Artisanal Foods Cafe

12 pieces of uncooked foie gras for ~$ 70?! Now I just need to learn how to properly prepare it and this is going to be a go-​to stop after visiting Vegas.
They recently moved to a new and bigger store and have a small pop-​up restaurant inside that serves a few pretty unique dishes. Looks like the menu is always changing so hopefully they’ll have the foie gras pancakes still. Looking forward to the dishes they have to offer me when I make my next visit!

Artisanal Foods Café ALMOST ‘doesn’t get any better than this.’ I came with my family for lunch and we were warmly welcomed and seated promptly. Tables are limited and reserving one is definitely the way to go so be sure to do that.
We started with the highly talked about grilled cheese sandwich. It ain’t your run-​of-​the mill American cheese variant, nope, not at all. Montamore cheese provides a sweet start and a tangy (or maybe salty?) zip finish to your tastebuds as you take each bite. Drizzled with locally produced honey, it’s sweet warm gooey heaven in your mouth; the real grilled cheezus has been found!
I had the Piedmontese Truffle and Foie Burger. Super lean beef but still flavorful, you can indulge without feeling an ounce of shame. A truffled egg and gouda cheese tops this medium rare beauty. What wasn’t present (or just not consistent) was the thick piece of foie gras seen in some Unilocal photos. (FOIE was the reason I came here!) So either they skimped on my slice or cooked it to the point of it melting away (now foie butter?) but there was still slight disappointment. Although still pretty good, I hope they get their dishes consistent. Bring back the foie!
Now the Crispy Brick Chicken Thigh over Mushroom Bread Pudding that my wife ordered is to die for. This was the sleeper that blindsided me by it’s surprising burst of flavor. The chicken is expertly cooked with black truffles accenting it and the mushroom bread pudding was fantastic. I’ll absolutely order this again.
We finished up with a dessert, Hexx Chocolate, Pot De Crème topped with slices of Mandarin Oranges. Very rich and delicious, small but satisfying.
Be sure to explore the store aspect which connects to the café after eating. There are plenty of organic and locally produced products in here for purchase. Buy some foie, see the lionfish tanks, and above all, have an well-​satisfying lunch when you visit here.

Clearly they use good ingredients and love to cook. But on the day I was there, almost all the dishes were over-​salted. And then what is the point of great ingredients if they are all lost in salt.
I hope this is just a temporary bad salt-​spell, and will try again.
The burger was the low point of our meal. It was the most salted, and really was just a party with an egg. Bun was plain. It needs more umph, and gusto, and ‘something’ to elevate it.
The escarole salad was the best I think, the least over salted, and fresh with good cheeses.
Maybe another time?

Came to Artisanal Foods on a recommendation from friends that have been there to purchase products from the store side. We had a 1pm reservation for a Saturday. We had about a 15 minute wait for the table to become ready as there was another large party at the table. That was ok as it gave us time to look around at everything they had to sell. Once we were finally seated & we received our drinks a complementary MontAmore Grilled Cheese, Brioche with local honey was delivered to the table cut in pieces for everyone to have a sample. It was good. We ordered many things off the menu (see photos) but I have to say my favorite was the Crispy Brick Chicken Thigh with Mushroom Bread Pudding which I had not ordered. I will defiantly have to come back to order that. I had ordered the Pancakes with Seared Sonoma Foie Gras. I have to say that it was good but I was not blown away. I certainly liked the pasta dishes that were ordered & the chicken better. I ordered for dessert the Croissant French Toast which I did absolutely love. All in all there are more items on the menu that I would liek to try so I will be going back.

The first thing that impressed me was Brett Ottolenghi, the owner of Artisanal Foods. He was friendly and available to the patrons. He engaged me in conversation regarding the Lionfish and its invasive qualities, disturbing the Atlantic Ocean ecosystem. Brett and his chef partner Johnny Church are doing their share of reducing the lionfish population by including it on the menu, Lion Fish Ceviche. Our group of six shared dishes. My opinion is that the exotic aquariun Lionfish would be better cooked in a crispy fritter to reduce its fishiness and rubbery texture. I thought that the Pancakes Seared with Foie Gras was a delicious dish!
The two dishes that I did order were the Curry Kabocha Squash Soup and the Crisp Brick Chicken Thigh. The Squash Soup was rich and heavenly. The Chicken Thigh was organic, boneless, and stuffed with truffles. The chicken pieces were served on a mushroom bread pudding. Although it was a bit salty for my taste, I thought that this was a fantastic dish! Two of my friends vowed to return and order it! I shall return myself and order the Chicken Thigh again, with the Pancakes for dessert!

