We're happy to report that Las Vegas has taken great strides in recent years when it comes to recognizing and supporting sustainable practices, including organic dining. We now have a farmer's market practically every day of the week somewhere in the valley, with two of them backed by celebrity chef Mario Batali, and many of Las Vegas' most recognized restaurateurs are committed to eco-friendly practices, so there's more organic, local fare on offer than you might imagine, with an option to suit all budgets and tastes.
Beginning at the simple end of the spectrum, Go Raw Cafe is a live vegan raw bar that now has two valley locations and is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu features salads, wraps, pizzas, and a raw, vegan take on entrées including burritos, lasagna, and "cheeseburger and fries," plus lots of juices and desserts. As the website proudly announces, "When nature permits, we only use the finest organic produce, nuts, seeds, and grains and compliment them with the finest raw organic oils available."
Another casual option is Pura Vida Bakery & Bystro, which prides itself on being Las Vegas’ first and only 100% cruelty-free vegan restaurant. The menu is completely animal-free and features organic local produce and the restaurant is 100% vegan owned and operated. They also cater to those with Celiac disease, food allergies, lactose intolerance, and many other food sensitivities. Many of the menu options are gluten-free and all are dairy-free.
We have several Whole Foods Market locations around the valley, too, which serve casual and often organic fare and produce.
Border Grill founders Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger support a number of causes through their restaurants, including sustainable fishing practices; organic, non-GMO food production; and farmers markets and local produce. Click here for more information.
As referenced above, Chef Mario Batali, who in Vegas owns B&B Ristorante at Venetian and Carnevino at Palazzo, has great eco-friendly credentials. Certified "green" by the Green Restaurant Association, his restaurants specialize in using fresh, locally produced, organic ingredients and supporting sustainable food and wine practices. Through his partnership with the EarthLab Foundation, Batali is aiming to provide the latest in environmentally friendly food options, insights, and tips in a new online segment at EarthLab.com entitled "Food & Mario Batali." He's also trying to lead by personal example via his Earth Conservation Plan (ECP), which enables Batali to track his own environmental impact over time and help lessen his carbon footprint.
The Block 16 restaurant group in Las Vegas owns a number of properties, including LBS Burger at Red Rock, which uses all organic, non-frozen, local/artisanal ingredients. The all-natural veggie-burger patty (six options, or build your own) is made from fresh, non-frozen or pre-packaged ingredients, including 22 farm-fresh vegetables and grains, and is served on a wholegrain roll with fresh vegetables. You'll find discounts for LBS Burger, and the group's other eco-friendly eateries, including Holsteins, The Barrymore, Public House, and Pink's at couponsinvegas.com.
Wolfgang Puck's another celebrity chef who's embraced the "green" cause, and has a policy of using the freshest, natural, and organic ingredients and produce from local farmers, plus sustainable seafood, and humanely treated animals. In 2007 Chef Puck teamed with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and began implementing a first-of-its-kind animal welfare program aimed at curbing many of the worst cruelties associated with factory farming in the United States. His Las Vegas restaurants include Spago, CUT, The Pods, Postrio, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, and Trattoria del Lupo.
Springs Cafe at Springs Preserve used to be run by Puck, but is now managed by students from a Las Vegas culinary school. The Springs Preserve is an eco-friendly attraction aimed at educating visitors about sustainability, however, so the menu still features local, organic, and veggie-/vegan-friendly fare.
Royden Ellamar, Executive Chef at Bellagio's Sensi, was raised in a farming family in Hilo, Hawaii and grew up around up around sustainable farming practices. As he said in a recent interview with LuxeEpicure.com, "You probably think Nevada is all desert and dust storms, and that you can only grow hot peppers and okra is this kind of climate. But it is not true! Many people have farms in towns outside of Las Vegas—Boulder City and Pahrump to name just two—who use greenhouse and hydroponic farming techniques. We source tomatoes, onions, lettuces, and a great variety of beans, corn, snap peas, and other fresh vegetables. I think it is crucial that a chef buys locally if at all possible, as it supports the community financially, and builds a greater culinary community in the process. Sometimes we go north; I used smoked trout from Idaho. And oh yes, I also started an herb garden on the roof of Bellagio!" Ellamar plans soon to introduce QR codes to the menu that diners will be able to scan to see when and where the vegetables were picked, or the meat was imported, and from whom. Pretty cool.
Executive Chef Geno Bernado at Nove Italiano at the Palms is another local gastronomer committed to the environment, and sources local organic produce from farms in Pahrump to which he was first introduced by fellow famed sustainability supporter Rick Moonen, whose rm Seafood also features organic and sustainable fare.
We hope this gives you a few ideas. You can find phone numbers, addresses, and menu links for all these and more in our Eco-Friendly Restaurant Guide.
