Restaurant owners leave Las Vegas Strip for their newest spot

From the Strip to the neighborhood.

Jenna and Michael Morton, the restaurateurs behind three spots on the Strip, are opening Nudo Italiano this May in the Southern Highlands community of southwest Las Vegas.

“This restaurant is deeply personal for us,” Jenna Morton said. “We wanted to create a place that feels like home — where families, friends and neighbors can come together to share great food, celebrate milestones and build memories. There’s nothing more Italian than that.”

The space features a dining room, bar and terrace. Culinary director William DeMarco heads the kitchen, with housemade breads, house pastas and wood-fire pizzas made according to United Nations standards for true Neapolitan pies.

Among the dishes are diavola pizza topped with spicy soppressata, ciliegine mozzarella (small cheese balls) and Calabrian chili; calamari with lemon aïoli, spicy arrabbiata sauce and sweet peppers; pappardelle with veal ragù, ricotta and fresh mint; and pan-roasted branzino with eggplant purée and roasted cherry tomatoes.

The Mortons also created La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway at Wynn Las Vegas and Crush and Greek Sneek at the MGM Grand.

When it launches at 4390 W. Cactus Ave., Nudo will be open daily starting at 4 p.m. Reservations will soon be available on OpenTable and on the website. Group reservations are available at 702-848-6836. Follow @NudoLV or visit nudolv.com.

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