Take me to (Johnny) Church
I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your fries
I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that foie gras burger
Good God, let me give you my life
This was a place where I had nothing bad, only great to fucking phenomenal. Seriously suits my palate well. I’ve gone back 3 consecutive weeks and didnt get to go to one week and I am beyond hangry about it and rushed back to take my mom who was visiting. The menu is small and so we’ve sampled through it.
So this isn’t quite your «standard» restaurant, it feels more like a pop up since Artisanal is a gourmet food ingredient store front now with tables in the middle and it is open only (currently) for lunch 11 – 2.
I really like the Piedmontese truffle and foie burger here. I am not someone who craves burgers, but this is what I want in my life. Its perfectly seasoned and rich — no need to doll with some condiments. I admittedly love sauce and I am content with this as is. Good quality meat so go on and order medium rare here. Do get the duck fat fries. I love thick cut fries that have crunch and pillowy goodness inside. They serve it with Sir Kensington ketchup, which is more homemade style and not Heinz like.
Brick Chicken Thigh is yummy and full of sliced truffles with comforting mushroom bread pudding. One of my favorites and I don’t really order chicken dishes as it normally just doesn’t hit the spot for me, I make better roast chicken than most.
Caesar made to order isn’t that super creamy stuff that most people consider. I like this more vinegar and anchovy based thing. I get incredibly sad when caesars don’t have anchovy. The soft egg in salad is different, but I can dig it.
Beef and octopus carpaccio is nice quality and lovely seasoning with the black garlic.
Foie pancakes with grape gastrique I didn’t know if I would like as I don’t like warm grapes (I dont even eat room temperature grapes), but I really enjoyed the flavors in this dish.
Lionfish ceviche has a aggressive seasoning on it of a fragrant coconut curry chili oil base, but I kinda like it. It would be nice to try a dish where the lionfish is in the forefront. They’re
I really enjoy the simplicity of the montamore grilled cheese sandwich with honey. I think I need a brick of that cheese always.
Baia Bolognese is nicely rich. I think the straciatella cheese is delightful so it’s worth the upcharge to have freshly made soft cheese.
Their homemade papardelle with mushrooms and artichoke is simple, but one of my favorites. So comforting and well executed to make the ingredients speak.
Curry Kabocha soup is something I am hit/​miss on. Some places put too much curry but this is just enough.
Charcuterie plate is a decent portion and selection for $ 12. I’ve had far less for more in cost.
Charcuterie sandwich is pretty good. I like the addition of the egg in it so that it isn’t your typical cold cut sandwich with some vinegar and oil.
Hexx Pot de crème is rich and smooth and just enough after a full meal.
The french toast reads more like a bread pudding to me, but it was nice with the fresh applies.
Do try their ice tea as it changes daily and have been all solid. We’ve had a pomegranate with fresh pomegranate in it, a fragrant jasmine style one, and a smooth black tea with lemon in it. Coffee is nice local stuff in a french press.
The service is always friendly from miss Carrie (sp?). She’s super nice and makes sure to check on people often.
I cannot wait for the seasonal menu changes. I live across town in the NW, but we make the trip to the SE for this place. What’s genius is that after eating a meal that makes me happy about food, I get inspired. I then walk a few steps to the wall and buy a few ingredients!
Exciting menu, fair price points for the quality you are getting. Big, big fan.

Wow! Thank you Chef Johnny & Sous Chef for the amazing lunch! I always wanted to come visit this place after all the reviews I read in Seven Magazine and heard from friends about how great the food is. Honestly, it was better than I expected. andd noww we’re coming here every Friday. We had The Ceasar Made to Order, curry kabocha soup, the burger, and the baia pasta bolognese. Couldn’t tell you which one i liked better. I liked them all, see you again soon!

