19 Best Restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada

This sleek restaurant may be decorated primarily in neutrals, but the food by James Beard–nominated chef Nicole Brisson brings plenty of color. Her updated Italian classics include Tuscan carne cruda with lemon, capers, and shallots; herb tagliatelle with rabbit ragu; a whole branzino; and a 120-day dry-aged 42-ounce tomahawk. At lunch, choices include a sausage and fontina tart, and charred octopus. Ciccetti Hour is from 3:30 to 5 pm daily. When the weather’s grand, dine on the lovely expansive patio, which is surrounded by olive trees saved from the old Stardust.

Chef Bobby Flay scored another hoped-for hot spot at Caesars Palace with his replacement for the popular Mesa Grill. With a menu emphasizing seafood (thanks to Flay's visits to Italy's Amalfi Coast), the new restaurant encourages diners to visit a "market" section near the back, where they can choose a whole fish and one of three ways to prepare it. A "knowledgeable fishmonger" is on hand to answer the diners' questions, right down to where the fish comes from and how long it's been sitting. One thing to note: this is Flay's first foray into an Italian restaurant concept.

Anima means “soul,” and the unique fusion of Italian and Spanish cuisine found at this upscale eatery certainly has it. The boldness of the menu is mirrored by the eye-popping octopus mural that adorns a dining room wall and a charcuterie bar positioned in the front of the house. In the The Gramercy apartment complex, Anima is the latest creation from the team behind the acclaimed EDO Gastro Tapas & Wine in Chinatown, and some favorites originating there can be found at Anima, including the "Bikini" (a pressed ham and cheese sandwich). Entrees include vegan mushroom risotto as well as the the must-try braised short ribs, served with semolina gnocchi, maitake mushrooms, and black pepper sauce. There’s also a spirited selection of spirits, from a deep wine list with an emphasis on Italian and Spanish offerings to an extensive array of amaro varieties to try.

One of the more recent entries in the Viva Italiano! culinary scene, the Milan-inspired restaurant at Grand Canal Shoppes is a creation sitting right on The Venetian's replica of St. Mark's Square. Taking its name from the Brera neighborhood of Milan, the menu focuses on Milanese favorites. Try these mouth-waterers: squash blossoms, braised beef cheek, lamb chops, calamari, branzino, pizzas, and pastas; there also are vegetarian selections. Top it off with premium Italian wines and cocktails for an experience that aims to be thoroughly and authentically northern Italian. Brunch selections augment the lunch menu, and during Apertivo Hour from 2 to 5 pm daily, pizzas, cocktails, beers, and wines by the glass are half-off.

Wolfgang Puck adds to his stable of Las Vegas restaurants with this Italian restaurant he has dedicated to his mother. With modern decor that utilizes some Renaissance styles, the restaurant celebrates the tradition of fine Italian cooking in such dishes such as grilled Spanish octopus with a tomato emulsion and purple potatoes, and grilled whole Branzino, not to mention a wide range of pastas and pizzas. Fresh black truffles are available on several dishes, and there’s a salumi bar, a selection of antipasti, as well as steaks and seafood. 

Like time-traveling to Vegas’s vintage days when upscale restaurants were quiet and atmospheric, venerable Ferraro’s features a dark and decidedly romantic dining room with candles on every table, and a pricey menu stocked with steaks, fresh-made pastas, and Mediterranean-style seafood. Around since 1985 and in this location since 2009, this fine Italian eatery offers a cheaper happy hour of small plates nightly from 5 to 7 pm and bigger feasts throughout the evening. Among the popular entrées not found at most Italian restaurants are the popular stewed rabbit with mushrooms served over polenta, and tripe served in a spicy tomato sauce. And you can’t beat the signature veal osso buco.

This soothingly neutral Italian restaurant will satisfy carb cravings as well as yearnings for dishes that Grandma used to make. Crusty loaves of freshly baked bread, pasta, and dough for the excellent thin-crust, wood-oven pizzas are all made in-house. You can not only taste the love in your lasagna, but also feel the comfort that comes from watching it prepared in the exhibition kitchen, whence seasoned fish, grilled meats, and the specialty pollo alla Parmigiana are also created and plated with fresh ingredients. Tiramisu is a must and best enjoyed from the terrace, where you can watch passersby. Buy a loaf to go in the diminutive bakery, just steps away; other foodie finds are also available.  Il Fornaio is a great place for breakfast and brunch or for pastry takeout from the bakery.

The vibe is spelled out in the name of this sprawling indoor-outdoor casual Italian space from Los Angeles restaurateur Nick Mathers. The versatile menu follows the cues of the day, from "green eggs" or avacado toast at brunch to creative appetizers or full entrees in the evening. While a DJ spins beneath a disco ball, you can try the deceptively complex pizzas and salads or delve into more ambitious fare like lobster pasta or branzino. It's a 300-seater with three bars; the atmosphere changes from the bar-centric lounge near the front entry to "beachside" near the Virgin Las Vegas pool area with a lot of low-slung seating to encourage sociability.  

If you’re looking for something a little more sit-down-and-relax than Eataly’s forage-style food hall, consider this mid-priced part of the Italian behemoth. Two towering, gold-tiled pizza ovens turn out Neapolitan-style pies in numerous varieties, while the pasta side offers house-made fresh pasta dishes, such as pappardelle al ragu di funghi, lasagna Emilia, and ravioli di zucca, and others made with dried pasta imported from Gragnano, Italy, such as bucatini cacio e pepe, and linguine alla scoglio. Antipasti and salads also are served. The prix-fixe Taste of Italy menu has three courses.

