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City Cast Las Vegas

Keep It Local

Keep It Local by City Cast Las Vegas features spotlights on local businesses we love and personal, curated, and neighborly recommendations that will help you live your best Las Vegas life right now. So, if you’re ready to ditch the national chains, e-commerce giants, and big box stores,

sign up now for the new weekly newsletter from City Cast Las Vegas, written by Melinda Sheckells.

Sign up for Keep It Local from City Cast Las Vegas

Melinda Sheckells

So what do these mysterious Michelin inspectors evaluate our beloved restaurants on? They consider “ingredient quality, technique, harmony, the chef’s personality expressed through the food, and consistency.” These standards apply beneath chandeliers or inside a strip mall. Michelin’s local selections span seasonal Italian cooking, open-fire dishes, French tasting menus, and Spanish-Mediterranean flavors. Meet four neighborhood restaurants that made the guide — and find out what their teams thought of the results.

Chef James Trees received the recognition he wanted when 

 earned a Bib Gourmand, Michelin’s designation for good-quality, good-value cooking. Trees opened Esther’s in the Arts District in 2018 and named it for the great-aunt who encouraged his cooking career. Naturally leavened bread, handmade pasta, and seasonal Italian food remain its foundation. “It’s an award that’s earned. It’s not a box you check,” Trees said. Maintaining the Bib is where he believes Esther belongs.

 Order the sourdough and a choice of spreads early in the meal or make it your whole dinner. Book a reservation well in advance for prime dinner times.

 in Chinatown in 2017 after working for chefs like Thomas Keller and André Rochat. His cooking draws on Vietnamese, Mexican, Italian, and Japanese influences, often using an open fire. Howard called inclusion an honor but said he would not redirect the restaurant to pursue an award. “We’re never going to chase anything,” he said. “Our ethos has always been individual growth.”

 The menu changes with the seasons. Ask about the latest dishes from the wood-fired grill and plan to share.

 serves contemporary French tasting menus from a Chinatown strip mall. Chef Yuri Szarzewski changes the menu monthly with diners choosing five, seven, or nine courses while leaving the individual dishes as a surprise. Szarzewski was candid about hoping for a star rather than a place among the “Selected by Michelin” recommended restaurants. Still, he welcomed the honor. “For us, it’s great to be part of that scene … it’s great to be highlighted in any way,” he said, adding that he hopes to be onstage for a star next year.

 Partage recommends using a rideshare because parking can be tight. Disclose dietary restrictions when booking: The restaurant says it cannot accommodate dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, celiac, onion-free, or garlic-free diets.

 reimagines Spanish and Mediterranean traditions through tapas, handmade pasta and a seasonal tasting menu. After Michelin recommended the restaurant, EDO Hospitality co-founders Roberto Liendo and Joe Mikulich, with Corporate Chef Tayden Ellamar, described the designation as a benchmark rather than a finish line. “The bar is set. Now we all know where we stand. Everyone here wants to be the best,” Ellamar said.

 The Anima Experience costs $85 per person, with an optional $65 wine pairing. Vegetarian and vegan tasting menus are available upon request.

Discover the 5 criteria Michelin inspectors use to judge restaurants, and meet 4 neighborhood spots that just made the prestigious guide.

What Do Michelin Inspectors Look For? Meet 4 Local Winners

Michelin’s Guide to Eating Local in Vegas

, hailed as the “Chef of the Century,” may be the name on the door, but the chef doing the cooking day in and day out at the iconic MGM Grand restaurant is a Las Vegan.

Eleazar Villanueva discovered cooking at 

, and worked his way through some of the city’s most demanding kitchens.

Now leading the culinary team at Joël Robuchon, Villanueva was excited to see his restaurant win two Michelin stars — the highest rating in the American Southwest — but is eager to be back in the kitchen to do it all over again.

