You would not call Ada’s Food + Wine the forgotten child, the underdog, in the Las Vegas restaurant family of chef James Trees. Not exactly. But it is fair to say that Ada’s, in a back corner of Tivoli Village, has a lower public profile, a more modest silhouette, than its siblings: much-lauded Esther’s Kitchen, the downtown flagship of the group, and Al Solito Posto, a neighborhood trattoria (on the main drag in Tivoli) that draws diners from far beyond the neighborhood.
At Ada’s, which opened in summer 2022, chef de cuisine Jackson Stamper cooks seasonally, fearlessly, idiosyncratically. Kat Thomas, lead sommelier and soi-disant wine goddess, helms a wine list that ranges globally, thoughtfully, showcasing sustainable producers. The restaurant is intimate, about 30 seats, with a balmy ease from billows of natural light.
So, why does Ada’s seem to draw less attention than it otherwise might, given the food, wine and vibe? Part of that is likely its back-corner location. “It’s not one of the marquee spots. You could drive right by and not know it was there,” Trees said.
But at least an equal part is the menu and wine list deliberately resist easy summary and change frequently. That approach lies in tension — fruitful tension, the Ada’s team would say — with the work of brand and profile elevation. “I would love to have a bigger spotlight on us, but we’re an experience you can’t really understand by looking at the menu and pictures online,” Stampe.
