Todd English’s Olives Returns to Las Vegas This Fall

Todd English apparently can’t get enough of Las Vegas. Not only does the bad boy celebrity chef plan to open a food hall inside Area15, the entertainment complex opening in May, but now he plans to revive Todd English’s Olives at the Virgin Hotel, opening in the former Hard Rock Hotel space this fall.

English joins Nobu, MB Steak, Pizza Forte, a coffee bar from Hugh Jackman, and an unnamed Thai restaurant from Los Angeles, the Las Vegas Sun reports.

The Mediterranean-inspired restaurant originally debuted with the Bellagio in October 1998, planned to close in 2013 before a reprieve, and then shuttered for good in 2018 to make way for Wolfgang Puck’s Spago.

At Area15, the 200,000-square-foot retail and entertainment center west of I-15 that plans to offer live events and art installations in 2020, English partners with the venue to open an unnamed food hall with a menu he creates. A press release notes that patrons can “dine among large-scale art installations, music, performance and other” activities when it opens to the public this spring.

The Hard Rock Hotel closed on February 3 to start renovations to the resort. Nobu temporarily relocated to Bally’s while Virgin Hotels expands the Nobu bar area to twice its current size. MB Steak adds to the dining room and its own bar footprint.

Elsewhere on property, Virgin plans to open Commons Club lounge and restaurant as a prominent tenant, moving into an open-plan space, close to the main entrance. The Funny Library Coffee Shop, plans to offer grab-and-go bites and coffee blends sourced from actor Hugh Jackman’s Laughing Man company. Virgin Hotels is officially pushing for a November 6 debut.

• Chef Todd English Returns to Las Vegas With a Food Hall [ELV]

• All Coverage of Todd English’s Olives [ELV]