8-Mar-2017 Encompassing 7,300 square feet of prime Las Vegas real estate overlooking the legendary Fountains of Bellagio, LAGO by Julian Serrano brings a progressive luxury dining experience to the Bellagio Resort & Casino. LAGO’s design takes its cues from Italian Futurism – the sweeping artistic and cultural movement of early 20th century Italy – to stretch beyond the traditional and familiar in order to create a unique new signature for the Bellagio. This ethos aligns with, and is reflective of the Futurism movement itself: rejecting the past to focus on forward-thinking dynamism and experimentation, which is apparent in LAGO’s striking, innovative interior.

LAGO (“lake” in Italian), marks the first Italian restaurant for the James Beard Award-winning, Michelin decorated Chef Julian Serrano. Chef Serrano’s menu reimagines Italian cuisine through creative small plates, encouraging guests to explore and share a variety of savory Italian dishes. Culinary highlights include raw seafood, large sharing plates, vegan and vegetarian-friendly dishes, and a range of pasta offerings and wood-fired pizzas. LAGO also features a sophisticated beverage program, boasting a 600-bottle wine list, 30 wines by-the-glass, and handcrafted cocktails.

LAGO is defined by six distinct areas: the Bar Lounge, Open Private Dining Area, Bar, Main Dining Room, Private Dining Room and a newly built 650 square foot outdoor Patio that offers breathtaking views of Bellagio’s legendary fountains. Featuring a bold, illuminated graphic entrance façade, a dazzling main bar, extensive custom FF&E program, and custom artwork and accessories, LAGO’s design lends a bespoke nod to Italy’s history of style, art and fashion prominence. The restaurant’s interior successfully embodies the energy of Italian Futurism and injects its colorful pulse into the Bellagio Resort & Casino. The Designer’s innovative and energetic design concept has transformed the former Circo space into one of the most preeminent dining destinations in Las Vegas. CLIENT OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAM The Client commissioned the design firm to create a new signature dining destination for the Bellagio Resort & Casino that caters to both the existing clientele and attracts younger patrons. Another chief requirement was for the restaurant space to capitalize on the breathtaking views of Bellagio’s Fountains. LAGO’s progressive interiors (inspired by the Italian Futurism movement) bring a unique new dining experience to the Bellagio. The restaurant’s modern, whimsical design and social tapas-style menu by Chef Julian Serrano engages the Bellagio’s existing customer base while also placing increased focus on attracting cross-over Millenials. LAGO’s dining room is designed to maximize the views overlooking the legendary Fountains of Bellagio, and features large arched windows that open to a Juliette balcony for unobstructed views. LAGO also features a newly built 650 square foot outdoor patio that allows guests to take in the Fountain views first-hand while they enjoy Chef Serrano’s creative small plates.

5-Oct-2015 Encompassing 7,300 square feet of prime Las Vegas real estate overlooking the legendary Fountains of Bellagio, LAGO by Julian Serrano brings a truly progressive dining experience to the Bellagio Resort & Casino. Designed by internationally acclaimed interior design firm Studio Munge (with architecture by NOVUS), LAGO takes its cues from Italian Futurism – the sweeping artistic and cultural movement of early 20th century Italy – to stretch beyond the traditional and familiar in order to create a unique new signature for the Bellagio. This ethos aligns with, and is reflective of the Futurism movement itself: rejecting the past to focus on forward-thinking dynamism and experimentation, which is apparent in LAGO’s striking, innovative interior by Studio Munge.

LAGO (meaning “lake” in Italian) marks the first Italian restaurant for the James Beard Award-winning, Michelin-decorated Chef Julian Serrano. Chef Serrano’s menu reimagines Italian cuisine through creative small plates, encouraging guests to explore and share a variety of savory Italian dishes. Culinary highlights include raw seafood, a Piatti Grandi menu section, vegan and vegetarian-friendly dishes, and a range of modern pasta offerings and artisanal wood-fired pizzas. LAGO also features a sophisticated beverage program, boasting a 600-bottle wine list, 30 wines by the glass and handcrafted cocktails.

Studio Munge’s design for LAGO engages the Bellagio’s existing customer base, while placing an increased focus on attracting crossover Millennials through the restaurant’s modern, whimsical design and social tapas-style menu. The influence of Futurism is apparent even before one enters the venue: LAGO’s bold, graphic entrance façade measures 15 x 100 feet and is a colorful interpretation of an aerial map of Milan (the birthplace of Futurism). The façade’s sculptural forms and reflective qualities were inspired by the artwork of Paul Klee, and distinctly juxtapose the restaurant from the surrounding casino floor. The façade’s abstract map pattern is comprised of colorful backlit glass panels with a gradient for contrast that sit behind a white water-jet-cut, powder coated metal screen representing Milan’s roadways.

