Talk about a June swoon: Not only is it National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, but June 5 is National Veggie Burger Day and June 17 is National Eat Your Vegetables Day. And where are the best places to enjoy said fare? Increasingly, at culinary temples in every corner of the land. Yet it still may surprise you that the greatest concentration of seriously good plant-based cooking may be found along the 4.2-mile Las Vegas Strip. The Mystery Meat Buffet has long since been eclipsed by fine chef-driven dining—and that includes plenty of tasty veggies on your plate.
See also: Viva Vegan Vegas
Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Who knew? Mr. Beef Wellington himself has created a separate veg/vegan menu for his Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen, a space mimicking his angst-filled reality TV show. On offer: pan-seared tofu scallops with English pea puree and pickled fennel; and white beans “in purgatory” on grilled bread that’s also slathered in spicy tomato sauce and cashew cream cheese.
Bellagio, Las Vegas
In this Strip favorite, innovative seafood preparations star at Michael Mina Las Vegas, but veggies get equally refined treatment. As in dinosaur kale with Bing cherries, toasted almonds, bulgur wheat, fig vinegar and Persian cucumber. At Spago Las Vegas, a hit among housemade pastas is English pea agnolotti with marjoram butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano and pea tendrils.
More: Pandemic Lessons for Planners from a Michelin Chef
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
“To me, vegetables are even sexier than meat,” proclaims celeb chef Jose Andres, whose China Poblano serves up dim sum and tacos to honor the “connected” cuisines of East and West. Its dedicated vegan menu is on pause for now, but offerings do include young coconut ceviche and palmitos (hearts of palm, citrus, avo and radish atop tamarind dressing).
Wynn Las Vegas
All Wynn (and nearby Encore) restaurants go the extra soupcon with veg dishes. An exemplar is Allegro, chef Enzo Febbraro’s homage to his native Naples. The menu features baked vegan lasagna Bolognese with “meat” from the Impossible Burger people, plus almond-based cream and ricotta. Impossible meatballs are also on the menu.