“The pressure has gone down a little bit, and we’re trying to enjoy the night,” Villanueva told City Cast Las Vegas shortly after the 2026 Southwest Michelin stars were announced during a ceremony at the Fontainebleau. “But tomorrow is back to the grind. We start from ground zero tomorrow, and we keep on pushing.”

Villanueva's father, who worked at Napa in the Rio, warned his son away from the profession because he knew how difficult restaurant life could be. Villanueva chose it anyway.

He became a master cook at Le Cirque at Bellagio in 2011 and joined Joël Robuchon in 2016. He rose through the ranks in the kitchen before becoming executive chef in December 2023.

His first priority was retraining the brigade on Robuchon’s classic stocks, sauces, and dishes. Some take three or four days, and recipes may be tested six to eight times. That precision must hold through 60 to 70 covers nightly, compared with 15 to 20 when the restaurant opened.

Villanueva never imagined working at a Robuchon restaurant, much less running one. Upholding the late chef’s standards leaves him with what he calls big shoes to fill. “I am not French, which is a big deal,” he said. “I have something to prove. This is a never-ending journey.”

He quickly redirected the recognition toward the restaurant’s entire team. “It’s not a one-man award,” he said. “This is a restaurant award.” Sean Christopher, general manager of Restaurant de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand, also received the 2026 Michelin Guide Southwest Service Award for excellence in hospitality and service.

Despite its famous French name and MGM Grand address, a Las Vegas-raised chef now leads its kitchen with a team Villanueva says is largely from Las Vegas — a bona fide local success story indeed.

Las Vegas native Eleazar Villanueva worked his way up to lead the kitchen at Joël Robuchon MGM Grand, earning two prestigious Michelin stars.

The Vegas Chef Leading Joël Robuchon to 2 Michelin Stars

The Las Vegan Behind Two Michelin Stars

During the pandemic, Kimmie McIntosh was out of work, uncertain whether she wanted to return to restaurants, and looking for a way to respond to the racial and social injustices unfolding around her.

, a movement started by pastry chef Paola Velez that encouraged entrepreneurs to raise money for nonprofit organizations through bake sales.

“I’m not a protester, so I was doing it through baking food,” says McIntosh, who attended culinary school and gained kitchen experience in Santa Barbara, but later moved into front-of-house restaurant work and management. “It was this amazing and positive way of being able to fight back against the injustices that I was seeing.”

, the Filipino-inspired pop-up McIntosh operates with husband Josh. The couple became 2024 James Beard Award semifinalists for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, and McIntosh received another semifinalist nomination in 2026.

Initially, pop-ups offered the quickest way to introduce her food without committing to a permanent location. Now, the format is part of Milkfish’s identity.

“I really enjoy the freedom,” McIntosh says. “I have a lot of fun coming up with totally different ideas, not necessarily following the same thing over and over.”

She often reinterprets Filipino flavors. Karioka, a traditional street food, becomes coconut mochi fritters layered with caramelized coconut garnishes and sea salt. Her longganisa cheddar drop biscuits fold garlicky, slightly sweet Filipino breakfast sausage into a form customers compare to a certain familiar seafood-chain biscuit.

Almost every collaboration returns Milkfish to its bake-sale roots. A 

. McIntosh asks partners which nonprofit matters to them, then incorporates that organization into the event.

On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Milkfish will pop up at 

. Chef Dan Coughlin is developing a collaborative Filipino-inspired longganisa sausage plate with proceeds benefiting the 

A storefront remains part of the long-term plan. Until then, McIntosh enjoys circulating through the restaurant community that helped Milkfish grow.

“I get to go around, hang out with all my friends in their places, and serve my food there,” she says. “It’s just a lot of fun.”

Discover how Las Vegas baker Kimmie McIntosh used the Bakers Against Racism movement to support social justice nonprofits through the power of pastry.