Gourmet cook’s dream! Even if you aren’t a professional chef, you’ll find amazing tastes, such as the Piedmontese Truffle and Foie burger with duck fat fries. I was able to purchase Malton sea salt, white Truffle oil, black garlic, and Michigan black cherry preserves.
I sampled the Crispy Brick Chicken Thigh with Mushroom Bread Pudding. The skin has just the right crunch against the juicy, perfectly cooked mushroom stuffed thigh. The mushroom bread pudding is satisfyingly moist and provides the perfect foil for the thigh. The au jus was just a touch salty for my liking, but pleasing. The Hexx chocolate pit de crème is amazing! Sweet, juicy supremed orang segments sprinkled with fennel pollen top a deliciously bittersweet, rich pit de crème that made me want to lick the cup! The chef also made an appearance — yay!

It took me awhile but I finally got around to having lunch at the Café at Artisanal Foods. All the recommendations I had gotten were spot on. This place is good! I was fortunate to be able to order a prix fixe lunch with Chef Johnny Church deciding on the items I’d get. They were:
Ibérico ham amuse-​bouche with caviar
Curry Kabocha squash soup
Piedmontese beef and octopus carpaccio
Lion fish ceviche
Pancakes with seared Sonoma foie gras
Hand cut pappardelle with Bolognese
Crispy brick chicken thigh
Hexx chocolate pot de crème
This lunch was dinner also because there was a lot of food and I didn’t let anything go unfinished. I was impressed with ingredients and preparations I don’t normally see. Tremendous creativity. One of the last things I would have ordered would be the pancakes. Yet, it was an excellent dish with a mix of three kinds of grape made into a gastrique and served with foie gras topping the small stack of mini pancakes. Fantastic flavors and since I don’t use maple syrup, a delight having a sweet that was so different with pancakes.
Chef Church asked me which pasta of two on the menu I wanted. I looked at both and went with the Bolognese. What he did was serve me the Bolognese with the hand cut pappardelle which was the other pasta. The pork sausage, ground lamb, and chicken liver confit along with the tomato and mirepoix provided a great pasta. The Bolognese was very rich.
I need mention the soup. The curry squash soup had a very good flavor of curry and was a delightful soup on this cold day.
Finally, the crispy chicken thighs on mushroom bread pudding was outstanding. Chicken thighs cooked and removed from the bone, then put back together with a layer of truffle and quickly fried crispy and served on the bead of mushroom bread pudding. Outstanding!
Finishing off with a light dessert of Hexx chocolate pot de crème topped with orange slices and topped with fennel pollen. Chocolate and orange is always a great combination and this was a winner, too!
I’ll be returning and enjoying some of the other items on the menu. This café, although small and seating maybe twenty people at one time, is one of those places that will draw me back. A most memorable lunch!

Artisanal Foods is AWESOME. In every way possible. It is a candy store for food enthusiasts and chefs. If you’re looking for a specialty item or ingredient, it’s likely here and if it isn’t, you just need to ask!
It’s a fun place to just check out as well. You can learn about these unique foods from the extremely knowledgable Brett Ottolenghi. He is passionate about the products he carries and the people who make them. I love how everything is so carefully curated.
The best part of this already amazing place is their new café powered by Chef Johnny Church. It’s lunch only and there are just six seats available. The menu is fun and exciting, which shouldn’t be surprising with the access to great ingredients. There’s a Prix Fixe option for $ 35 (basically a chef tasting menu) or you can order a la carte. We requested a couple items, but left the rest of the decisions up to Chef and we were very pleased with the selections!
Corn and Crab Chowder with Espelette Pepper oil and lime crema ($ 6). A nice warm broth with a light flavor from corn and a touch of crab meat. I loved the welcoming spice from the Espelette pepper.
Lion Fish Ceviche with Coconut and Citrus, served with Tempura Wasabi Leaves ($ 9). A really fabulous interpretation of ceviche with an unique use of coconut milk. This was my first time trying lion fish and it’s great — a clean firm, white fish. Lion fish is dubbed «one of the most aggressively invasive species on the planet» and they threaten sea life on our Atlantic coast. Brett is an advocate for their consumption, but it hasn’t caught on with chefs in town just yet. Either way, this is a wonderful way to try it! Also, it was my first time with wasabi leaves and those are fantastic as well.
Pancakes with Seared Sonoma Foie Gras and Three Grape Gastrique ($ 12). This is so, so amazing. Individual pancakes with delicious foie gras, a cool group of grapes (like Icicle Grapes) and Vermont maple syrup. This is a fantastic combination!
Crispy Brick Chicken Thigh made with Mary’s Pasture-​Raised Organic Chicken; served with mushroom bread pudding ($ 11). This delicious chicken thigh goes through quite the process. The thigh’s bone is removed, then flayed before being stuffed with a truffle concoction. Then it’s sous vide before getting crisped. The result is a succulent, flavorful chicken with crispy skin.
Duck Fat Fries with Sir Kensington’s Ketchup. There’s nothing to hate when it comes to cooking things in duck fat. I loved the topping of fried thyme and this natural ketchup is very tasty (of course, a product you can purchase here).
Zucchini and Squash «Spaghetti» with Tomato, Parmesan, Basil; plus, Housemade Burrata ($ 12). I make zucchini «pasta» at home, so I’m a fan of this preparation. I like that this dish was well seasoned and surprisingly flavorful. The creamy Burrata made it that much better.
Hexx Chocolate Pot de Crème with Fennel Pollen and Orange Segments ($ 4). This has a wonderful texture and richness that’s thicker than pudding. I loved the semisweet nature of the chocolate and the orange paired really well.
They plan to change the menu frequently, so I’m happy to visit just as often. The price point is fantastic and I love the exposure to unique ingredients.
Highly recommended: Lion Fish Ceviche, Pancakes with Seared Foie Gras, and Hexx Chocolate Pot de Crème.

