Las Vegas isn’t just where the world’s best chefs come to cook—it’s also where they come to eat. In 2024, the city hosted the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony, drawing some of the biggest names in global fine dining. Now the spotlight returns as the inaugural North America’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony makes its debut. To help sync your culinary adventures with picks of the world’s top chefs, we canvassed a few of them on which Las Vegas tables have left the biggest impression.
Slow-Cooked Flavors
For Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura, whose Maido in Lima was voted No. 1 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2025, his most memorable meals were at
Wynn. “I loved the lamb birria and the pork belly al pastor at Casa Playa,” he says. Here, James Beard-nominated executive chef Sarah Thompson slow cooks both dishes—the former served with roasted salsa verde, and the latter, in the form of build-your-own-tacos, served with pineapple marinated in tamarind caramel.
Tsumura also enjoyed Wing Lei, the first Chinese restaurant in North America to earn a Michelin star, helmed by executive chef Ming Yu. “I’ve been to the one at Wynn Macau, and [similarly] in Vegas, the Peking duck was incredible. The dim sum was also amazing.”
“Real Thai Food Outside of Thailand”
“Lotus of Siam on Flamingo Road really stuck with me,” says World’s Best Female Chef 2025, Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij of two-Michelin-starred Potong in Bangkok, which also debuted at No. 13 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list this year. “It’s one of those restaurants where you can taste real Thai food outside of Thailand. The flavors are strong, spicy, and authentic—exactly how Thai food should be.”
Her favorites included northern larb—“intense and full of herbs, just like you’d find back home”—crispy garlic prawns, khanom jeen nam ngyow (“comfort food that makes you slow down and enjoy each bite”), nam prik noom with crispy pork (“rustic and fiery”), and som tum: “always a must for freshness and balance.” She also recommends the Thai tea-infused cocktail, cha manao.
Another standout for her was Tacos El Gordo, where she enjoyed masiza quesadillas, taco azteca molleja, lengua tostadas, and asada and chorizo tacos “It’s about the energy, the speed, and the pure joy of tacos.”
For breakfast, Soontornyanakij underscores Terrace Pointe Café at Wynn for its bacon avocado omelet and Immunity booster drink—“consistent, comforting, and the perfect way to start the morning.”
From Tasting Menus to Street-Style
Rasmus Munk of two-Michelin-starred Alchemist in Copenhagen, ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Best this year, enjoyed the tasting menu experience at EDO Tapas and Wine by Barcelona-born chef-owner Oscar Amador Edo. “Dishes are precisely executed and rooted in classic Spanish flavors. Some of my favorites were the patatas bravas, the bluefin tuna bite, and their ‘caviar and eggs,’” he recalls. While Edo is closing shortly, it will reopen with a new concept, Braseria by EDO, in October.
Munk also enjoyed the dim sum at Washing Potato at the Fontainebleau, helmed by executive chef Richard Chen. “Details and technique are spot on.”
Other favorites include Big B’s Texas BBQ by husband-and-wife tandem Brian Buechner and Natalia Badzjo—“it feels like real Texas in Vegas—smoking low and slow, over mesquite and oak. The brisket, sliced at the counter, was fantastic!” and Tacos El Gordo, for their “wonderful tacos. Of course, I tried their beef tongue taco—and it was great.”
For Steak Lovers
“We especially remember the meal we had at Jaleo [at The Cosmopolitan],” recalls Eduard Xatruch of Barcelona’s three-Michelin-starred Disfrutar, crowned the No. 1 restaurant in the world in 2024—the year the awards ceremony was held in Las Vegas. “That meal was unforgettable for its emotional component: José Andrés and [then guest chef] Quique Dacosta prepared two traditional meat paellas, paired beautifully with corpinnat, the sparkling wine of Catalonia.”
His other highlights include Andrés’ other restaurants. “At China Poblano [also at The Cosmopolitan], we shared dumplings and tacos in a casual, lively setting. At Bazaar Meat [now re-opened at Palazzo at the Venetian] José gave us a private demonstration on cutting and cooking prime cuts of steak—an experience still engraved in our memory.”
Xatruch describes Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian as “a proper restaurant where you can enjoy great meat, salads, and French fries.” He also has fond memories of his breakfasts at Terrace Pointe Café at the Wynn: “the made-to-order eggs were excellent.”
Modern Classics
Janaína Torres of À Brasileira and Bar da Dona Onça in São Paulo—recipient of the World’s Best Female Chef 2024 award—shared some of her favorites in the city. At Momofuku at The Cosmopolitan, she recommends the pork belly and shrimp buns (bo ssäm); and at Bazaar Meat, she singled out the steak tartare—“classic; perfect to pair with a good pour of whiskey.” (The new Bazaar Meat, departed from Sahara, recently opened at The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort.
She enjoyed the kampachi and margarita at Casa Playa; the veal parmesan and the “excellent wine selection” at Carbone at Aria; and the rigatoni alla Bolognese at Cipriani at the Wynn. “Sip the classic Bellini and enjoy the famous Cipriani cake. Timeless, good, and effortlessly unpretentious.”
