GOURMET DINING BEFORE SUNDOWN

One of Las Vegas’ biggest attractions nowadays is the city’s amazing culinary explosion.

You read about it, learn about it on television and see celebrity chef names advertised all over town when you arrive. The frenzy alone is enough to make you salivate.

But you may face a conflict: You want to get the most out of the Strip’s nightlife, so you don’t want to gorge yourself right before squeezing into those party clothes. Enter the Vegas gourmet lunch, which even comes with gluten-free options.

Emmy Award-winning celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentiis’ namesake restaurant is charming and welcomes diners with warm colors, comfortable furniture and plenty of natural lighting provided by huge retractable windows. Giada’s at the Cromwell serves breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner in an airy, open environment. The menu highlights the freshest ingredients, creating new takes on traditional Italian cuisine with refreshing Californian influences, and boasts the Strip’s first antipasto bar. Lunch dishes include mortadella, salads, pasta and sandwiches like muffuletta and signature items like the lemon pesto grilled cheese, carbonara pizza and Waldorf panzanella salad.

caesars.com/cromwell/giada

Border Grill at Mandalay Bay belongs to chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” and Food Network’s “Too Hot Tamales” fame. These preeminent ambassadors of authentic Mexican cuisine have a vibrant indoor two-story dining environment with patio seating and an outdoor bar perfect for summer. The menu, which includes salads, tacos, enchiladas, tortas, quesadillas, ceviches and entrees, emphasizes sustainability with organic black beans and humane-certified, antibiotic-and hormone-free meats and poultry. The Baja ceviche has lime-marinated sustainable seasonal fish and shrimp. Two dishes introduced this spring are the gluten-free and vegan cauliflower annatto “paella” tacos and the Asado Norteño Chicken. Note: there is another Border Grill at the Forum Shops at Caesars. bordergrill.com/locations/las-vegas/bglvmb/ Be among the first to visit one of Las Vegas’ newest restaurants, Chica, which opened May 14 in the space formerly occupied by DB Brasserie at the Venetian. Serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, the menu highlights Latin American cuisine created by Chef Lorena Garcia of “Top Chef Masters.” The Venezuelan-born chef uses ingredients from Mexico and her homeland. Chica is the newest concept from John Kunkel’s 50 Eggs, Inc. Kunkel also created the Venetian’s Yard bird Southern Table & Bar.