita out of Seattle.

Crystal Whitford (Pastry Chef, O Face Doughnuts): We come in every morning at 4 a.m. Everything’s made from scratch in-house so we mix the dough, we shape it, cut it out and proof it. It goes in a big huge fryer back there and then we decorate them, we fill them, glaze them, decorate them all by hand. Everybody can see, they can walk in and see it happening.

My favorite donut on the menu is maple bacon for sure. It’s kind of what we’re known for. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to take that one off the menu. Cold brew coffee on tap, very popular, people come across the city for it.

Sonny: So, I think the best way for a first-timer into O Face Doughnuts is get a box. Get a box, get a friend, get a couple friends and just chop them up. Best way to do it is get about a dozen donuts and take a bite out of each one and then come back and tell us which ones you love.