I’ve stopped by here for lunch on two occasions. The café is a few tables within their store where they sell fantastic foods and ingredients.
Their fare is certainly a little pricey, but it’s definitely fun and tasty to try out their super interesting dishes. We’ve tried their Curry Kabocha Squash Soup, Lion Fish Ceviche, Pancakes with Seared Sonoma Foie Gras, Piedmontese Truffle and Foie Burger and Duck Fat Fries. Everything is very flavorful and well-​prepared.
Definitely an interesting and fun place to have a tasty bite for lunch.

I finally made it back to my favorite candy store in town (MY kind of candy store ;9) to check out the café side and the new location.
The Café hours are only Tuesday through Saturday from 11 – 2 and we had reservations for 1pm. I know for a fact that this is gonna be a popular spot just by seeing no empty tables as we arrived, so we just checked out the store area while we waited for a table to open up.
Its a very spacious area sharing space with the market area, aquatic tanks, and the kitchen where diners may take a peek at the action where Chef Johnny Church and crew get down. Seeing fellow Unilocalers check ins and food pix, I booked a reservation for lunch and we were set to go. Here is a breakdown of our meal…
LIONFISH CEVICHE WITH TEMPURA SHISO LEAVES
I always look for items and preparations that I have never tried, so we originally planned to get the Jellyfish Calamari with Squid Ink Aioli but they had a hard time getting the Jellyfish in, so we passed on that and got the ceviche. Although it was beautifully presented alongside the Tempura Shiso (the menu says Wasabi Leaves) the Asian spices and influences used overpowered the lionfish, so it was difficult to find the flavor of Lionfish, and if another type of fish was used, I still couldn’t tell the difference. If you look at other ceviche pictures, the finished plates are inconsistent which could be a disappointment if and when you dine here and get something other than the delicious looking picture that persuaded you to check this place out? Know what I mean??? The shiso leaves were tasty though.
PANCAKES WITH SEARED SONOMA FOIE GRAS AND THREE GRAPE GASTRIQUE
A take on breakfast with foie gras instead of butter and the gastrique instead of maple syrup had my palette lost in translation. Again, the presentation was nice, but the foie gras was not only thin and tiny, but borderline overcooked. The warm grapes didn’t seem to do this plate any justice either. The components just didn’t jive with each other. Not too fond of this one.
PIEDMONTESE FOIE AND TRUFFLE BURGER
Loved the flavors of this burger! Perfect temp (medium rare of course!) gooey egg, BUT AGAIN inconsistencies! Lookit, before I dined here, I saw Nik O.‘s pic of the burger with a nice piece of seared foie on the burger… cool! I order the burger and see NO FOIE on my burger, but foie butter like it says on the menu… didn’t think anything of it cause it doesn’t say SEARED foie, but yesterday, I come across a good friends IG pic of the burger WITH a nice piece of seared foie??? So I get a skimpy, overcooked piece on the pancakes, and short changed on the burger? Is there an additional charge or secret code I needed to know about? WHAT DA FOIEK!!! Duck fat fries were soggy and forgettable btw…
CRISPY BRICK CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM BREAD PUDDING
This dish, I’d return for… Sous vide organic chicken thigh stuffed with black truffles, sealed with what’s known as «meat glue» and crisped up on the stovetop and paired with a delicious savory mushroom bread pudding. Definite winner here.
All in all, an A-​OK visit to the café, with a definite return to the store side for sure, but still on the fence for a return dining experience… Just be warned that you may not get exactly what you see in these pictures… ALOHA!!!
Shaka Meter: \uuu/​\uuu/​\uuu/​3

