Il Mulino at Caesars Forum Shops closed during the pandemic, ending Patrick Littlejohn’s 15-year tenure as brand general manager and regional vice president. Le Petit Café & Bakery in Southwest Las Vegas also closed during the pandemic, ending Emily Palmer’s culinary dreams just as the restaurant was taking off.
But when life struck them as sick, Littlejohn and Palmer created the Lemon Tree Cafe & Market, which business partners first rolled out at the flashy Evora development just emerging on Buffalo Drive in the Southwest. The café will open on Monday. The market launch is set for January, as shared exclusively with Review-Journal.
Little John said the pandemic and the closure of Il Mulino inspired him to start his own business away from the Strip.
“I wanted to provide a one-stop-shop for high-quality produce and café-style food that I couldn’t find in the area. With a coffee background, Emily proved to be the perfect match, and we are both excited to share what we hope will be a live watch.
The café’s menu features dishes such as brioche French toast topped with burrata and pacific berries, made-to-order sweet and savory pies, wood-fired pizzas, salads, daily vegetarian bowls, marinated skirt steak with chimichurri and hash browns, and homemade pastries.
There are also cold brew coffees and juices, and beer, wine and tea are slated for 2023.
When introduced, the market will offer products such as imported pasta, caviar, foie gras, charcuterie, handcrafted soft drinks, fine wines and beers, as well as butchery products.
Lemon Tree Cafe & Market is located at 6111 S. Buffalo Drive. Call 725-205-2323, visit www.lemontreecafeland.com or follow @lemontreecafeandmarket on social media.
Contact Jonathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. to follow @employee on Twitter.
