Local Eats: Brunch in Las Vegas

Brunch. A millennial's love, a 21st century hobby, a perfect meal for all breakfast and lunch lover's alike. Brunch saves the day on the weekends, ordering pancakes at noon with a large cup of coffee or bottomless mimosas. I myself, happen to be a lover of brunch and have had my fair share of brunches around my hometown. Located all around the Las Vegas valley, these restaurants are geared toward locals (aka-you don't have to go to the strip).

CRAFTKitchen
10940 Eastern Avenue, Suite 107
Henderson, NV 89052
Craft Kitchen is a fairly new restaurant located in Green Valley that has the same feel of a hip cafe you'd find in Southern California. Their menu is different than your average, including a Farmers Market Stack and Smashed Avocado Toast (with a poached egg on top!). Succulents fill the small clean space of Craft, and a sense of inspiration exists in the atmosphere. Treat yourself and order a delicious baked good from the bakery where everything is homemade from scratch. (I'm already getting hungry writing this...) Open seven days a week from 7 am to 3 pm.

Protein Fix, Smashed Avo Toast, Farmer's Market Stack

Kitchen Table
1716 Horizon Ridge, Suite 100
Henderson, NV 89012
Also new and located in Green Valley this restaurant is not to be skipped. Their giant menu offers something for everybody, along with a difficult decision to make since everything sounds so appetizing. I recommend getting the empanadas as an appetizer, although you could even get it as your meal. Kitchen Table has a bakery and coffee bar that includes doughnuts, monkey bread, crepes, muffins, and croissants (plus more). I've been wanting to go back the second I left, and highly recommend checking it out no matter who you are with. Kitchen Table has such a great menu! Open 7 days a week from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm.

Veggie Benny

Sunrise Coffee
3130 E. Sunset Road, Suite A
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Look out coffee lovers, Sunrise Coffee will not disappoint. With organic coffee and scrumptious vegan and vegetarian breakfast items, Sunrise is a great space for locals. Come chill with friends, get work done by yourself, or meet up for business. Lattes of all flavors, and coffee in huge mugs, you'll be energized for the day ahead. Do not leave without ordering food either, the Alien Burrito is out of this world-filled with avocado, hummus, couscous and beans. Take a break, or bring your work with you to this true hipster coffee shop. Open Monday to Friday 6am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday 7 am to 9 pm.

Skinny Fats
6261 Dean Martin Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89118
and
8680 W. Warm Springs Road
Las Vegas, NV 89148
I have a whole blog post on Skinny Fats that you can find here. Basically, Skinny Fats has a "healthy" side and a "happy" side of the menu with food you can't really find anywhere else. Whether you order off of the healthy or happy side is up to you, but no matter what you'll leave feeling happy and satisfied.

Rachel's Kitchen
7 locations around the valley
Rachel's Kitchen is a quaint cafe with food from pasta to juices to pancakes, so it's great for anytime of the day. They serve their breakfast foods all day long, a breakfast lover's dream. Rachel's Kitchen is a great place to come to catch up with friends and to grab a bite to eat. The bright tiled turquoise and green tables also sets up the Instagram photo of your food for you perfectly. Hours vary by location.

Stacks & Yolks 
7150 S. Durango Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89103
After eating here last week for the first time, it absolutely has to be included in this brunch list. Stacks and Yolks is probably most known for their huge pancakes that you can customize to your exact liking. I'm talking peanut butter and jelly pancakes, pumpkin pancakes at any time of the year, and indulgent red velvet cream cheese pancakes. Along with pancakes, their menu includes skillets, sandwiches, and chicken & waffles. The best part? Stacks & Yolks is open 7 am to 9 pm every day, pancakes for dinner anyone? PS they have the best potatoes!!

Egg Works/Egg & I 
Various Locations
Your classic breakfast. Endless food options printed on a large newspaper menu, the Egg Works aesthetic is basically grandparents, stained coffee cups, and early morning family breakfasts. If you're not into the hip avocado toast/fancy lattes and would rather go for the classic eggs and toast and endless black coffee, Egg Works is your place. Egg Works and Egg & I are owned by the same company located all over Las Vegas and Henderson. Open 7 days a week, 6 am to 3 pm.

Rise & Shine
10690 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 105
Las Vegas, NV 89141
Oh, Rise & Shine, I just have to put you on the brunch list because I can't keep track of how many times I've eaten here. Because it's 5 minutes from my house, my family and friends always find ourselves eating at Rise & Shine on the weekends. Order the pot of bread, a warm delicious cinnamon swirl in a little pot with a sweet sauce. The waitresses wear pajamas and serve fresh squeezed orange juice that is the best ever. Whether you are in the mood for a sweet or savory breakfast, Rise n Shine has got you covered. Open everyday 7am to 3 pm.

There you have it Las Vegas locals. All of these brunch spots are favorites of mine, I'm sure there are so many other great restaurants all around. I'd love love love to know your favorite brunch restaurants to eat in Vegas, so let me know! I have heard these brunch places are also great but have yet to check them out: Eat (Downtown Las Vegas), Bouchon's (The Venetian), and Giadas (The Cromwell). Happy Brunchin'!

DC Eats

Hello there and happy....Wednesday! It's been a while. I feel like it's been 10 years since writing and it's definitely time for some new posts. You think? Cool, glad you agree.

Whenever I travel I want to eat at the local hidden gems and places you won't find everywhere else. Often times if you don't want to take a risk and try out a new restaurant, you may be stuck eating at a chain where you can get the exact same thing at home. It's awesome to experience different restaurants, their atmospheres, and to try new foods out. Definitely one of my favorite things to do. If you are planning a trip to DC or happen to be there, I've made a list of recommendations for great places to eat.

