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Chef-owner of beloved downtown Las Vegas eatery opening another restaurant

Updated February 4, 2025 - 12:23 pm

Natalie Young, chef-owner of Eat, the beloved breakfast and lunch spot that moved the idea of downtown dining eastward when it opened in 2012, is heading southwest.

She’s launching a new place in the Colorado building on South Main Street and West Colorado Avenue, about 2 miles from Eat, which remains open on East Carson Avenue, and which was a Las Vegas Review-Journal Top 100 restaurant for 2024.

On Jan. 14, the City of Las Vegas Planning Commission approved the application by Echo restaurant for a special-use permit allowing full on-premise alcohol service. The documents list Young as the applicant and describe her as the creator of Echo.

The project features a 3,325-square-foot restaurant, with a 400-square-foot terrace, occupying the first floor of the Colorado at 1301 S. Main St., Suite 160. The building already houses Palate restaurant.

Plans show a dining room, tables on the terrace, a VIP dining area, a bar, a commercial kitchen, a retail area and a record area for audio equipment.

“The restaurant will have a distinct Sound Lounge theme with a Sound Booth where vinyl records will be spinning,” reads the justification letter for the project. “Vintage wood speakers will be a focal point in the space; vinyl records will be on display with creative retail and art work.”

Echo will combine this vintage sound with American food, according to the letter, with anticipated breakfast, lunch, happy hour, dinner and late-night service.

Restaurant history

Young moved to Vegas more than two decades ago to work in restaurant kitchens, and her gigs over the years before she opened Eat included the MGM Grand, the old Hard Rock Hotel and Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Paris Las Vegas.

In 2012, Young received a $225,000 loan from late Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh to launch Eat, as part of his Downtown Project. That loan was repaid the next year with the success of the restaurant.

In 2015, the chef affirmed her commitment to the Fremont East area with the debut of Chow, a chicken and Chinese spot at Fremont and South 10th streets, about five blocks from Eat. June of 2017 saw Young open a second Eat, this time at Downtown Summerlin on Village Center Drive.

Young later brought together lusty cooking (braised short rib risotto, say) with vintage art and furniture finds at Old Soul, in the World Market Center. The Summerlin Eat, Chow and Old Soul have since closed.

The Review-Journal has reached out to Young for comment on the new restaurant.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.

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