Bakers Against Racism: How Kimmie McIntosh Found Purpose in Baking

A Pop-Up With a Purpose

Meet four Las Vegas baking entrepreneurs whose creativity can’t be contained to a sheet pan. They may develop one specialty, experiment with new flavors, collaborate with established restaurants, or bring an entire bakery to a different neighborhood each week. The result is a local baking scene beyond the brick-and-mortar, shaped by its freedom to flour and bold use of butter.

Some of Las Vegas’ most requested breads finally have a retail window — but only for three hours every month. On Saturday, Aug. 22, chef James Trees and corporate pastry chef Jake Yergensen turn 

 into a counter-service bakery stocked with Esther’s Kitchen sourdough, Bar Boheme’s Parisian baguettes, Al Solito Posto focaccia, and a rotating lineup of croissants, plus sweet and savory pastries. The monthly pop-up debuted in June and is already known for lines down Main Street.

 The sale runs from 8 to 11 a.m., but only while supplies last. Lines form early.

 takes the sweet slice most associated with overripe kitchen-counter bananas and makes it worthy of its own category. Created by local bakers Christopher Neff and Nikki Zhang, the business’ small-batch, organic lineup runs from original and chocolate chip to Biscoff, guava, and pistachio-orange blossom, finished with pistachio buttercream drizzle. Find the loaves at farmers' markets across the valley.

 at a specific market to guarantee the bread you want. Orders placed before noon qualify for next-day pickup or delivery in Las Vegas. Pickup is free, while delivery starts at $25.

More than 5,000 customers were waiting for 

 twice-weekly drops when Clark County Code Enforcement halted owner Lindsay Skolnik’s home pickups. Now, the viral center bite cinnamon rolls are returning with the help of a longtime local favorite. Beginning Sept. 1, 

 will make and sell the rolls in collaboration with Skolnik, whose bakery has amassed more than 140,000 Instagram followers. The partnership gives one locally owned, female-driven business a path forward with help from another that understands what happens when demand outruns a small operation.

 The rolls launch at Café Lola’s Summerlin location, followed by Henderson and then the Southwest. Follow the Instagram accounts for 

 for updates, including quantities and sale times.

 operates as a woman-owned mobile bakery, bringing croissants, cinnamon rolls, pecan sticky buns, muffins, cookies, and coffee to different parts of the valley each week. The rotating schedule requires more planning than walking into a neighborhood bakery, but it becomes much more convenient when Honey Bear lands near your morning commute.

 on Instagram as locations and service times change. Check the newest post the morning you plan to visit, and preorder when available if you are chasing a particular pastry.

Meet four Las Vegas baking entrepreneurs transforming the local food scene with bold flavors, mobile bakeries, and creative artisan specialties.

Las Vegas Bakers: Moving Beyond the Brick-and-Mortar

Happiness is a Warm Baguette

Relax! Depending on how you read that, it can sound like a positive prompt or an anxiety-inducing command. Maybe you need a massage therapist who has known your shoulders for 20 years, a room full of salt, or a cat who refuses to let you leave. These local experiences quiet the noise without becoming another item on your to-do list.

 is a peaceful refuge in a chaotic midweek schedule. Sharoni combines long-held, floor-based Yin poses with Thai massage, explaining each position before offering hands-on bodywork. The stillness gives the body time to soften and stretch, while the mind can shut off, if only for a few brief moments. Now with two locations at The Bend and Inspire Apartments on Buffalo.

 Tell Sharoni if you prefer not to receive hands-on adjustments. Kintsugi provides props, but arrive early enough to collect your blocks, bolsters, and blankets.

 is a hands-down local favorite, featuring a relaxation lounge, steam room, dry sauna, therapeutic whirlpool, fitness center, and outdoor spa pool. Still, the real reason locals return is the massage team. Several practitioners have spent decades developing dedicated clienteles who book specifically with them. A therapist who already knows where you hold tension removes one decision from the day.

 Nevada residents receive 20% off treatments Monday through Friday with valid ID. Treatments include access to the amenities. The spa also has its own parking lot and entrance, providing direct access.

