The Best New Restaurants of 2019 in Las Vegas, According to the Experts

Following an Eater tradition, we asked a group of restaurant critics, journalists, bloggers, and friends of the site to weigh in on the year in food. Their answers to the annual Year in Eater survey will be revealed in several posts. Next up, the dining experts share their top newcomers from 2019.

Krista Diamond, Eater Vegas contributor: La Strega, Hatsumi, Santos Tacos

Rob Kachelriess, Las Vegas writer, Thrillist: Sushi Kame, Locale, Ada’s, Valencian Gold, La Strega, Graffiti Bao, Hatsumi, Old Soul, Ambra

Philip Tzeng, food blogger LasVegasFill: Mott 32 for their hot and sour Iberico pork Shanghainese soup dumplings, the best XLB I’ve ever had in Sin City, and the incredible applewood roasted 42 day Peking duck.

Greene St. Kitchen for basically being a modern art museum serving tasty food and massive quantities of alcohol, which are key components to having a great time.

La Strega for being my favorite neighborhood night out that I need a reservation for with their incomparable food and atmosphere.

Scott Roeben, Vital Vegas: Haven’t you heard? There’s a Chick-fil-A at Golden Nugget! Also, man alive that Ada’s at Tivoli Village.

Melanie Lee, Eater Vegas Instagram manager: Greene Street Kitchen because there’s something for everyone and the atmosphere is so versatile and fun! There are so many great new restaurants at the Palms. There were also some really amazing newcomers at the very end of 2018 like Mott 32 and Best Friend!

Bob Barnes, Las Vegas writer for Gayot, editorial director and writer for The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, and copy editor and writer for Vegas Beer Quest: Ada’s, Locale, La Strega, Greene St. Kitchen, Hatsumi, Mabel’s BBQ

Andy Wang, contributor, Food & Wine: Locale, La Strega, Ada’s/Best Ice Cream, Mott 32, Vetri Cucina, Sara’s, Best Friend, Sadelle’s, Tatsujin X, Hatsumi, Ton Ton Katsuya

Susan Stapleton, editor of Eater Vegas: La Strega in Summerlin seems just like what the neighborhood needed with its great Italian fare. I had the most fun at Best Friend at the Park MGM. From the liquor store in the front to the decor in the main dining room, along with shareable large-format dishes, it’s a place that diners on the Strip should try. If I could afford to eat at Mr. Coco at the Palms every night of the week, I would. I do love what Dan Krohmer is doing with Hatsumi at Fergusons Downtown by expanding the dining footprint to the east.

• Where Las Vegas Food Writers Loved to Eat in 2019 [ELV]

• The 23 Most Important Las Vegas Restaurant Openings of 2019 [ELV]

• All Coverage of the Year in Eater [ELV]