If you’re staying at Las Vegas’ Waldorf Astoria and looking for a vegan-friendly restaurant, head to Zen Kitchen. The casual cafe located on the third floor of the posh hotel serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner … all of which include vegan and vegan, gluten-free Asian-inspired dishes and light, contemporary fare created by the Chef de Cuisine Ryan Nuqui.
Nourish your body with a fresh juice or smoothie like the Power of Green, a super good-for-you blend of kale, Medjool date, banana, almond milk, chia seed and rolled oats, or grab a coffee or tea, then dive in to the vegan-friendly dining at Zen Kitchen.
From 6:30 a.m. to noon, guests can enjoy vegan breakfast items like Irish steel-cut oatmeal with sun-dried fruits and brown sugar, tofu scramble packed with avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes and olives with roasted new potatoes, vine-ripened tomato and vegan toast, as well as waffles topped with fresh berries and seasonal fruit.
The all-day menu served from noon to 10 p.m. includes a fresh veggie roll made of avocado and cucumber, as well as two main courses — lentil curry tempered with mustard chili and curry leaf, and spinach and tofu curry with cumin and coriander.
Both curries come with jasmine rice and pickled chutney.
Dinner, which is served from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. includes cashew pad thai with tofu, stir-fried Asian market veggies with garlic and soy served with jasmine rice and gluten-free potato chips and a side salad, veggie fried rice, and cauliflower and green pea masala with sautéed wild mushrooms and sliced avocado.
Save room for dessert. Zen Kitchen’s vegan dessert is a roasted pineapple and sage pudding featuring tapioca in coconut parfait pineapple compote and a pineapple-sage sorbet, all topped with caramelized rice puffs.
Waldorf Astoria, 3752 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 89158; 702-590-8888; 6:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. daily
Diana Edelman is the founder of Vegans, Baby. She previously lived and worked in Thailand where she spent years working for an elephant sanctuary and has traveled around the world speaking about the realities of elephant tourism. She is a public speaker who has appeared at SEED Food + Wine, VegFest Puerto Rico, VegFest Toronto and more, a journalist and entrepreneur. Diana is also behind the Vegas Vegan Dinners at James Beard Foundation’s James Beard House.
