As the neon lights sweep across the bustling streets of Sin City, an invigorating resurgence of culinary excellence is about to tantalize the taste buds of food connoisseurs. Enter the Pepsi Dig In Restaurant Royalty Residency, a vibrant celebration of flavor and innovation, returning triumphantly for its third year to the eclectic surrounds of Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay and Public House at Luxor.
This year’s residency boasts an array of exclusive offerings from six diverse dining powerhouses: the boundary-pushing Slutty Vegan, the exquisitely crafted Q1227, the traditional flavors of Taco Mell, the sauce-laden Sienna Wings, the tantalizing NYAM, and the charming Vyoone’s. These culinary gems promise to bring an explosion of taste to the fore.
Signaling her grand entrance onto the Vegas stage, Pinky Cole Hayes, the trailblazing founder of the plant-based sensation Slutty Vegan, originating from the bustling urban kitchens of New York City, Atlanta, and Dallas, is poised to captivate audiences with her plant-powered creations.
Mark your calendars: from September 21st through February 7th, food lovers will relish each exclusive dish presented for a sumptuous four-week stint. The curtain rises with the famously indulgent Fussy Hussy burger from Slutty Vegan, a brainchild of Pinky Cole Hayes and a testament to her unyielding quest to conquer the plant-based domain.
“Las Vegas is a culinary destination where people go to taste the best of the best,” Hayes remarks with pride. “It’s an honor to be joining Pepsi Dig In alongside an incredible line-up of talented restaurateurs, and to be bringing Slutty Vegan’s iconic burger to Las Vegas for the first time exclusively at MGM Resorts.”
In the shadows of this tantalizing landscape, however, comes a poignant revelation. As we venture towards the unknown, Casa.org reflected upon the city’s evolving cultural tapestry, revealing the unexpected closure of the LGBTQ+-owned and operated gem, the Bent Inn, which had been a beacon of diversity and inclusion in the heart of downtown for barely a year.
This closure unveils a broader narrative, a staggering eighth gay bar to dim its lights since the summer of 2023. Notably, The Garden—established by Vegas nightlife aficionado Eduardo Cordova—has taken its final bow after four years of sizzling drag brunches and eclectic cocktails in the pulsating Arts District.
The culinary chessboard continues to shift with the grand reopening of Lavo in the regal Palazzo Tower of The Venetian. Closing its doors on June 23rd for a refashioning, Lavo emerges once again, brandishing a refreshed image and a sumptuous coastal Italian menu crafted by the eminent Ralph Scamardella, chief culinary officer of the respected Tao Restaurant Group.
Not far behind in the march of culinary advancement is Chef Michael Nguyen, who unveils Poke Market—an oasis of Japanese flavors nestled within the innovative UnCommons residential development in southwest Las Vegas, a space once home to the ill-fated Sundry Food Hall and the vibrant Mercadito.
Shadows cast upon the gastronomic scene as Burgundy French Bakery faces a setback, temporarily succumbing to the stringent inspections of the Southern Nevada Health District, stirring a call for reinvention and renewal amidst the dynamic theatre of food and hospitality.
In Las Vegas, the city of ever-evolving thrills and indulgences, each closing curtain and the new grand opening compose the ever-changing symphony of this desert metropolis—a constant dance of tastes, talents, and triumphs.
