Vegas food critic and Eating Las Vegas co-author Al Mancini responds:
I have to admit, I’m not terribly big on donuts. Still, I can tell you that, like so many other cities, Las Vegas has a huge cult of Krispy Kreme fanatics. There are a total of five locations in town, with one in Excalibur and another in Circus Circus.
If you’re looking for something less corporate, try Ronald’s Donuts in Chinatown (4600 Spring Mountain Road). Not only are they local favorites (the apple fritters seem to have a cult following all of their own), but the vast majority of donuts they offer are vegan.
Moving on to your more general question about bakeries – now you’re talking my language. Two extraordinary bakeries have opened in opposite corners of the valley over the past year: Bread and Butter in Henderson and Chocolate and Spice just outside of Summerlin.
Bread and Butter (10940 South Eastern Ave., breadandbutterlv.com/) is run by Chris Herrin, who spent seven years running the bakery at Bouchon (Venetian). If you’re unfamiliar with that French bistro, it’s run by Thomas Keller – arguably the most celebrated chef in America – and renowned for its baked goods.
After leaving Keller, Herrin spent some time running a food truck (Lulu’s On The Move) before opening his own bakery and sandwich shop last year. It’s small and cozy, and only open for breakfast and lunch. But the amazing bread, bagels (try the red velvet ones), muffins, Danish pastries, and pies made it an immediate hit. Herrin’s sandwiches are also amazing. (You can read my review in Citylife.
Moving across town, you have Chocolate & Spice (7293 West Sahara Ave.), run by Megan Romano (chefmeganromano.com/). Long considered one of the town’s top dessert chefs, Romano is the author of the book It’s A Sweet Life, and until recently worked at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole. She and her husband just opened Chocolate & Spice two weeks ago, and when I visited on the first Saturday it was already packed with the town’s restaurant royalty, anxious to see her new place.
The incredible pastries, desserts, breads, muffins and other treats are far too numerous to mention, and the sandwiches and mac & cheese were just as good. You can see some photos on my co-author John Curtas’ blog, Eating Las Vegas.
Finally, the gourmet cupcake trend in Las Vegas shows no sign of dying out anytime soon. If that’s your thing, check out Retro Bakery (7785 North Durango Dr., retrobakerylv.com/), or The Cupcakery (multiple locations, including inside the Monte Carlo, thecupcakery.com/).
[Ed: We totally concur with Al's suggestions -- we haven't checked out the two new bakeries, but look forward to the day when we do -- but would like to add a couple more suggestions of our own, including Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro (Caesars Palace), Jean-Philippe Pâtisserie (Bellagio and Aria), and Bonjour Bakery (4012 South Rainbow), specializing in assorted croissants and other European-style pastries, home-baked breads, plus sandwiches, crêpes, personal pizzas, and other savory treats.]