Incredible. Artisan Foods has outdone themselves! I dig the concept: selling specialty ingredients for home cooking, and showcasing store products at an on-​site café! Menu is limited, but everything we tried was great. This is definitely a spot to make reservations, as seats are limited. Come hungry and bring a couple of friends– I wish I’d had an extra person or two with me to order the entire menu to share!
JELLYFISH «CALAMARI» FRIES WITH SQUID INK AIOLI: The best calamari ever! Breading was light, seemed to be cornmeal based, and did not adhere so well, but this was the best-​tasting calamari or jellyfish dish I’ve had. Bright, acidic, fresh, with that great squid ink aioli. Wanted to lick the plate. A must-​order, great start to our meal.
LIONFISH CEVICHE: It was a bit sad to order and consume this dish while staring directly at a lionfish in the tank beside us. But lionfish are the cockroaches of the ocean and they need to be eaten! (True story, Google it.) The ceviche itself was very citrusy and the flavor of the lionfish was not the star of the dish, it seemed to be overpowered by the other ingredients. But the tempura shiso leaves were the best vessel for eating this! BF said he wouldn’t get this again, but I am open to other versions of lionfish.
MADE TO ORDER CAESAR: The Worcestershire flavor is more pronounced in this version than in others I’ve tried. Portion is easily shareable, the egg was perfectly poached.
MONTEAMORE GRILLED CHEESE ON BAGUETTE WITH LOCAL HONEY: This dish is where my BF finally «got it» about why I was so anxious to come here ASAP. This is the best grilled cheese. It’s not a traditional version, but it’s crisp and buttery, with a bright, salty cheese balanced well by the use of local honey and plated with house-​made pickles. Portion is small like the price tag ($ 6), great for sharing as a starter.
CRISPY BRICK CHICKEN THIGH: WOW. The chicken thigh itself is so tender, and served atop a wonderful savory mushroom bread pudding. I cook with chicken thigh a lot, and don’t particularly care for the texture of bread pudding, so I almost didn’t order this but it really was amazing. The chopped chives on top added just the right amount of verdant freshness.
HANDCUT PAPPARDELLE PASTA: BF’s entrée choice at our server’s recommendation, reminiscent of a beef stroganoff, sans beef. The pasta was thin, delicate ribbons, married with a heap of roasted mushrooms and artichokes. Great dish.
CROISSANT FRENCH TOAST: BF’s dessert pick, lots of flavors and textures going on here. Bread wasn’t too thick, caramel apple cider sauce wasn’t too sweet, and the fresh julienned green apples on top were a great accent.
HEXX CHOCOLATE POT DE CREME: Simple but very good. Three slices of orange over a pot of rich chocolate mousse, with fennel pollen. I can’t honestly tell you what the pollen tastes like but everything came together well– and this coming from someone who usually shies away from dishes that combine chocolate and citrus.
The new industrial location is near their former dwelling, but with increased floor space and a kitchen. Adding the café concept is wonderful, and Vegas needs more spots like this that highlight local talent (both cooking and sourcing!) in a way that locals can appreciate. This is making the shortlist of places we will be bringing visiting friends and relatives. Hopefully they will expand hours at some point as they settle in.

