Top 5 Destinations for Poker and Food Lovers

Las Vegas Strip: Multiple Celebrity Chefs Within Walking Distance

Las Vegas concentrates poker tournaments and celebrity restaurants along a four-mile stretch. The 2025 WSOP runs from May 27 to July 16 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas, hosting 100 bracelet events.

Gordon Ramsay operates seven restaurants on the Strip, with his newest Gordon Ramsay Burger opening at Flamingo in January 2025. Players can walk from tournament tables to Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace or Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Casino in under ten minutes.

The Main Event begins July 2 with four starting flights, and buy-ins range from $300 to $250,000. Between sessions, players find Bobby Flay’s restaurant and Nobu within the same casino complex as Gordon Ramsay’s venues. This proximity means tournament participants can eat quality meals without missing registration deadlines or late entries.

Beyond the WSOP, Las Vegas remains unmatched for culinary diversity. Fabio Viviani, Guy Savoy, and José Andrés all operate restaurants within walking distance of poker rooms, making the Strip one of the few places where players can combine world-class dining with back-to-back poker sessions.

When Tournament Schedules Align With Restaurant Hours

The timing of poker tournaments often determines where players eat between sessions. At Horseshoe Las Vegas, the WSOP Main Event starts at 12 PM daily, which means participants finish their first break around 2:30 PM when most Strip restaurants serve lighter afternoon menus. Players who spend hours playing poker need meals that provide sustained energy without causing drowsiness, making Gordon Ramsay Steak’s lunch portions at Paris Casino a practical choice between tournament levels.

Tournament directors at major venues now coordinate break times with restaurant service periods. The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Cherokee schedules 75-minute dinner breaks at 6:30 PM to match peak dining hours at on-site restaurants. Similarly, Atlantis Paradise Island’s 21 restaurants extend kitchen hours during the December WSOP Paradise festival to accommodate players finishing late-night sessions.

These scheduling alignments demonstrate how poker has become a lifestyle experience rather than just a card game. Organisers recognise that food, recovery, and convenience directly influence player performance.

Paradise Island’s December Festival With $60 Million Guarantees

Atlantis Paradise Island hosts WSOP Paradise from December 4 through 18, 2025. The Super Main Event guarantees $60 million in prize money, the largest guarantee in live poker history. The property includes 21 restaurants and lounges, giving players dining options beyond standard casino food. The resort provides access to pools, a waterpark, fitness facilities, and a spa for players spending two weeks at the festival.

This year adds 15 WSOP gold bracelet events, including six tournaments curated through a partnership with Triton Poker. Players receive exclusive room rates during the festival period, reducing accommodation costs while accessing multiple dining venues on the property.

What makes Atlantis unique is the combination of luxury resort living with high-stakes poker. A player might bust from a $50,000 buy-in event in the afternoon and enjoy fresh seafood at Fish by José Andrés in the evening, transforming disappointment into a memorable culinary experience.

Aurora and Joliet: Giada De Laurentiis Opens New Venues

PENN Entertainment partnered with chef Giada De Laurentiis to open restaurants at Hollywood Casino sites in Aurora and Joliet. Sorella by Giada will open at Hollywood Casino Aurora in the first half of 2026, while Sorellina at Hollywood Casino Joliet opens in the fourth quarter of 2025. These locations mark De Laurentiis’s expansion into casino properties that host regular poker tournaments.

Hollywood Casino also partnered with Stephanie Izard, the first female chef to win Bravo’s “Top Chef” competition. Players at these Illinois properties will have access to chef-created menus alongside regular tournament schedules. The casinos run daily cash games and weekly tournaments that attract regional players.

While smaller than Las Vegas or Atlantis, these Midwestern properties highlight how poker destinations are diversifying. Regional casinos are investing in celebrity chefs to create full-service experiences for players who may not travel to global poker hubs.

Baltimore’s Extended Tournament Series

Horseshoe Baltimore hosts a WSOP Circuit event from February 20 to March 3, 2025. The two-week series gives players extended time at one venue, allowing them to establish dining routines at nearby restaurants. The property’s location in an urban setting provides access to Baltimore’s restaurant scene beyond casino dining.

Circuit events at Graton Casino run February 13–24, 2025, overlapping with the Cherokee schedule. These concurrent tournaments create options for players who prefer specific food scenes or tournament structures. Each venue adjusts meal service to match player schedules during major series.

Baltimore, in particular, benefits from its seafood heritage. Players visiting during the Circuit often explore crab houses and local waterfront dining, blending poker travel with regional food culture.

Connecticut’s Chef-Focused Casino Expansion

Foxwoods Resort Casino announced Momosan by Chef Masaharu Morimoto, adding to Connecticut’s growing list of celebrity chef partnerships at poker venues. The resort already hosts regular tournament series and cash games that draw players from the Northeast corridor. Morimoto’s menu provides Japanese cuisine options for players seeking alternatives to standard American casino food.

Las Vegas continues expanding its chef partnerships, with Fabio Viviani opening Ai Pazzi at JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort at Summerlin. While this property doesn’t host major tournaments, its proximity to poker rooms makes it accessible for players staying off-Strip. The Sticky Toffee Waffle at Gordon Ramsay Burger represents the type of dessert options available to players celebrating tournament wins or consoling themselves after losses.

For East Coast players, Foxwoods demonstrates how culinary upgrades are no longer reserved for Las Vegas. Regional casinos now offer authentic dining alongside poker action, reshaping how players plan their travel.

Tourism in 2025

Poker tourism in 2025 blends cards with cuisine, creating destinations where tournaments and celebrity dining experiences go hand in hand. From the Las Vegas Strip’s concentration of world-class chefs to Atlantis Paradise Island’s record-setting festival, players can balance the intensity of poker with memorable meals. Regional expansions in Illinois, Baltimore, and Connecticut show how local casinos are elevating their food scenes, proving that poker trips today are as much about savouring culture and dining as chasing tournament wins.