every time i see a sign that says, we re closed. you know, my friend who s a chef and restauranteur in atlanta or georgia, tweeted out yesterday, buy gift certificates, and then burn them en masse. don t use them. but, listen, the other thing i would say, if you re going to a restaurant, this is hopefully, this will be short lived, we ll get through this. but i can tell you from personal experience, i have about $1 million in back rent that i owe right now. it s i don t know where that s coming from, but i ve been lucky. i ve had landlords that are working with me. a lot of other chefs and restauranteurs that aren t as fortunate and lucky to have landlords that are working with them, they re about to close and omicron will be the nail in the coffin. if you can get out there to support restaurants, don t put yourself in danger, try to order takeout, order directly from the restaurants, don t go through a third party, but if you are out there, when you start coming back out, just b
: It’s hard to ignore Elizabeth Blau’s work with Delivering with Dignity, coordinating with restaurants like Graffiti Bao, Valencian Gold, and her own Honey Salt to deliver meals to thousands in need. She was also vocal in calling out the Nevada government for not doing enough to help locally owned restaurants.
, food and culture writer: There are so many: 7th & Carson partnering with nonprofits to feed the homeless; Ghost Unit Kitchen pivoting to cook for folks in need with Chefs4Vegas; Aloha Kitchen passing out bags of food to hungry families right at the beginning of the pandemic. I also want to give a shout out to my friend, food writer Kim Foster, who is a beacon of generosity. Kim started a food pantry in front of her home downtown, and most importantly, she talks to the people who pick up food, asks them what they need, and coordinates donations to meet those needs. Feeding the hungry is one of the most important food stories of 2020, and I’m in awe of the people who
: It was fascinating to see ghost kitchens like Gemma Gemma’s Square Pies, Pizza Anonymous, To Be Frank, and Underground Burgers emerge this year. We may see more of those as the economy struggles to rebound in 2021. I’m also happy to see BYOB is finally beginning to take hold in Vegas. I know Sparrow + Wolf tried it out and The Legends Oyster Bar have been encouraging it in place of a bar license. In the past, I thought of BYOB as little more than a corkage fee situation, but now I get what it’s all about. There’s something fun about stopping somewhere to pick out a bottle of wine while on the way to dinner and sharing it with friends. Not to mention, it saves a lot of money.
Dining Pros Remember the Saddest Restaurant Closings in Las Vegas
Saying goodbye to some favorite places that won’t be returning
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What was 2020’s saddest restaurant closure?
Emmy Kasten, freelance writer: I was heartbroken to see Estiatorio Milos say farewell to their prime location at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Though the restaurant will soon reopen at the Venetian, I will miss enjoying Milos’ signature lunchtime menu while taking in the views from the sunlit patio.
Philip Tzeng, food blogger at
: It has got to be Pamplemousse. One of the oldest, most iconic restaurants in the city, I have very fond memories of every dinner over the years, but with conventions gone and in-room dining capacities being what they are, there was no way it was going to last in the current situation. It is a Vegas landmark that should have been here forever.