7355 S. Buffalo Drive #2, Las Vegas, NV 89113

Open Daily 8am – 8pm

Accepts cash, card, Apple Pay

Grade: B+

Small, yet spirited, Little Avalon is being kept a secret by its more popular neighbors. The café is one that I would consider to be a genuine “hidden gem” due to it being physically blocked from passing cars and pedestrians by a Fukuburger, as well as the Suzuya Patisserie connected to it. If not actively searching for it, Little Avalon would be a tough find, but word got around to me of its quiet, refreshing nature and I had to try it for myself.

When walking in, I was immediately welcomed by the server at the counter. Seeing as the café was understandably empty—due to the awkward location—it made sense that my service was quick and that the server was attentive. I was promptly offered a menu and a seat at a booth while I decided on my order. The interior was well decorated; it was a clear mix between modern minimalist cafés and the traditional island look it was meant to emulate. With wicker chairs, stone tables, plants and wood tile, I was immersed in the oasis they designed.

After briefly admiring the design of the café, I decided to place an order. I wanted to pick something affordable that most people, especially those on a student’s budget, would be able to buy consistently. I ended up choosing the one base Amazon Acai fruit bowl ($13), paired with the On The Island smoothie ($11) as a $24 meal. Even as the single server present was preoccupied with what sounded like taking online orders, the service was superb.

Although there were a number of others working from the kitchen area, this was the only person attending to customers. Nonetheless, they kindly took my order and didn’t keep me waiting for long. My first order, the On The Island smoothie, took seven minutes overall, though I was comfortable while I waited. Where I sat, there were straw pillows on the wooden booths, as well as energetic and cheery music to fit the island theme. They brought me my smoothie in a small glass cup filled to the brim, and without much hesitation I began to drink.

All things considered, I’d consider the On The Island smoothie to be excellent. The fruits and flavors from the drink were deliciously prominent, with the organic nature of the ingredients an evident factor that boosted my experience. The drink was said to have ingredients like dragon fruit, mango, strawberry and lime juice—the dragon fruit and strawberry being the most prominent. The ingredients blended together to create a cold and refreshing experience filled with flavor, which was exactly what I needed at the moment. However, my biggest problem with the smoothie was that it only lasted me that short moment. Despite costing me $11, the portions for the drink were rather small, with me finishing almost half of it within the first couple of minutes. This could’ve been attributed to my current hunger or causal appetite, but even so, much larger portions for the same price and enjoyment could be found elsewhere. While it was understandable due to the nature of the ingredients and quality of the smoothie, it still wasn’t the most affordable option for the budget of a student. Regardless, I was able to ration the drink until my second item came.

My second item, the Amazon Açaí fruit bowl, came around 10 minutes after my smoothie. It arrived in a medium-sized bowl filled with satisfying portions of a variety of flavors. They filled the dish with fruits that compliment one another delightfully, such as blueberries, kiwis, and strawberries, paired with other sweet organic ingredients, like coconut shavings and honey. The bowl proved to be more than enough for me to enjoy, introducing a huge amount of rich flavor that mixed the taste of fresh fruit with other satisfying sensations. I took my time in savoring each flavor present in the bowl, which surprisingly didn’t hinder how filling the dish was. My only complaint was that the organic flavors mixed in with the fruit were honestly overwhelmingly sweet without water, as I had just downed an even sweeter fruit smoothie. The portions were also enough for me to take home, but after a while I lost my appetite due to how sweet it was—although my uneven choice of two sugary items may have been to blame. Nevertheless, while some portions were significantly sweeter, most of the bowl was a huge delight to eat and I’d consider it more than worth the money. For $13, I’d recommend the one base Amazon Açaí fruit bowl. (I would also recommend water.)

For my third and final item, I figured it would be a more balanced experience to buy an item to-go. With that in mind, I decided to come in another day to purchase a quick and simple bagel. After having a pleasant experience dining in with my smoothie and fruit bowl, I was expecting the continuous exceptional service, and I wasn’t disappointed; this server was friendly as well, which made ordering a quick and easy experience. I was in and out faster than expected, collecting a regular tasting, but still appetizing bagel ($5) with nothing but a simple side of cream cheese. I wanted to try a part of the breakfast menu they put so much emphasis on, while staying affordable for the average student. I figured $5 is a little pricey for a bagel, but the quality of the delicacy couldn’t be understated—the soft interior was warm, light and soulmates with the cream cheese. While I wouldn’t recommend spending $5 on a bagel, for those customers who don’t mind the cost and desire something certainly tasty, the Little Avalon bagels are for you.

All in all, my experience with Little Avalon has been nothing short of a good time. I was in a comfortable, pleasing environment with a friendly server and delightful cuisine. My rating of Little Avalon is a B+ for small nitpicky things I had with my items, but also since it’s not my favorite kind of restaurant; I’m more partial to savory food. I’d recommend Little Avalon for anybody particularly interested in healthy foods, like fruit lovers or health nuts, but I wouldn’t recommend it to just them. Little Avalon has a variety of refreshing food options for anyone to enjoy, as long as they can find the building. (Behind Fukuburger and Suzuya Patisserie.)