It seems like nothing brings people together quite like Italian food. It’s arguably the most popular cuisine—if your neighborhood doesn’t have an Italian restaurant, odds are it has at least one pizza parlor. And plenty of Vegas visitors make Italian food a priority as part of their visit. If you need proof, swing by Fresco Italiano any day of the week and see how packed the room is.
The longstanding Westgate Las Vegas restaurant enjoys a large number of repeat visitors (including locals), and once you meet executive chef Shawn Gabilondo (and taste his creations), you’ll completely understand why. “From the moment (guests) walk in, I want them to feel welcome, and when they leave, I want them already thinking about their next visit,” he says. “We have many guests who frequent us, and I’ve been fortunate to build meaningful relationships with quite a few of them.”
A big part of a restaurant’s success is atmosphere, and Fresco Italiano sets a wonderful tone with brick accents, hardwood floors and towering arches, all overseen by a huge, antique espresso machine. It’s the perfect backdrop to enjoy an appetizer like meatballs, enormous and enormously satisfying morsels of slow-braised beef, pork and veal, smothered with basil ricotta, Grana Padano and marinara. You’ll definitely also want to try the margherita pizza, an all-time classic with tomato sauce, roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil.
No Italian meal is quite complete without a pasta dish (or two), and we personally recommend two options in particular: spicy penne alla vodka, a seriously flavorful take on the classic with a blend of Italian sausage, Calabrian chili, basil and Pecorino Romano; and linguine and clams, a beautiful presentation featuring littleneck clams surrounding a bed of pasta with garlic, chili, lemon and parsley.
Steak lovers will not want to miss the 18-ounce bone-in ribeye, served with garlic whipped potatoes, cipollini onions, roasted squash, sweet peppers and Calabrian chili salsa verde, while poultry fans will be in absolute nirvana with the chicken marsala, smothered with roasted mushrooms, cipollini onions and florio marsala, accompanied by butter-whipped potatoes.
Please save room for dessert—you won’t want to miss two highlights in particular: the Biscoff butter cookie cheesecake, maybe one of the best versions of the dessert we’ve ever tasted; and the tiramisu, a delight made with mascarpone mousse, espresso and amaretto.
“(Italian food is) something many Americans grow up eating,” Gabilondo says. “I work hard to honor those traditional flavors and textures that people expect while using the best ingredients available. … When guests love their meal so much that they come back the very next day—especially here in Las Vegas, one of the food capitals of the world—that’s an incredibly humbling and rewarding experience.”
Westgate Las Vegas, 702.732.5276. westgateresorts.com
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Dining and Cooking