The burger with foie gras was fabulous and so was the crab soup. The Caesar salad was plain and disappointing and the fruit on top of the chocolate pot was bitter and not in a good way. The chef and the employees were very nice and really wanted our experience to be good, which I appreciated. I thought the tables and chairs were cafeteria-​like and the dirty, old carpet we sat next to was unappetizing. Then the waitress introduces herself to us by shaking my hand, which made me want to wash my hands again. I got some star of anise from the store section and got charged for black garlic, I realized their mistake halfway home, and had to maneuver around a bunch of construction to make my way back. They gave me the cash difference on my purchase, but neglected to include the tax. Little details count. I’ll go back again, and bring friends, because 99% of the food is great, I just hope they iron out the little details soon.

Everything was amazing here. I couldn’t believe how great the chicken breast w/​truffle and mushroom bread pudding was. It was so good, I had an outer body experience and with every bite you go a little further away.

Please stop giving this place great reviews. Once people discover it, it will be harder to get in. They only have a few tables, and they are only open for lunch 4 days a week. With a fantastic chef preparing all natural, organic, batch made artisanal ingredients, how could it be anything less than stellar. And, the prices are reasonable. It is hard to find. (use your GPS). It ls in a warehouse district south of Sunset below the airport. I recommend reservations.

This market is located in the middle of an industrial area. Tucked behind a bunch of other buildings. If I didn’t actively seek this place, I would never have stumbled across it. This business is primarily a catering business and the market and café are a second thought.
Most of the food is on the smaller end of portion size. The quality of the food was top notch. It was very artfully presented and the flavor combination are well thought out. The dishes feature a lot of the goods that they sell in the market.
I had the radish salad, corn and crab soup, the pancakes and foie gras and a side of truffle fries. The salad flavor was well balanced… a little sweet, salty from the pancetta and sour and the roots were perfectly roasted. The corn and crab soup had to grow on me… I hadn’t notice that there was lime in the soup on the menu so I was a bit surprised when the soup had a sour note to it, but as I ate it, I just couldn’t stop. The the pancakes were a little more on the sweet side rather than the savory side with all the honey and grapes, but delicious all the same. The fries were perfectly cooked… crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Although I can say that I wasn’t a fan of the organic brand of ketchup.

The best place in las vegas amazing food #the best service # good el mejor lugar para comer en las vegas productos de españa a muy buen precio bonito del norte y cosas esclusivas y la comida increible las patatas fritas en grasa de pato con ramas de romero wow de calidad superior lo recomiendo 100% servicio amigable y buen precio barato diria yo para la calidad de lo q ofertan

The food is fantastic and the prices are amazing for the quality of food! The staff and the chef and the owners are super friendly! There is a gourmet retail section inside the restaurant! Definitely my new favorite place to have lunch in town! — Lunch at Artisanal Foods Las Vegas: Piedmontese Truffle and Foie Burger with Truffle Egg, Foie Butter, and Melkbus Gouda Truffle Cheese with Duck Fat Fries; Caesar Made 2 Order — Farm Fresh Poached Egg, Anchovy, Bourbon Barrel Worcestershire, and Katz Vinegar; Crispy Brick Chicken Thigh — Mary’s Pasture-​Raised Organic Chicken with Mushroom Bread Pudding

Worth seeking out for a gourmet lunch at almost fast food prices. And you’ll probably want to shop the café later.
Can’t single out too many dishes because everything I tried was amazing. But the foie gras pancakes are pretty special, and the Olympic Provisions charcuterie plate is a crazy good deal.

My love affair with Artisanal Foods just got deeper — because now there is a café. Like the grocery store portion, the café offers a heavily curated food menu, focusing on foods they carry in the store. For example, one of the things we tried today was an elegant grilled-​cheese on brioche, which was accented with one of the honeys they carry. (Honey and grilled cheese are delicious, I learned.) The pots de crème for dessert featured the Askinosie Chocolate they sell. The lionfish was the most-​stunning dish we tried, although a little unfair to compare to delicious Mary’s pasture-​raised organic chicken. Apparently they sell fresh lionfish, or will soon. It was so hard to choose from menu we had six different dishes plus dessert — for lunch for two. (Portions are small, however.)
The café is helmed by Brett Ottolenghi, along with chef Johnny Church, both of whom stopped by our table to greet us and ask what we thought. I like that. They also are running a catering business — the café is the «downtime» from catering.
This is not the place to bring your aunt who thinks dinner at Chili’s is a real treat. This is the place to bring your friend who imports her own caviar.