Cocktails are built on Italian favorites, and there are some creative takes, such as a guava apertivo, made with El Jimidor Blanco, Rammazotti rosato apertivo, Ace guava cider and rosé bubbles. What should we be drinking? You could easily come here just for a Negroni and a few appetizers with friends, since the atmosphere is so transporting.

This is one of the more expensive restaurants in the neighborhood, and the patrons who come here are serious about Vetri's food. You'll get all of them, as well as people coming from the Strip who know Marc Vetri's Philadelphia restaurants. What’s the crowd like? Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa attracts an interesting crowd-locals, a drive-in crowd from California that comes here mostly to relax, and outdoor aficionados who come here for the hiking, climbing, and biking at nearby Red Rock Conservation Area. But it's all about that patio, which gets one of the best sunset views in this part of Las Vegas. You'll walk in from the casino floor into the warmly lit space. Now, at his latest Vegas venture, the outdoor patio instantly transports you to the Mediterranean (even though your view is of the red rock cliffs of the nearby conservation area). Most notably Marc Vetri, the James Beard Award-winning chef from Philadelphia who was serving his cult-favorite Italian dishes at the top of the Palms in his Vetri Cucina until the Palms shut down for the pandemic (and was later sold). What were your first impressions when you arrived? In recent years, Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Summerlin-about 20 minutes west of the Strip-has been busily redoing its restaurants, adding al fresco dining spaces, and bringing in big names.

Italian restaurant in red rock casino