Where to eat, drink, and have fun in the fastest growing neighborhood in Las Vegas.
The Downtown Arts District is the plaza to be in Las Vegas . The fast - growing neighborhood is a magnet for rose hip newrestaurants , cake , shops , andgalleries , and shows no sign of slow down down .
Officially known as the18b Las Vegas Arts District , establish on the initial phone number of blocks , the area date back to the 1940s , when it was a modest mixing of residential and commercial quad . Over the year , it became more industrial and quietly developed a report as a ethnic hub between the tourer corridors of the Strip and Downtown ’s Fremont Street .
finally , the City of Las Vegas caught on and made investments of its own : string luminousness , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - line sidewalks , and commissioned murals and other art to complement the surroundings . In the next few years , the neighborhood will also serve as the raw base for an expanded Neon Museum , the prescribed Evel Knievel Museum , and more parking — the neighbor ’s most scarce resource .
Downtown Arts District|Photo by s.savanapridi for Thrillist
There have been a few growing pain in the neck along the elbow room . Somelongtime business sector have been priced outand it ’s only a matter of time before the resistance to gambling and national chains is tested , but for now , it ’s time to tip the meter and discover why the Downtown Arts District has so much buzz .
Things to do in Downtown Arts District
Shop small at local businesses
Before it had brunch and booze , the Arts District was a hot spot of second - hand antique shops . Main Street Mercantilehas an intriguing excerption of dress and home decorations without going overboard , whileVintage Vegas Antiquesis a misstep back in clock time with vintage furniture and stereo equipment with design - your - own tradition neon signs . Yet you may find the best blast for your dust atAntique Alley Mall — a collection of 65 individual stalls for a dead on target flea market shopping experience . For account book and vinyl , head toAnalog Dope , which features a culturally divers selection that amplifies Black civilisation .
Explore the thriving arts scene
Attend a famous block party
First Fridayis a monthly block party and art walkway in one . Taking situation on the first Friday of every month ( 5–11 pm ) , the event swop up the theme each time but always makes a point to include nutrient trucks and a beer garden while feature the works of local artists and alive amusement . The atmosphere exceeds the imprint , which dominates the area around Boulder Avenue and Art Way ( near Charleston ) , effectively dilate throughout the Arts District with various line of work unofficially getting in on the act while offering deduction and special .
Eat as much food as possible
If you need a crash course in what the Arts District is all about , signalize up for a dinner crawl withLip Smacking Foodie Tours . You ’ll eat at three restaurants in one Nox ( always subject to change but currently includes Esther ’s Kitchen , Palate , and the Pepper Club ) , try out the signature dishes each place is know for with the choice to add together a drinkable package . Yet the experience is n’t just about food . The guides are intimate and experienced , discussing the history of the neighbourhood while pointing out artwork and other landmarks along the way .
Restaurants and Bars in Downtown Arts District
Some of the good chuck in Vegas : The Arts District is equally ( and perhaps even more so ) a dining territorial dominion thanks toEsther ’s Kitchen , an Italian daub serving fresh house - made alimentary paste , bread ( with anchovy butter , please ) , and pizzas prepared with green goods bought right away from local farmers markets . SoulBelly BBQis one of thebest topographic point for barbeque in Vegas , led byTop Chefveteran Bruce Kalman who die beyond the Congress of Racial Equality carte du jour of barbeque platters and sides with a few fun modifications .
For pizza that rival NYC : Good Pie ’s Vincent Rotolo is obsessional about making the double-dyed pizza pie , taking time , temperature , and even humidity into account when preparing his dough in a process that includes three day of tempestuousness . The final product produces a chewy gall that ’s evenly suited for handwriting - stretched New York style , square - form Sicilian or Detroit variations , and the eating place ' signature Grandma pizza : rectangular with a thin cheekiness and tomato plant sauce drizzled above the cheese . Whatever you get , it ’ll pair well with an on - tap Negroni .
For antic happy hours : locate in the fresh Colorado building , Palateis a vivacious eating house do southerly fare including electrocute chicken , biscuit , and jam , along with a happy hour ( 3–6 pm , Wednesday through Saturday ) and a " orphic " late - nighttime carte du jour on weekends . Over atMain St. Provisions , one of the vicinity best restaurants , hit up the glad 60 minutes for oysters and steak slider at alluring price points . For libation , wine and beer on tap are just $ 5 a Methedrine Monday through Friday 3–6 pm atGaragiste , one of Vegas’sbest wine bar .
Antique Alley Mall|Photo by Rob Kachelriess for Thrillist
For the cocktail connoisseur : TheVelveteen Rabbitis a foetid waiting room with uneven time of origin electric chair , couch , and chandeliers with heavy drapes that would block out the extraneous world if the windows were n’t already boarded up . An ever - change specials carte du jour is a license for mixologist to get originative with imaginative cocktails . Bar Ginzais glowering , moody , and differentiate in Japanese whisky ; this is where you’re able to get an Old Fashioned or Boulevardier done in good order , topped with deoxyephedrine import from Japan . Looking for something more low keystone ? The neighborhood hasso many brewery , its good one beingAble Baker Brewing , fit with more than 30 brews on water faucet and an outdoor terrace .
Hotels in Downtown Arts District
Unless you know a good friend with a sofa , there ’s really only one place to expend the night in the Arts District . The English Hotelopened in 2022 as a 74 - elbow room boutique resort with a swimming pool , courtyard waiting room , and thePepper Club , have Japanese - influenced culinary art and cocktail . No gaming . No kids . Pets are welcome . The rooms are cozy yet fashionable , with patio and cocktail carts . The English Hotel will be just one component of the Midtown development , which is planning two high - rise condo edifice , include one affiliate with Marriott , in 2025 .
Arts Factory|Photo by Rob Kachelriess for Thrillist
Photo courtesy of First Friday Las Vegas
Good Pie|Photo by Sam Morris for Thrillist
Photo courtesy of The English Hotel
