Famed gourmet market and restaurant announces first expansion outside Southern California
Los Angeles and New York City culinary imports have always played well with the Las Vegas audience—Tao, Carbone, Nobu, Mr. Chow and Eggslut, just to name a few, are some of The Strip’s most successful restaurants. When Resorts World debuts this summer, it will add to that roster by featuring the first out-of-market expansion of Beverly Hills and Santa Monica institution Wally’s Wine & Spirits.
The wine and food destination joins an all-star lineup of restaurant and retail experiences headed to the multibillion-dollar integrated resort. Unique to the Las Vegas location, expect Wally’s to offer breakfast and a late-night component.
Soon to Become a Local Favorite
Blending restaurant, wine bar and specialty market—the menu has 125 wines by the glass—Wally’s will be a major attraction point in bringing locals to Resorts World who may be familiar with the brand from Los Angeles.
When Christian Navarro, president and principal of Wally’s Wine & Spirits, met Scott Sibella, president of Resorts World Las Vegas, they hit it off and quickly knew the partnership was a match made in heaven.
“Wally’s was always on the top of my list. Christian has been approached by many properties up and down The Strip for years. When I finally got to meet him, he didn’t know a lot about Resorts World, but we educated the Wally’s team on what we were building, and we hit it off,” Sibella says. “We know a lot of the same people. He did his homework on me, I did my homework on Wally’s, and we knew right away that this is going to be a perfect fit.”
Resorts World as a brand, with 13 properties open or in development around the world, prides itself on appealing to all customer bases from the entry-level traveler to the high roller. Because of the convivial setup—large tables that encourage interaction among groups, twin bars with plenty of seating to get to know new friends and a patio that overlooks the casino for people watching—Wally’s echoes that everyman ethos.
“Everybody’s a rock star at Wally’s. When you’re at the table, you can be a billionaire or a schoolteacher, and you’re treated exactly the same,” Navarro says. “Then you find out you actually have something in common with the person sitting next to you.”
What to Expect at Wally’s
Part social club, part restaurant, part specialty retailer, the cornerstone of a Wally’s sensory adventure is the highly educated staff and their selection of consumables that range from approachable to luxury.
“You can get a $10 glass of wine, or you get a $90 glass of wine,” Sibella says. “It’s everything we’re doing at Resorts World.”
Known for their delivery trucks that can be seen all over L.A., Wally’s Las Vegas will offer delivery whether it is to the 3,000-plus hotel rooms on property or to its devoted customers off The Strip. This is a concept that would have been unheard of pre-pandemic, but due to the fact that everyone now lives in a takeout-centric world, Wally’s is a natural fit to bring that expertise to the resort environment.
Navarro says expect Wally’s to sell local Las Vegas products from snacks to booze in addition to 8,000 labels of wine, spirits, beer and specialty gourmet food items from around the globe.
Wally’s will be within a five-minute walk from valet or self-parking, Sibella says.
Wally’s for All Your Charcuterie Needs
One of the hottest trends in home entertaining right now—and with those who binge on foodie social media—is the creation of elaborate and artful charcuterie tables and boards. For those who love this style of eating, Wally’s can’t open fast enough.
“I’m glad people are engaging with charcuterie,” Navarro says. “It allows you to eat smaller and less expensive. You can come into Wally’s at Resorts World, have a piece of cheese, have a little charcuterie and a couple of $8 glasses of wine and be out for under $100 all in with tip.”
Last week, it was announced that L.A. mainstay Fred Segal would be joining the Resorts World Las Vegas family. On that note, Sibella says don’t be surprised if there are more announcements of partnerships between the property and L.A.-based brands in the coming months.