Upon entering LAGO’s Bar Lounge, patrons are greeted by a specialty mixology counter that occupies the outermost rounded corner of the Main Bar. Comprised of glass and chrome, this specialty cocktail station has a mixologist entertain guests with an array of bitters and specialty cocktails. LAGO features several vibrant original artworks by artist Lori-Ann Bellissimo from the series “Galileo’s Assistant”, which includes a collection of colorful large-scale abstract works on plexiglass or Baltic Birch that float one inch from the wall to give a lunar impression.

LAGO’s Main Bar extends the length of the restaurant and connects the Bar Lounge to the Dining Room. Featuring a sleek white Statuario marble façade and bar top, the main bar’s focal point is the lively geometric back bar: it’s sweeping, whimsical pattern and coloring reminiscent of Pucci patterns lends a bespoke nod to Italy’s history of style and fashion prominence. Along the bar top are Venini-inspired hand-blown glass vases holding large internally lit flower displays. The sparkling jewel of the bar is the sculptural wood fired pizza oven that anchors the charcuterie counter. Clad in silver glass mosaic tiles with shimmering silver grout, the pizza oven stands out as the restaurant’s dazzling corner piece.

LAGO’s Dining Room is designed to maximize the views overlooking Bellagio’s iconic fountains, and features large arched windows that open to a Juliette balcony. An open Private Dining area is enclosed by two large screens comprised of pleated red leather, suede and velvet that cup the private dining table to create a sophisticated retreat, anchored by a suspended custom chandelier inspired by antique Italian Damigiana. This Private Dining Area is adjacent to LAGO’s Wine Room, which houses the restaurant’s world-class wine program.

Further defining LAGO’s contemporary atmosphere is the series of smooth abstract ceiling panels that gently overlap each other across the length of the ceiling, eventually cascading down the restaurant walls to skirt the corner dining banquettes. LAGO’s vibrant striped floor contrasts the ceiling’s soft-lit effect. Stained to echo specific colors in the surrounding furnishings, the blue and teal stripes in the Bar Lounge reflect the color of the bar stools and graphic back bar; while the color gradually transitions to lavender and purple in the Dining Room.

LAGO also features a newly built 650 square foot outdoor Patio that offers breath-taking views of the Bellagio’s Fountains. Offering patrons a garden-like al fresco dining experience, the Patio features a green wall enclosed in glass, separating the Patio from the Dining Room with custom shelving displaying white Italian amphorae. The Patio features a custom designed central chandelier and overhead trellis, with pops of color in the furniture and seating that pull from the vibrant graphic cement floor tiles.

Through the application of striking interior architecture, an extensive custom FF&E program, custom graphics and identity package and bespoke artwork and accessories, Studio Munge’s design for LAGO byJulian Serrano embodies the energy of Italian Futurism and injects its colorful pulse into the Bellagio Resort & Casino. Studio Munge’s innovative and energetic design concept has transformed the former Circo space into one of the most exciting dining destinations in Las Vegas.

From the windows of LAGO, the first Italian restaurant of the renowned Michelin-starred Chef Julian Serrano, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Legendary Fountains of Bellagio Resort & Casinò, one of the most charming places in Las Vegas. Alessandro Munge, principal of Studio Munge in Toronto, has designed the restaurant that, through a journey of style, art and fashion, pays homage to the Italian history. Taking its cues from Italian Futurism of the early twentieth century, it stretches beyond the traditional and familiar in order to create a unique new signature for the famous Bellagio.

The interiors are innovative and amazing: mirrored chrome accents combined with a fresh mix of decorative elements in shades of blue and white, characterise the restaurant, creating a sophisticated and original atmosphere at the same time. The reference to the speed and dynamism of Futurism is made explicitly even before entering the restaurant. The strong entrance façade has colored backlighting glass panels framed by aluminum strips that depict the map of Milan in an abstract adaptation. LAGO is defined by six distinct areas: the Bar Lounge, the Open Private Dining Area, the Bar, the Main Dining Room with dramatic arched windows, the Private Dining Room and a Patio that offers the possibility to have lunch outdoors.

A sequence of overlapping abstract ceiling panels in a white finish creates a cascade effect along the walls characterized by subtle backlighting, contributing to delineate the atmosphere of the restaurant. Finally, the striped floor contrasts with the soft effect of the ceiling. Inside LAGO, in perfect harmony with the context, there are dynamic and surprising furnishings, elegant and refined at the same time, such as the ESTER chairs and armchairs, designed by Patrick Jouin for Pedrali.

Characterized by elegance, ergonomics and functionality, they have been chosen to furnish the main dining room, giving the room that touch of warmth that emerges from the beige and brown leather upholstery. The sinuous and soft shapes, the attention to detail of the refined legs in die-casted aluminum and the absolute comfort guaranteed by a seat made of polyurethane foam with elastic belts, contribute to making the rooms of the restaurant even more welcoming, to fully enjoy of the extraordinary view of the iconic fountains overlooking the Strip. The combination of innovative interior design and the chef's culinary experience has made LAGO one of the most prestigious gastronomic locations in Las Vegas.