Caesars Palace Moves Closer to Acknowledging Cafe Americano

In one of the strangest dining switcheroos in a major Strip casino, Cafe Americano is operating 24 hours a day in the lobby of Caesars Palace with no formal acknowledgment or single mention of the 3,585-square-foot restaurant on the resort's own web site.

Taking over from the shuttered and bankrupt Central Michel Richard, Cafe Americano has been created in partnership with Miami-based V&E Restaurant Group. In case this new union goes awry, Caesars World Inc. owns the trademarked name. V&E were earlier rumored to slot their Cuban-centeric Havana 1957 concept into the space.

Open for breakfast, lunch and regular and late dinner since May, the three month old reworking of the Central space has moved the entrance sideways and removed the plate sculpture prominently featured in chef Richard's dining room.

Still to come, a new bar for the patio to be built with an estimated construction budget of $335,809 and ultimately enable room for as many as 239 guests inside and out. That space has also been rumored to be turned into a Latin-themed beer garden. As with the restaurant, no details of the patio upgrade have been announced by Caesars.