Twenty-one years in the same location in The Plazas on West Sahara, the Coffee Pub is a perennial Las Vegas favorite.

This “California-Style café” offers a Smoothie Bar, pastas, sandwiches, quiches, soups and salads. Providing the first smoothies in town, the Pub’s menu offers tasty blends of fruits, bananas, sorbets, gelatos, and juices. Hot and cold coffee specialties include latte, cappuccino, and the Pub’s famous Frozen Mocha Java: a blend of espresso, non-dairy Gelato and milk chocolate. How about that to start your summer day instead of hot coffee?

Twenty-one different sandwiches bear the names of California coastal communities, such as The Redondo, turkey, bacon, avocado, melted Swiss, lettuce, and tomato on grilled sourdough; The Bel-Aire, ham, turkey, cheddar, tomato, and sprouts on a Kaiser roll; The Marina Del Rey, tuna salad, cheese, avocado, and tomato on wheat berry bread; and The Newport, a veggie turkey with tomato, lettuce, cucumber, sprouts and soy baco-bits on wheat berry bread.

The Coffee Pub is just as likely to be crowded for breakfast as it is for lunch. Besides omelets, scrambles, benedicts, griddle favorites, and breakfast sandwiches, there is a selection of muffins (many low-fat), a monstrous cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting, and Dream Bars, a cream cheese graham cracker crust filled with milk chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans.

The owner attributes the success of the Coffee Pub to “being here all the time, providing familiarity in an ever-changing world.” He points out that “You get the same food and service you got ten years ago.”

Warm wood and tile floors and a country French décor reflect Marty’s Laguna Beach origin. The Coffee Pub was the first non-smoking restaurant in Las Vegas, and the first with outdoor tented tables.

“Here we are in the hospitality capital of the world,” Marty says, “and independent restaurants just haven’t had a lot of longevity.” The Coffee Pub has stood the test of time in Las Vegas.

For people who live on opposite ends of town, the location makes a great central meeting place, and the Coffee Pub has become the “Cheers” of the Las Vegas restaurant scene. There’s a new special every day, because Marty says, “There are people who come here every day.”

What we’d go back for: Black Bean and Rice Soup and Monterey Quiche with mild roasted red and green peppers, Ortega chilies and Swiss and jack cheeses.

The family-owned and operated Bootlegger Bistro is classic “old Vegas.” The original Bootlegger opened at Tropicana and Eastern in 1974 and recently moved south to newer, fancier digs with a Las Vegas Boulevard South address, where Maria Perri still presides over the kitchen.  Despite the larger operation, the quality of the Italian cuisine remains high.  The food service, however, is consistently slow.  Think of your dining experience here as a take-your-time family experience and you won’t be disappointed.  The Bootlegger Bistro is not recommended for your birthday party or private dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, when they have “Off the Cuff” and things can get a little noisy and confusing.  Singers and lounge entertainers drop by to perform--if you’re lucky you can catch owner Nevada State Lieutenant Governor Lorraine Hunt perform a jazz tune from her previous career.  The Bootlegger Bistro remains a traditional Las Vegas favorite, so reservations are definitely recommended.

We’d go back for: Eggplant Parmesan, Veal Piccata, and talented pianist Tommy Deering.