spring-mountain-chinatown
Lee's Sandwiches on Spring Mountain Road in Las Vegas is the bakery banh mi counter where a dac biet combo runs $6 to $8 on a baguette baked in-house.
Try: Banh mi dac biet combo $6-8
Tip: Dac biet combo and a Vietnamese iced coffee for $10; the baguette is baked all day, ask for one straight out of the oven.
west-sahara
Capriotti's on West Sahara in Las Vegas is the original Vegas Capriotti's where the Bobbie (slow-roasted turkey, cranberry, stuffing) runs $11 small and feeds two large.
Try: Bobbie sandwich, small around $11, large $18
Tip: The small Bobbie feeds one, the large feeds two; order online for pickup, the counter line peaks 12:00 to 13:00 every weekday.
downtown-fremont-east
Doña Maria Tamales on South Las Vegas Boulevard is the 1980 family tamale counter, three tamales with rice and beans for $11 to $14 in a no-frills room two blocks from the Strat.
Try: Red pork tamale plate with rice and beans $11-14
Tip: Tamales sell by the dozen for takeaway; smothered in red chile and topped with an egg is the breakfast plate locals order.
henderson
Roberto's Taco Shop on South Eastern in Henderson is the 80-location San Diego chain's local branch, where the California burrito (carne asada, fries, cheese, guac) runs $9 to $11.
Try: California burrito $9-11, rolled tacos $6
Tip: California burrito and a horchata for $13; drive-thru open until midnight, ask for the rolled tacos as a side.
spring-mountain-chinatown
Crown Bakery on Spring Mountain Road in Las Vegas is the Korean-Chinese pastry counter since 2005, with red bean buns, mammoth bread and Asian cakes most under $6 a piece.
Try: Korean-Chinese pastries and buns $2-6
Tip: Pick up a mammoth bread loaf for breakfast and a tray of red-bean buns for the room; second-floor cafe seating, free wifi, holds quiet most mornings.
spring-mountain-chinatown
Monta Ramen on Spring Mountain in Las Vegas is the Chinatown tonkotsu specialist where a 16-hour pork-bone broth bowl runs $13 with a $3 kaedama noodle refill on the side.
Try: Tonkotsu ramen $13, kaedama noodle refill $3
Tip: Add the $3 kaedama (extra noodles) to finish the broth; lunchtime waitlists fill by 11:45, get on the Yelp queue from the car.