Although chef Julian Serrano has stepped away from this lakeside Italian restaurant, the tradition continues. The emphasis is on seafood, with starter choices such as oysters with tangerine mignonette, hamachi or salmon crudo, and scallops and prawns with saffron fregola. Pizzettas include one with fresh black truffle, guanciale, and truffle cheese. Pasta dishes range from good ol' spaghetti and meatballs to gnocchi with wild boar sausage, and entrées include a mixed seafood grill, osso buco, steaks, and chicken. 

The food at this Roman-styled see-and-be-seen restaurant/nightclub often is overshadowed by the roaring club scene, but it's worth a stop—especially if you go early to avoid the thump thump of the music upstairs. You might see such substantial starters as tuna tartare, a one-pound meatball, and a burrata-and-pancetta brick-oven pizza. Entrées include salmon oreganato, cavatelli bolognese, and salt-baked wild branzino for two. Many of the dishes are meant to be shared. For Party Brunch from 1 to 6 pm Saturdays, or Endless Brunch from 10 am to 2:30 pm Sundays, try the Waffle Abbondanza giant waffle board, or sheep's milk ricotta waffles.

The Italian immigrants who brought their homeland’s cuisine to New York added their own touches that are celebrated today in spots such as Luchini. Grandma’s meatballs would be one example, and pizzas such as the "Fuhgeddaboudit" (truffle cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, and prosciutto di Parma) would be another. Grilled meats, pastas, sides, salads, and an extensive cocktail collection complete the picture. The adjacent slice shop just adds to the realism, as does the Chez Bippy speakeasy behind it.

James Beard nominee and former Spago sous chef Evan Funke has brought his pasta prowess to Las Vegas with this sister restaurant to the locations in Hollywood and Miami. The busy and lively atmosphere matches the energetic level of his Roman-style cuisine. Funke puts a spin on the traditional; his funghi pizza has both wild and cultivated mushrooms, scamorza, taleggio, and parmigiano reggiano. Starters include squash blossoms with ricotta romana; main courses include Australian rib chops with peperonata salsa verde, and a grilled whole branzino for the table.

Independent restaurants in Las Vegas have such a struggle that Nora's is a refreshing success story. It's so popular with locals that it was able to build a new home, ground up, within walking distance of the old storefront location (now the equally worthwhile Monzú Italian Oven, owned by a family member) that fueled its 24-year reputation. The newer building adds patio seating and a Josper charcoal oven, which combines traditional grilling with a tandoor effect. But it remains a dark wood-and-white tablecloth kind of place with fetching food and a nice ambiance for repeat customers. There’s traditional pizza, pasta, and veal, but the adventurous won’t be disappointed in Nora’s collection of unique dishes such as wild boar pappardelle, or the “Crazy Alfredo,” which combines fettuccine with shrimp, chicken, sausage, roasted bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and jalapeños. Another favorite is the "Alla Nora" of baked spaghetti and eggplant with a meat sauce plus pesto and Parmesan.

This house-made pasta pioneer (which sells to Strip resorts) is part restaurant and part art gallery, showcasing the owner's works. Pasta is, as you might expect, the specialty here, shown to advantage in dishes such as Artisan Pasta Anne (spinach pappardelle with grilled shrimp, feta, and tomatoes in a scampi sauce). There also are vegan dishes, pizzas, and salads, including the popular "Live Forever Salad" with wild greens, brown rice, tomatoes, and roasted cashews.

Las Vegas has very few restaurants left from the early 1980s, and none with the legend of Piero's. Located just across the street from the convention center for all but five of those years, Piero's is a blend of "expense account joint" and a classic Vegas mecca for those fascinated by the bygone mob era, having hosted the actual characters depicted in Casino and later serving as a filming site for the movie itself. Little set decoration was needed in the meandering restaurant full of nooks and crannies, low ceilings, and dark paneling with two bars serving giant martinis in the middle of the action. And, oh yes, there's food: The basics are done with detail and served on huge platters, from the osso buco (off menu but usually a special) to pastas such as the "Sunday Gravy" (rigatoni with both meatballs and Italian sausage).

This offshoot of the Chicago original—from celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises siblings R. J., Jerrod, and Molly Melman—has a modern-Italian mission, which is reflected in its sleek, sophisticated decor. The Vegas-classic starters of steak tartare and beef carpaccio are joined by the more creative Maine lobster caprese and bluefin tuna crudo. The expected pastas are joined by one with spicy king crab, and a selection of steaks and chops, seafood, and Italian classics round out the menu. There's a three-course lunch prix fixe menu on weekdays and kids' and gluten-free menus. Happy hour from 3 to 6 pm weekdays offers discounted cocktails, wines, and small bites.

Encore recalls the panache of vintage Vegas by dedicating one of its fine-dining venues to Frank Sinatra. Expect simple, elegantly presented Italian cuisine, such asd risotto with lobster, and ossobuco "My Way." Framed photos of Ol' Blue Eyes (as well as his Academy Award for From Here to Eternity) adorn the ivory-and-ruby-hue indoor dining room. The legendary crooner's music plays softly while well-dressed guests nibble their antipasto next to the fireplace on the outdoor patio. Some just pull up a seat at the swank bar to order a cocktail or postprandial limoncello or grappa. Go ahead and imbibe!—Frankie would approve. A "living well" menu is available. Kids under 5 are not allowed.

Philadelphia-based Marc Vetri opened his first Las Vegas restaurant in the space once occupied by Alizé high atop the Palms, a full 56 floors above the Las Vegas action. Decor is simple so as not to compete with the views through the expansive windows, which are incomparable. The cuisine's Italian, but make no mistake: this is no red-sauce joint. Vetri conceived a destination restaurant and filled its menu with sophisticated dishes like brisket and doppio ravioli with pickled red onion. You can trust the chef with a six-course tasting menu. If you just want light bites, cocktails, and a view, Tuesday through Saturday offers a happy hour in the bar area from 5 to 6:30 pm.