Cafe Bonaparte: Georgetown
A tiny little French brunch spot. My family and I ate here for breakfast and all agreed it was one of our favorite breakfasts ever eaten. I don't think you can go wrong with anything you order on the menu.

Van Gogh and the Mona Lisa

Peacock Cafe: Georgetown

A popular brunch spot in Georgetown, for good reason! They have a huge menu, so you're guaranteed to find something you like. 

Lupo Verde: 14th Street 

What made us initially choose to eat at this restaurant was the interior and atmosphere. The cutest place I've ever eaten; it felt like sitting in a old warm and cozy cottage with beautiful ambiance. Amazing Italian food. I didn't want to leave! House interior goals. 

Dupont Farmer's Market: Dupont Circle 

Depending on your time here, I would highly recommend checking out the Dupont Farmer's Market! You can even stop here for breakfast and get the very popular pancakes. There are a lot of booths with fresh produce, vegetables, breads, and many others selling food as well. Such good vibes, perfect for a Sunday morning. Buy some flowers, sample all of the apples your heart desires, and definitely order some pancakes! 

Sweet Green: Various locations 

Okay, okay so technically Sweet Green is a chain, but it's so delicious if you don't have one of these at home, it may be worth checking out. How excited can you possibly get over a salad? Well, choose whatever you want to put inside your green glorious creation and even choose your own dressing from plenty of options. TASTY. Always busy because it's healthy, delicious, and a quick bite to eat on the go. 

Little Red Fox: Connecticut Ave. 

Walking along Connecticut Avenue past the Little Red Fox, and could not pass up going inside. A super cute, hipster-esque cafe. There's a little market inside along with tons of baked goodies. I ordered the vegan tomato soup and it came in a mug, fell in love with this place right then. 

Lauriol Plaza: Dupont Circle 

Great mexican food with a fun and vibrant atmosphere. This is a very big restaurant that seemed to definitely be a hot spot! More upscale than you average small Mexican restaurant. 

Kafe Leopold: Georgetown

DC brunches. It's just what they do. A hidden treasure in Cady's Alley with delicious coffee, pastries, and wide variety of breakfast/lunch options. Austrian, European, and American. 

Dessert worth checking out: 

Baked & Wired Cupcakes (+ the chai tea latte there is the best one I've ever had, no exaggeration) 

Georgetown Cupcakes 

Ted's Bunker (homemade poptarts!) 

Just a few places to check out while in DC! If you've been to one of these, if you go, or if you have other great recommendations, I would absolutely love to here them. Happy eating...and traveling! 

EATS: SkinnyFats

Location: Las Vegas, NV
6261 Dean Martin Dr.
Las Vegas, NV 89118

8680 W. Warm Springs Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89148

SkinnyFats is a one-of-a-kind delicious restaurant in Las Vegas! Their newest location just opened... it was pretty much a MUST to go check it out a couple of weeks ago. The second location (W. Warm Springs Rd.) is much bigger than the original one; it's always packed at SkinnyFats so this is very good news. It includes an outside patio with lights strung above, artificial green grass, and bright cushions. Love it all!

SkinnyFats slogan is, "Live Healthy, Live Happy." That's exactly how the menu is set up, split right down the middle. One side of the menu is "Healthy", where you can find food such as the "Vegwich", "Right Stuffed", and "CauliFire", while the "Happy" side has food such as, the "Cherry Popper", "Happymess", and "Sweet Cheese Us". The presentation of their food is always pretty and it tastes just as amazing. Along with main dishes, SkinnyFats serves sides, all day breakfast, juices, shakes, and a featured Sunday Sundae every Sunday. I try something new here every time and am always more than satisfied.

The workers here are always extremely friendly and happy, catering to your needs. The whole vibe of SkinnyFats is awesome. It's a feel-good type of restaurant with bright colors and a totally unique interior design. It's hipster-ish. They didn't neglect the small details when creating this place; you can tell they truly want you to have an enjoyable experience while dining here. This restaurant is not a chain, but rather locally owned. SkinnyFats has been open since June of 2013 and is voted by the Las Vegas Review Journal 'The Best of Las Vegas 2014',  Best New Restaurant and Best American New. I feel that SkinnyFats brings something new to the table and is just the kind of refreshing place people are searching for.
Go see for yourself!
www.skinnyfats.com
Instagram: @eatskinnyfats
(Check out their instagram for daily mouthwatering food posts & specials!)

Malibu Cafe

Because I have a complete obsession with restaurants/cafes, I'm adding a new section to my blog called, "Eats". This will feature restaurants I stumble upon and include photos with a little description!
It was family weekend at my school so I'm beyond happy to have gotten to spend time with my family. On Sunday morning we had a perfect brunch at Malibu Cafe. Let me just tell you, I fell in love with this place. It's located in the hills of Malibu at Calamingos Ranch and is much more than a restaurant. Once you enter, there is a place called "Lake Love" where you can rent a paddle boat to have a picnic at sunset with your love. How adorable?! Jumbo jenga, life-size chess, a bean bag toss, a boutique, a wine stand... Malibu Cafe is for just about anybody and any occasion. There were families, a baby's first birthday celebration, and groups of friends enjoying the gorgeous day outside. The food lived up to all of our expectations, and the menu changes for brunch, lunch, and dinner. I highly recommend the Banana Bread French Toast for the table as a kind of brunch dessert. Heavenly! If you are EVER in the area of Malibu- you don't want to miss out on this place! Oh, and ENDLESS opportunities for photo opps. Check out these photos.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your week! 

"Around us, life bursts with miracles- a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops. If you live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere." -Thich Nhat Hanh