The open-faced sandwich craze began with avocado toast, but the next wave of toppings makes this more than a millennial trend
Poor millennials. Somehow, an entire demographic slice of society — people born between 1980 and 1996 — got paired with avocado toast in cultural critiques and social-media takedowns, which is about as fair as saying all octogenarians love liver and onions. (OK, it’s still pretty funny.) But avocado toast and its cousins aren’t just for millennials anymore. Generation Y youngsters feed their growing minds and Baby Boomers fuel their active retirements on them. Even sarcastic Gen Xers like me munch on them. Let’s nosh on some of the Las Vegas Valley’s finest toasts, which feature fresh ingredients from alligator pears to soft-boiled eggs, smoked salmon to nut butter, beet hummus to microgreens.
Avocado Toast at VegeNation
Vegans and carnivores alike flock to Downtown’s VegeNation. Their epic yet simple toast is made with sprouted Ezekiel bread, mashed avocado, and piquant, bright pico de gallo. It makes for one of the healthiest snack attacks in town. 616 E. Carson Ave., 702-366-8515, vegenationlv.com
Just Beet It at Toast Society
At Toast Society, the Just Beet It offers a Mediterranean take on toast. Garnet-hued roasted beet hummus makes for a flavorful base for emerald-green avocado slices with a sprinkling of feta cheese, olive oil, sea salt, and microgreens. 6005 S. Fort Apache Road, 702-538-8951, toastsocietycafe.com
Spicy Avocado Toast at The Stove
In the past few years, Henderson has become breakfast central of Southern Nevada, especially now that the adventurous Stove crowns the lofty Seven Hills neighborhood. Its toast is a spicy, jaunty one: roasted garlic-infused avocado smash meets poached eggs, lime-cucumber vinaigrette, roasted tomatoes, and jalapeño slices on country bread. 11261 S. Eastern Ave., #200, 702-625-5216, thestovelv.com
Secret Garden Toast at Cafe Lola
Switch it up #roseallday-style at neon-lit, flower-festooned Cafe Lola for the Secret Garden toast: Crispy whole wheat slices are schmeared with rich white bean spread and topped with vegetables like carrots, radishes, tomatoes, and arugula. 4280 S. Hualapai Way, 702-766-5652, ilovecafelola.com
Bougee Butter Toast at ColdPress Express
At ColdPress Express in Downtown Summerlin, go for an uptown, protein-packed selection with the Bougee Butter toast: nut butter, banana slices, raspberry-chia jam, and almonds on activated charcoal toast. Yep, the chewy, 9-grain whole wheat bread is black as night, inside and out, even before it’s popped in a toaster at this offshoot of the local SkinnyFATS chain. 2010 Festival Plaza Drive, coldpressexpress.com
Avocado Toast at PublicUs
The avocado toast movement quite possibly started in Southern Nevada at this quintessentially hip Downtown eatery. There, beside art-filled walls and floor-to-ceiling windows on gentrifying Fremont East, the recipe is classic: Smashed avocado is smeared on sourdough and topped with a soft-boiled egg, guajillo pepper spread, cherry tomatoes and yuzu dressing. Bump it up with some bacon for two bucks more. 1126 Fremont St., 702-331-5500, facebook.com/PublicUsLV
Smoked Salmon Toast at Vesta Coffee Roasters
Sit down in the bright, airy, and very cool Vesta Coffee Roasters in the Arts District with a book or a laptop and dig into the substantial smoked salmon toast. The succulent fish is backed with fromage blanc, crispy capers, pickled onions, fennel fronds, and a dusting of rosemary ash for good measure. Snap an insta, by all means, and include a cappuccino decorated with an intricate foam bird. 1114 S. Casino Center Blvd., 702-685-1777, vestacoffee.com