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Peppermill (restaurant)

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Coordinates: 36°08′01″N 115°09′49″W / 36.133665°N 115.163541°W / 36.133665; -115.163541
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Peppermill
The Peppermill in 2011
Map
Restaurant information
EstablishedDecember 26, 1972 (1972-12-26)
Owner(s)Peppermill Casinos, Inc.
Food typeAmerican
Street address2985 South Las Vegas Boulevard[1]
CityWinchester
CountyClark County
StateNevada
Postal/ZIP Code89109
CountryUnited States
Coordinates36°08′01″N 115°09′49″W / 36.133665°N 115.163541°W / 36.133665; -115.163541
Websitewww.peppermilllasvegas.com

The Peppermill[a] is a restaurant located on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It opened on December 26, 1972, and features mostly American cuisine. The Peppermill is popular for its large portions, its interior design, and its Fireside Lounge. The restaurant and lounge are also well known among celebrities and have made various appearances in popular culture.

In 2024 the restaurant was named one of America's Classics by the James Beard Foundation.

History

[edit]

The restaurant originated with a Reno location, the Peppermill Coffee Shop and Lounge, in 1971. It was opened by Nat Carasali and Bill Paganetti, who later converted the restaurant into the Peppermill Reno resort.[6][7]

The Peppermill restaurant in the Las Vegas Valley opened on December 26, 1972.[6] It was built along the northern Las Vegas Strip.[8] Despite the location, it is a standalone restaurant, not located within any resort.[9] It has outlasted several nearby resorts, including the Desert Inn, the Stardust, and the Riviera.[10][11]

Other Peppermill locations eventually opened in California,[6][7] starting with Daly City in 1973. A Sacramento location opened three years later,[12][13][14] followed by a Fresno restaurant around 1978.[13][15] Other California locations included Concord and Cupertino.[6] A restaurant in Corte Madera closed in 1996,[16] followed by Sacramento and Fresno in 2001, leaving the chain with five restaurants in California.[13] Another Peppermill, in Citrus Heights, closed in 2002.[17] The chain also had two restaurants in Denver at some point.[6] Like the Las Vegas restaurant, each location was leased on a long-term basis and then re-evaluated for possible renewal. According to Carasali, "The dynamics of your location change over 20 or 30 years. It has not (made) good business sense to sign up for another long-term lease (in some areas)."[13]

As of 2002, the Las Vegas Peppermill had 120 employees.[4] It is owned by Peppermill Casinos, Inc.,[18] and occupies 1.1 acre.[19] The local Doumani family owned a 40-percent interest in the land until 2015, when they purchased the remainder. The restaurant's lease agreement was extended to 2027.[20][21]

Design

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Restaurant interior, 2022

The Peppermill is noted for its retro 1970s appearance.[22][23][24] The interior features a blue and purple color scheme,[25][26][27] as well as neon lights, fake vegetation, and mirrored ceilings.[8][28] Tiffany lamps are hung above the tables and feature a flamingo design.[6][29]

The interior originally featured orange and brown colors, and wagon-wheel lamps above the tables. The color scheme would later become maroon and mauve,[6] before settling on the current design.[30] The restaurant's artificial cherry blossoms, added in the 1990s, came from the former Peppermill resort in Mesquite, Nevada.[6] Kitchen upgrades and new carpeting, with the same design, were added in 2014.[31] A new roadside sign was also added four years later, but the property's design has otherwise remained the same.[32] The restaurant's rooftop sign was destroyed in a 2023 windstorm, and was replaced by an LED version as part of a year-long renovation and maintenance project, which mostly retained the interior design.[33]

Features and reception

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Because of its 24-hour schedule, the Peppermill is popular as a late-night and early morning restaurant.[25][34] It offers a typical coffee shop menu with more than 150 items,[10][35][36] mostly consisting of American cuisine.[23] The restaurant is known for its large portions,[37][38] including its salads[39][40] and 10-egg omelets.[41][22]

Fireside Lounge in 2019

The Peppermill includes the Fireside Lounge, which features a small body of water accompanied by flames that shoot from the center.[42][43][44] The lounge is popular for its alcoholic beverages,[45] including its 64-ounce Scorpion cocktail,[10][23][36] and was also known for its red upholstery, replaced with gray during the 2023-24 renovation.[33]

The property is popular among local residents,[8] as well as tourists.[6][46][27] In 2018, Al Mancini of the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote that the Peppermill, with its distinctive interior, could "easily be dismissed as a tourist trap. But its quality 24-hour diner-style grub has made it a perennial post-work favorite of Strip graveyard shift workers."[47]