, guests recline in a softly illuminated cave built with Himalayan salt bricks and salt-pebble floors. A halogenerator disperses fine salt particles while everyone remains fully clothed. The homegrown business operates three valley locations and offers massages, facials, sound baths, meditation sessions, and workshops.

 A 45-minute session costs $39. New clients can currently purchase two for $39, while guests booking another treatment can add halotherapy for $20. Wear comfortable clothes and socks.

Some people meditate. Others require 40 cats to get in the zone. Opened by local nonprofit PALNV in 2019, 

 on N. Rancho Drive was the valley’s first cat café. Visitors spend an hour with 30 to 50 adoptable cats and kittens, plus complimentary beverages and snacks. Sit down, wait for a cat to make the next move, and accept that your lap no longer belongs to you. Visits support the rescue and potential adoptions.

 Hourlong sessions cost $10 on Mondays and Tuesdays, and $12 on Fridays through Sundays. Reserve in advance and arrive 5 to 10 minutes early. Children must be at least 8 years old.

Discover calming local spots in Las Vegas to quiet the noise, from cozy cat lounges and salt rooms to long-time trusted massage therapists

Relax & Unwind: Stress-Relieving Local Experiences in Las Vegas

Four Ways to Take It Slow

After more than 25 years shaping luxury spa and wellness experiences — including leadership roles at some of Las Vegas’ best-known resort spas — 

 understands that relaxation does not begin and end on a massage table. Her newest concept asks: What if people gathered around red-light therapy and compression boots before hitting the rosé?

Linney’s Social Wellness Activation is a mobile circuit for homes, offices, and private gatherings. Guests rotate through 20-minute sessions featuring red-light therapy, a pulsed electromagnetic field mat, lymphatic-drainage compression equipment, and chair massage relaxation.

It lands between a spa day and a house party in stretchy pants. Twenty minutes is enough time to settle down, Linney says, but not so long that everyone “veges out.” Treatments are individual but happen alongside friends or colleagues. Afterward, she notices the room change.

“They are all in the same emotional space and the same energetic space,” Linney says. “The conversations thereafter tend to be a little bit more meaningful, a little bit more authentic, and definitely more grounded.”

Linney has booked corporate groups and what she calls a “book club gone rogue” — the familiar club whose members have stopped pretending everyone finished the book.

The equipment may be high-tech, but Linney views relaxation simply: it reconnects us with ourselves and calms a nervous system reacting to the world's general volume. A massage, a few deep breaths, or several quiet minutes looking at a painting can accomplish the same thing.

“You’re coming back to yourself,” she says. “You’re coming back to your center.”

For people who find solitary self-care less appealing, doing it together may be the missing piece. And yes, Linney says, people may still pour the rosé afterward. They simply begin with their guards down before the liquid lubrication flows.

Meet Megan Linney’s new concept: a mobile wellness circuit bringing red-light therapy, compression boots, and massage to your next gathering.

Social Wellness Activation: The New Mobile Party Trend

The Social (Wellness) Experiment

The standard back-to-school supply list rarely covers everything a school year demands. These businesses address some of the needs that emerge after notebooks are purchased and first-day photos are taken. We’ve got all the essentials covered to make this year a success.

 Las Vegas in the Historic Westside carries titles for children, teens, and adults, with stories representing African American, Latino, Indigenous, Asian, and Pacific Islander experiences. Its shelves make room for young readers to recognize themselves in a book, while also introducing them to lives, families, and histories beyond their own.

 The bookstore’s youth programming goes beyond traditional storytime. Family events may include crafts, movement, play, and interactive reading activities, which can make the experience considerably more persuasive for a child who claims not to like books.

 has been helping Las Vegans with art projects since 1957. The family-owned business stocks materials for drawing, painting, drafting, and other creative disciplines, from basic sketchbooks to tools intended for serious high school and college coursework.

 for different experience levels. A student can leave with the correct supplies and, ideally, a better understanding of why one art pencil costs more than an entire box of others.

