Cake Boss star and proprietor of Las Vegas Strip venues Buddy V’s, Carlo’s Bakery and PizzaCake, Buddy Valastro is set to open The Boss Café by Buddy Valastro at the Linq in early 2022. The highlight of the new restaurant will be the Mozz Bar, where guests can grab fresh mozzarella creations served with bread and choice of toppings, and the menu at the café will offer casual Italian-American fare conceived by Valastro with corporate executive chef Bryan Forgione. It will be located across from the Linq’s new District 3 Elevators and Caesars Forum bridge, occupying 1,400 square feet.
The inaugural TAG Global Spirits Awards, set for February 23-26 at Delano Las Vegas, has unveiled a diverse slate of events and programing for its four days on the Las Vegas Strip. Created by industry vets Tony Abou-Ganim, David Grapshi and Julio Bermejo, the event will include the inaugural global spirits competition, a variety of spirit and food pairings, educational and tasting sessions, and other sponsor-driven events allowing guests to participate in a socially information setting over world-class food and cocktails. Tickets and info are available now at tagspiritsawards.com.
The Noodle Den at Sahara Las Vegas is set to open on December 8. The original concept from chef Guoming “Sam” Xin offers popular hand-pulled noodles, dumplings, traditional Northern Chinese dishes and more, open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., and dinner from 5 until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Wan-Yi Huang of Beijing Noodle No. 9 is general manager of the new restaurant, a 1,300-square-foot venue.
Freed’s Dessert Shop will host a grand opening for its latest store Downtown at 60 E. California Street starting with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. on December 9. The family-owned bakery’s sixth location and fourth Dessert Shop offers a full array of pastries, cookies and baked goods and features a mural by Shan Michael Evans. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
From December 9 through January 9, Al Solito Posto at Tivoli Village will feature the outdoor, heated pop-up Bar Delle Meraviglie lounge, with festive décor, an exclusive menu of hot and cold cocktails, cocoas and coffees, and special cookie pairings. Reservations are not required and the bar follows regular bar hours; its offerings are also available in the regular bar and dining room.
Pub 365 at the Tuscany is teaming with Mojave Brewing for the Beer Pub Dinner on December 10 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the three-course meal with four paired brews are $70 and available at eventbrite.com.
Honey Salt will host a special holiday pop-up shop featuring local businesses Dee Berkley Jewelry, Goldenwear and French Cottage Bakery serving up last-minute gifts on December 9 from 1 until 4 p.m. Honey Salt will also offer a variety of sweet and savory baked goods and owners Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla will be available to sign copies of their book, “Honey Salt Food & Drink.”
The aforementioned Buddy V’s at Palazzo is bringing back its popular Buddy & Lisa’s Christmas Brunch for one day only on December 11 from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The menu will feature a variety of restaurant favorites, antipasto, seafood, carved meats and sweet treats for $55 per person or $25 per child under 10. Reservations are available online here.
8 East at Circa Resort will host a special pop-up dinner on December 11 featuring James Beard Award-nominated chef Ji Hye Kim of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan, teaming up with 8 East executive chef Steve Piamchuntar for a one-night only menu. There are three seating options for the six-course, family-style dinner and tickets are $150 per person, available at circalasvegas.com.
Valley Cheese and Wine will host a caviar pop-up with Nina Manchev of Forte Tapas and the Caviar Collective on December 12 at 4 p.m. Guests will enjoy pairings of caviar, cheese and wine for $75 per person with reservations available at 702-341-8191.
Available now through January 9, Park on Fremont has transformed into the Naughty Nutcracker holiday experience featuring themed drinks, over-the-top decorations, live music and more. The new Winter Warmers cocktail menu stars special seasonal libations, and the bar will be giving back to the community through various charitable activations throughout the season. Donations of gently used men’s, women’s and kids’ jackets and sweaters will earn guests a complimentary drink with all clothing going to help SafeNest. For more info, visit naughtynutcrackerdtlv.com.
Shake Shack locations at Downtown Summerlin, the District at Green Valley Ranch and Las Vegas North Premium Outlets are offering a free shake to the first 600 guests who donate a new, unwrapped toy now through December 13. The items will be distributed by Wonder of Christmas to local families in need at the Cambridge Recreation Center on December 16.
Kamu Ultra Karaoke at the Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian (on the Palazzo side) is launching Monday Industry Celebration MIC Night on December 13 and continuing once a month from 11 p.m. until 6 p.m. on select Mondays. Groups of up to six guests can sing their favorite songs inside a private, luxury karaoke suite while enjoying a premium bottle and 50% off the industry-only menu for just $150. For more information, visit kamukaraoke.com.
VegeNation chef Donald Lemperle will present a special three-course Italian dinner and wine pairing on December 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Vegas Test Kitchen, introducing diners to his refined Italian concept Contrapunto. The menu includes bruschetta three ways, pasta fagioli, wild mushroom lasagna, butternut squash agnolotti, risotto pudding arancini and more. A limited number of seats are available at $25 per person and tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/ContrapuntoDinner.
La Strega and chef Gina Marinelli will be hosting a Christmas Eve fish market and Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner on December 24. The market will be held from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. featuring a fish cutting demo, an exclusive wine list and a variety of fresh fish and house-made sauces, spices and rubs for sale. La Strega’s annual Christmas Eve dinner will start at 5 p.m. featuring five courses served family-style at $85 per person. Reservations are available at 702-722-2099.
Hell’s Kitchen: Young Guns winner Trenton Garvey has joined the team at Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas as new head chef. After a special celebration welcoming Garvey to the restaurant on December 1, he unveiled his new secret menu item, seared diver scallops with brown sugar glazed carrot puree, pickled petite carrots, pomegranate seeds and dill oil.