The restaurant and lounge have also been frequented by celebrities,[6][27][9] including singers Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley,[6][35][9] comedian Jerry Lewis, actress Debbie Reynolds,[9] filmmaker Quentin Tarantino,[48] boxer Floyd Mayweather, magician Criss Angel,[11] mobster Frank Cullotta,[6] and television personality Holly Madison.[22][49] Comedian Penn Jillette is also a fan of the Peppermill,[29] and while designing his Las Vegas home in the mid-1990s, he included a booth modeled after those at the restaurant.[42]

The Peppermill is regularly featured on lists of the best restaurants in Las Vegas.[2][50][51][52] It was included in KNPR's 2022 Restaurant Awards, tied in the "Hall of Fame" category with a local Italian restaurant.[53] It has also won numerous accolades in the "Best of Las Vegas" awards, conducted annually by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.[54] In 2024, the Peppermill received an America's Classics award from the James Beard Foundation.[55]

[edit]

The Peppermill's restaurant and lounge have made various appearances in popular culture, including the 1984 film The Cotton Club, financed by the Doumanis.[6] The property also appeared in the 1995 films Showgirls and Casino,[6][27][56] and the 2016 film The Trust.[57][58][59]

It has also been featured on television programs, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,[10][35] Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations,[6] and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.[60][61] In addition, the lounge appears in the music videos for "Feel It Coming Back" (2014) by Santana and Diego Torres,[6][36] and "Another Lonely Night" (2015) by Adam Lambert.[6][62]