Every kid wants to look sharp for their school pics and make sure they aren’t in the same outfit as anyone else. Las Vegas native Crystal Chase puts a boutique spin on back-to-school shopping with 

, a local source for children’s clothing, shoes, gear, toys, and gifts. Her other brand, 

 extends the concept to tweens with apparel, jewelry, and accessories selected for an age group that has already developed strong opinions about what can and cannot appear in a first-day photograph. Look out for their new location which will bring both brands together under one roof.

, LoveBug Baby & Kids will host an event where kids can customize their backpacks with fun patches. Bring your backpack and get creative.

Packing a school lunch can feel very manageable at 7 p.m. and entirely unreasonable at 7 a.m. 

 removes that particular morning decision for families whose schools participate in the service. The Las Vegas company prepares meals and delivers them directly to campuses, with entrées accompanied by rotating sides, utensils, napkins, and condiments. Parents can order only on the days they need help rather than committing to a full week.

Orders can be canceled before an 8 a.m. cutoff for account credit when a kid stays home sick. The service does not make individual substitutions, so families managing food allergies should review ingredient information before ordering.

Discover the essential local businesses, services, and hidden necessities you need for a successful school year.

Shop Local for School Supplies in Las Vegas 

Four Local Stops for Back-to-School

Teachers approach this week with shopping lists of their own. Some items are obvious: pencils, paper, markers, and notebooks. Others are the materials that turn an empty room into a classroom — storage bins, bulletin-board borders, books, labels, folders, and lots and lots of glue sticks. Then there are the supplies intended for children who arrive without everything they need.

Teachers routinely fill those gaps themselves, one receipt at a time. The 

 was created to make that expectation less expensive.

, the store gives eligible Southern Nevada public school educators access to free and deeply discounted classroom supplies. Teachers can use the materials in their rooms or distribute them directly to students for schoolwork and homework.

A $26 membership donation provides 500 points that can be exchanged for supplies worth up to $500. The price of a trip to an office-supply store can unlock enough materials to serve an entire class.

The inventory is always changing as the program relies on donations and community partnerships. The experience is akin to searching a warehouse for whatever will be most useful. A teacher may find basic supplies, books, classroom décor, or items that would otherwise remain on their wish lists.

The store is especially valuable because classroom spending rarely ends after the first day. A well-stocked room in August can require reinforcements by October.

Eligible educators can shop in person, but they do not necessarily have to spend part of the weekend inside the store. CCSD teachers can place online orders for delivery to their schools, while participating charter school educators can order for pickup. CCSD Purchasing Cards may also be used toward the membership donation.

The wider community can contribute as well. The Public Education Foundation accepts financial and supply donations, allowing businesses and individual donors to help replenish materials that eventually reach classrooms throughout Southern Nevada.

The store does not eliminate the burden that teachers face; however, it does reduce the number of times an educator must choose between leaving a classroom without something useful and paying for it personally.

The PEF Teacher Superstore helps lower these out-of-pocket classroom expenses.

Affordable Classroom Supplies for Teachers in Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Store Built for Teachers

When the sidewalk feels like a stovetop, even aggressive, jacket-prompting air conditioning can qualify as a welcome amenity. These attractions and businesses offer four very different ways to be cool and stay cool.

, beating the heat begins beneath a circular stream of water. Japanese-inspired treatments combine scalp analysis and cleansing with massage, water therapy, and targeted care for dryness, inflammation, and damaged or thinning hair. Spend 60 to 90 minutes reclined in an appropriately air-conditioned room while the rest of Las Vegas avoids touching anything made of metal.

Enter an air-conditioned fairy tale and see whether you can find your way out at 

. The family-run Las Vegas escape room has four immersive adventures — Arabian Nights, Once Upon a Time, Neverland, and 7 Dwarfs — all inspired by familiar stories. Each room was handmade by the family and filled with puzzles, riddles, hidden compartments and clues that require considerably more teamwork than deciding where to eat dinner.

