5 Questions With Vickie Wilson Of Vegas Valley Food Tours
Vickie Wilson, the creator of Vegas Valley Food Tours, is a self-described foodie. As a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Vickie knows the culinary scene and is eager to share it with guest and locals alike! Taste Trekkers sat down to ask her some questions about her food tours and here is what we discussed...
1. Are there any great food events we should plan our trip around?
- Las Vegas Wine and Food in September
- Life is Beautiful in October
2. Besides the strip, what other Vegas neighborhoods should visiting foodies check out?
Boulder City is a very friendly and laid back community. With the exception of proximity, Boulder City is nothing like Las Vegas. There is no gambling in the community and nobody goes there to party like a rock star.
What you get when you visit is an opportunity to see a charming community where hospitality is king. If you are in the area, whether to see Hoover Dam or passing through, you should definitely stop at the Southwest Diner for their friendly service, old fashion ambience, and great food. The breakfast menu has many good choices and “those potatoes” with green peppers and onions are the envy of the town- well worth the drive out of town.
Boca Park is located on the west side of town in Summerlin Las Vegas, Nevada. The main intersection is Rampart/Ft. Apache & Charleston. If you are looking for a place to shop and dine, this is the place to go. For dining, some of the options are the Cheese Cake Factory, KONA Grill, Gordon Biersch, Sambalatte, PF Changs, Claim Jumper, and Grimaldi's to name just a few. My favorite is Grimaldi's for their coal fired brick-oven pizza.
Tivoli Villag e is a great little shopping and restaurant village. Located at 440 South Rampart, this is a great place to bring the family for a little getaway from the city. They have a wonderful farmers market, live music at some of the restaurants, and free movie in the park nights.
Two of my favorite places to eat are Brio (Italian) and Kabuki (Japanese). If you can, go during the evening to see the tree lighting at night and to be a little cooler if you’re visiting during the summer.
3. Tell us about your food tours
I started Vegas Valley Food Tours in December of 2013 with the DTLV (Downtown Las Vegas) Food Tour. I am in the process of developing our second tour product, the DTLV Dessert Tour to open this Summer (July/August) 2014. Vegas is arguably the culinary capital of the world and what better way to share our beautiful city than with those wanting to explore the culinary offerings the little city with big charm - Las Vegas.
4. What is the food truck scene like in Vegas? Any recommendations?
The Las Vegas food truck scene is here to stay. The growth and popularity of parking lot festivals and continued support and interest from the local dining industry allowed grassroots gatherings like Vegas StrEATs, Saturday Night Truck Stop and Foodie Fest turn into big-time events. Some of our favorites are Rika Arepa Express, Sin City Dogs, Coast 2 Coast Deli, and Wa Da Pho.
5. Give us some surprising trivia about the Vegas food scene
- Did you know that our oldest free standing bar Atomic Liquors, is named for a time when customers watched atomic blasts from the roof in the 50's?
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Did you know that the first shrimp cocktail was served at the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino when Golden Gate partner Italo Ghelfi introduced shrimp cocktail to the casino scene in 1959 - now an iconic Vegas offering?
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Did you know that couples can get married at Denny's in Downtown Las Vegas? Denny's offers packages with various amounts of food and amenities ; for example, something as simple as champagne and a Pancake Puppies cake, or as elaborate as a full meal for a starting price of about $100.