Jillette and fellow comedian Paul Provenza met at the Peppermill to discuss their film project The Aristocrats, eventually released in 2005. According to Jillette, the entire film "was thought out, laid out, planned, budgeted and scheduled" during their hours-long meeting.[63]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Sometimes known as the Peppermill Restaurant[2][3] or Peppermill Inn.[4][5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lilly, Caitlin (December 26, 2022). "Iconic Peppermill celebrating 50th anniversary on Las Vegas Strip". KVVU. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Sylvester, Ron (December 26, 2013). "Starring in 'The Hangover'? Relief could be a plate away". Orange County Register.
  3. ^ Thompson, Edward (November 10, 2023). "Peppermill Restaurant". The Infatuation. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Knapp Rinella, Heidi (December 25, 2002). "Peppermill marks 30 years in business". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on March 12, 2005.
  5. ^ Townsend Rodgers, Lissa (December 15, 2005). "The Peppermill Forever". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Lawrence, Christopher (December 27, 2022). "The Peppermill at 50: Fake trees, real neon and cocktails bigger than a baby's head". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Bellisle, Martha (April 5, 2014). "Seeno construction family made mark in Reno". Reno Gazette Journal. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Knapp Rinella, Heidi (August 28, 2009). "Peppermill". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d Wingert, Gregan (March 24, 2012). "Celebrity diners, traditional atmosphere, classic food are common ingredients at Las Vegas' oldest restaurants". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d "Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge". The Food Channel. January 18, 2010. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Bellaza, Mary Jane (December 21, 2022). "Iconic Las Vegas restaurant Peppermill celebrates 50th birthday". KLAS. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Sacramento Peppermill to Open". Nevada State Journal. March 28, 1976. Retrieved December 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c d "Peppermill closing another California restaurant". Reno Gazette-Journal. September 20, 2001. Retrieved December 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Elliott, Vicky (February 26, 1999). "Welcome to Planet Peppermill / Far-out '70s chic gives Daly City spot an alien atmosphere". SFGATE. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  15. ^ Tehee, Joshua (August 30, 2017). "Elephant Bar's the latest, but we still haven't gotten over losing these restaurants". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  16. ^ "Flashback". Pacific Sun. December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  17. ^ Anderson, Mark (February 13, 2005). "Owner of Scott's Seafood plans big Natomas eatery". Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  18. ^ "In his own words: The Peppermill's Stephen Ascuaga". Northern Nevada Business Weekly. April 20, 2015. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "Question of the Day". Las Vegas Advisor. December 28, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  20. ^ Robison, Jennifer (February 27, 2015). "Developer takes total ownership of Peppermill Fireside Lounge". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  21. ^ Martin, Bradley (February 17, 2015). "Peppermill Throws Salt On LVCVA Expansion Plans". Eater. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  22. ^ a b c Curtas, John (March 7, 2012). "The Peppermill Celebrates 40 Years". Vegas Magazine. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015.
  23. ^ a b c Meeks, Terissa (June 13, 2022). "Peppermill Restaurant". USA Today. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  24. ^ "Best Late-Night Eats: The Peppermill". Las Vegas Weekly. August 13, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Stein, Joshua David (October 27, 2015). "Life in a Vegas diner at 5am: 'Good morning … or good evening'". The Guardian. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  26. ^ Moonen, Rick (October 5, 2016). "Indulging in the purple neon food circus that is the Peppermill". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  27. ^ a b c d Karel, Janna (June 12, 2023). "From Ball Gowns to Benedicts, a Look Inside Las Vegas's Favorite Diner". Eater. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  28. ^ Kachelriess, Rob (May 12, 2022). "14 Historic Las Vegas Restaurants for an Old-School Dining Experience". Thrillist. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  29. ^ a b Papa, Paul W. (2014). Discovering Vintage Las Vegas: A Guide to the City's Timeless Shops, Restaurants, Casinos, & More. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-1-4930-1398-2. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  30. ^ McGee, Kimberley (May 11, 2000). "The Peppermill Inn is a throwback to classic Vegas". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  31. ^ "Question of the Day". Las Vegas Advisor. September 7, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  32. ^ Reed, C. Moon (May 3, 2018). "Peppermill's classic sign finds a new home". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Lane, Taylor (September 26, 2024). "Iconic Peppermill undergoes 'much needed face-lift'". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  34. ^ Karel, Janna (May 17, 2023). "Las Vegas, Rejoice! The Peppermill Will Again Be Open 24 Hours". Eater. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  35. ^ a b c Olmsted, Larry (March 28, 2023). "Time Travel - How To Relive Las Vegas' Golden Age". Forbes. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  36. ^ a b c Giuffre, Beth (September 10, 2020). "Freedom 467 miles away: How a quest for a roller coaster ended up a delicious memory". New Times San Luis Obispo. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  37. ^ Knapp Rinella, Heidi (August 16, 2002). "Peppermill offers a throwback to a Vegas long gone". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 20, 2005.
  38. ^ Radke, Brock (July 9, 2013). "Bite Now: The Maserati at Peppermill". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  39. ^ Patterson, Joan (July 1, 1998). "Salad Days". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 14, 2000.
  40. ^ Knapp Rinella, Heidi (August 28, 2017). "4 spots for the biggest and best salads in Las Vegas". Best of Las Vegas. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  41. ^ Thrupkaew, Noy (August 31, 2018). "Where to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in Las Vegas". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  42. ^ a b McGee, Kimberley (May 11, 2000). "Penn Jillette makes Peppermill booth re-appear". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  43. ^ Gould, Lark Ellen (April 23, 2019). "Extreme cocktails in Vegas". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  44. ^ Carter, Geoff (August 19, 2021). "A tour of eye-catching Vegas bar interiors". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  45. ^ Przybys, John (August 23, 2003). "Classic Drink: Shaking Things Up". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on August 4, 2004.
  46. ^ Mau, Dave (November 14, 2013). "The Peppermill: Vegas' Best Worst-Kept Secret". OC Weekly. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  47. ^ Mancini, Al (March 8, 2018). "5 restaurants serving up classic tastes of Old Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  48. ^ "Question of the Day". Las Vegas Advisor. June 5, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  49. ^ Barnes, Brooks (August 8, 2009). "Scantily Clad on the Strip". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  50. ^ "Eat This List: 7 sure bets for Las Vegas dining". CNN. August 26, 2013. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013.
  51. ^ Lebos, Allie (January 31, 2023). "30 Best Restaurants In Las Vegas". Tasting Table. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  52. ^ Karel, Janna (August 15, 2023). "20 Classic Restaurants and Bars Every Las Vegan Must Try". Eater. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  53. ^ "2022 Restaurant Awards". KNPR. November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  54. ^ Retrieved from BestOfLasVegas.com on December 21, 2023:
  55. ^ Wright, Johnathan L. (February 28, 2024). "An American Classic: Peppermill honored by James Beard Foundation". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  56. ^ Townsend Rodgers, Lissa (October 18, 2012). "Celebrating 40 years of the Peppermill". Las Vegas CityLife. Archived from the original on April 29, 2013.
  57. ^ Lawrence, Christopher (March 7, 2016). "Nicolas Cage is a dirty Vegas cop in 'The Trust'". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  58. ^ Lawrence, Christopher (May 13, 2016). "Nicolas Cage's 'The Trust' a bonkers tour of off-the-beaten-path Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  59. ^ Plenke, Max (March 5, 2015). "I just want to party with you, Nicolas Cage". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  60. ^ Stapleton, Susan (June 26, 2014). "Watch Jerry Seinfeld and George Wallace Dine at The Peppermill". Eater. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  61. ^ Radke, Brock (February 26, 2015). "24 hours inside the Peppermill". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  62. ^ Herrera, David (October 12, 2015). "New Adam Lambert video was shot in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  63. ^ "Vegas' glory is in the details, and Penn knows where to find them". Orange County Register. October 2, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
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