After taking a major dip in tourist traffic during the pandemic, Las Vegas visitation numbers have had a major rebound. Between the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the opening of the Sphere, and a citywide bar and restaurant boom, excitement surrounding Sin City is at a fever pitch.
However, with so many visitors flying in from every corner of the nation, Las Vegas’s dining and drinking scene appears to be trying to be everything for everyone. We’re talking about all-vodka-based Martini menus, shaking drinks that are meant to be stirred, and wine lists championing Napa Cab and Bordeaux over everything else. But is this really what the average Joes and Janes want?
Meanwhile, in small but rapidly growing cities, we’re seeing craft cocktail bars take off at an unprecedented rate. Opening bars in such cities is certainly less expensive than in places like NYC, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, but the surge in cocktail bars in up-and-coming towns could be a sign that drinkers across the country are keen on sipping outside their comfort zones.
On this episode of the “VinePair Podcast,” Adam and Zach discuss the various things they learned while traveling last week: how Las Vegas is perhaps the ideal place to get the pulse of what America, writ large, wants to drink, and why a city like Boise is an exciting and dynamic place to drink, even if it’s off the radar of many enthusiasts. Tune in for more.
Zach is drinking: Saint Palo at Thick as Thieves
Adam is drinking: Mai Tai with Latitude 29 Wiki Wiki Mai Tai Mix