Windom Kimsey at Public Works Shares His Favorite Henderson Restaurants

Sin City is home to a lot of restaurants and bars, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Las Vegans aren’t unearthing. To help guide readers to these potential discoveries, Eater Vegas enlisted some of the city’s food players to share their recommendations for a feature dubbed Dining Confidential.

Public Works Coffee Bar brings coffee shop to Water Street in Henderson. Owner Windom Kimsey, who also happens to be the principal and CEO of TSK Architects, was just getting ready to imove his architecture firm to downtown Henderson when he decided it would be great to have a coffee shop in the same building. Part of his motivation was selfish; he wanted a strong cappuccino for his staff; but the restaurant also brought a much-needed service to the community. Kimsey and his wife, Annelisa, opened the shop one year agao serving beans from Mothership Coffee Roasters and food and snacks from fellow Henderson businesses including The Mad Batter Café and Chef Flemming’s Bake Shop. The space offers a free community conference room open to anyone who needs the space and displays a rotating exhibit of local artists. Here he shares some of his favorite places to dine all over Las Vegas.

Do you remember your first trip to Vegas? What happened that was memorable?

My first trip to Las Vegas was to be a groomsman in a wedding in June. It was really hot, and the wedding was outdoors. The memorable event from the wedding was that I met, Annelisa, the woman I would marry. She was the bridesmaid who walked down the aisle with me.

What made you decide to move to Las Vegas?

A “why not?” moment lead to my decision to move to Las Vegas. It was a whim. I had heard that Southern Nevada was booming — it was the early 1990s — and I thought I might be able to find architectural opportunities here that I couldn’t in Chicago.

Where do you like to eat breakfast in Las Vegas?

CraftKitchen is one of my favorite breakfast options close to home. I almost always get the pork carnitas omelet.

What about lunch?

I like to have lunch in the restaurant at Emerald Island Casino on Water Street. I like the convenience because I can walk there from work, and their Brown Derby Cobb salad never disappoints.

I like to eat at Thailicious for dinner. It’s delicious and healthy, and while I’m not vegan, it has some great meatless options like the avocado curry with tofu. I’m also a pizza lover, so I head to Pizza Rock (great beer selection and delicious Frank Nitti pizza) and Settebello Pizzeria (insalata grande and diavolo pizza) pretty frequently.

Where do you like to dine for a special occasion?

For fancier meals, I like to eat at Spago. It’s perfect for anniversaries and special occasions, but really I love any excuse to eat the Hong Kong salmon. For nights when I’m feeling more festive, I head to Border Grill. The margaritas and guacamole always hit the spot. One of my recent favorites is Bevette’s Steakhouse & Bar. It’s the perfect place for a pre-game snack prior to a Golden Knights game. I particularly like the chilled seafood plateaux.

Are there any brunches in town you like to frequent?

I don’t brunch very often, but I’ve heard good buzz about The Stove and am looking forward to trying it.

Let’s say you want to hang out with your friends after work. Where do you like to go?

If I want to grab a beer with friends after work, I go to Love Lady Brewery on Water Street. It’s walkable and it’s local, so I’m always happy to head there.

• All Dining Confidentials [ELV]

• All Coverage of Public Works [ELV]