Nevada miners did not have central air, but they did have one advantage over the rest of us: They worked underground. Approximately 45 minutes from Las Vegas, the Techatticup Mine in Nelson offers a naturally cool and breezy escape beneath 

. The guided walking tour follows roughly a quarter-mile of gravel passageways while sharing stories from Southern Nevada’s oldest and richest gold-mining district. Learn how miners worked by candlelight, handled explosives, and extracted gold and silver under conditions that make modern workplace complaints feel slightly less urgent.

 The tour lasts 80 minutes, providing enough time underground to briefly forget that your car is baking in the desert outside. Book the 9 a.m. tour, wear closed-toe walking shoes and bring water, sunscreen, and a hat. The mine may be cool, but the surrounding property is not.

, dairy-free frozen treats inspired by Philadelphia water ice. Its 

 ranges from cherry, mango, and strawberry lemonade to Cotton Candy, Strawberry FreezeCake, Henny Lemonade, and Sin City. Owner Chase Corbin built the business through pop-ups and community events before opening its brick-and-mortar shop in the Arts District.

, an all-ages hip-hop dance party and community block party on Saturday, Aug. 1 from 5 to 11 p.m. The event brings music, dancing, and Cold Summer Concert Series energy to the Arts District. Admission is $10, and children 12 and younger enter free.

When the sidewalk feels like a stovetop, escape the heat and support local businesses at that same time. 

Cool Ways to Escape Summer Weather in Las Vegas

Four Ways to Beat the Heat 

, there is one unexpected sign of summer — smaller puddles.

During cooler months, guests sometimes step into the 48-degree cold plunge and climb out before completing the full cycle, sending water over the sides of the tub. As temperatures climb past 110 degrees, more people are staying submerged.

“The puddles around the cold plunge are a lot smaller than they have been in this heat,” says Breanna Berryhill, general manager of Pause Studio Las Vegas. “People are definitely getting in there and submerging for their full cycles.”

Cold plunging involves voluntarily lowering your body into very cold water and remaining there while every instinct tells you to get out. The first few seconds can feel particularly intense.

At Pause, the plunge is paired with an infrared sauna inside one of four private contrast-therapy rooms. Guests can spend up to nine minutes in the sauna, as long as three minutes in the 48-degree water and then three minutes resting before repeating the cycle during a 30- or 60-minute session.

“While you’re sitting in the cold plunge, really stare at that sauna and get ready for it,” Berryhill says. “It’s mental, but physically you just feel incredible.”

Cold-water immersion has become a social media spectacle, an athletic recovery ritual and, increasingly, a mainstream wellness practice. Studies suggest cold-water immersion may temporarily reduce muscle soreness and perceived fatigue after strenuous activity as well as inflammation.

At Pause, the reasons for plunging are less complicated. Guests arrive after golfing, hiking, exercising, working a long shift or spending hours walking the Strip.

“You don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from cold therapy,” Berryhill says. “Whether you’ve been hiking, golfing, walking the Strip or just navigating this Vegas heat, the cold plunge therapy is an important part of overall wellness.”

The goal is not to prove who can endure the coldest water or remain submerged the longest. Beginners can start gradually, pay attention to how their bodies respond, and step out when necessary.

And while 48-degree water may sound irresistible during an extreme heat warning, a plunge is not a treatment for heat illness or a substitute for hydration, shade, and medical care when needed. It is a deliberate and highly desirable encounter with the cold that we just can’t get anywhere else right now.

Las Vegas has spent generations teaching people how to embrace extremes. When the temperature outside reaches 115 degrees, choosing to sit in 48-degree water may be one of the city’s more logical propositions.

Discover why extreme heat makes guests stay submerged longer in 48-degree water during contrast therapy sessions at Pause Studio Las Vegas.