Denver, CO

Colorado adds a single Michelin-starred restaurant

Published

1 year ago

September 9, 2024

Colorado adds a single Michelin-starred restaurant

Colorado gained just a single Michelin-starred restaurant on Monday as the vaunted guide company announced its 2024 list of dining recommendations. In addition, the five existing Michelin-starred restaurants all reclaimed their stars from 2023.

Alma Fonda Fina, a high-end Mexican dining room, which opened just nine months ago at 2556 15th St., in Denver’s Lower Highland neighborhood, joined the one-star club, which includes Beckon, Bruto and The Wolf’s Tailor, all in Denver, Bosq in Aspen, and Frasca in Boulder.

“Chef Johnny Curiel started off in his family’s restaurant in Guadalajara, and after years of high-end culinary experience, he revisits dishes and flavors from his upbringing with creativity and finely honed technique delivering results that are both satisfying and delicious,” Michelin wrote in its new guide to Colorado restaurants, which was released Monday morning.

“Resist the temptation to fixate on any one item, as the menu is littered with treasures: perfectly crisped pork belly carnitas make for a brilliant taco on a sourdough flour tortilla, while agave-roasted sweet potato with nutty salsa matcha and luxuriously creamy whipped requesón is a revelation, and vibrant seafood crudos like thinly sliced Maine diver scallop with tomatillo and apple aguachile are downright electric. No desserts are offered for the time being, so there’s no reason to leave any extra room,” the Guide continued.

MAKfam added a wok range to its restaurant to focus on fried rice. (Photo by Lucy Beaugard)

In addition, Michelin added one Bib Gourmand recommendation to its list: MAKfam, a Cantonese-American restaurant that opened in November 2023 at 39 W. 1st Ave. in Denver. Bib Gourmands recognize “eateries for great food at a great value,” according to Michelin.

“What began as a pop-up back in NYC, where owners and married couple Doris Yuen and Kenneth Wan first met, and then became a stall in a Denver food hall, is now at last a full-service restaurant. The winsome, colorful space and the compact menu both celebrate the pair’s Chinese American roots, both having been raised by immigrant families who worked in restaurants.

“Fried crab and cheese wontons and hand-shaped chicken and chive potstickers are inspired by Chinatown favorites and takeout staples, made with particular care and big flavor. Chicken wings with a spicy, tingly málà seasoning are favorites with good reason, and larger dishes, like the familiar-yet inventive corned beef fried rice or spicy garlic butter rice cakes, impress as well,” Michelin continued.

And finally, two Denver restaurants joined the list of recommended eateries, Brasserie Brixton, at 3701 Williams St., and Kawa Ni, at 3200 W. 32nd Ave.

“Opening Kawa Ni this past November has been an exciting challenge, and naturally, there was some concern about fitting into the Colorado culinary community. Thanks to the fantastic team in Denver, we’ve been warmly welcomed beyond expectation, and to earn Michelin recognition within just a year of opening is truly special,” Kawa Ni chef and founder Bill Taibe said in a statement.

There were three special awards this year. The Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award went to Jessenia Sanabria of Sweet Basil; the Michelin Sommelier Award went to Chris Dunaway of Element 47; the Michelin Outstanding Service Award went to Allison Anderson of Beckon; and the Michelin Young Chef/Culinary Professional Award went to Johnny Curiel of Alma Fonda Fina.

Two restaurants that were on the 2023 guide are not listed in the 2024 guide: A.J.’s Pit BBQ, which won a Bib Gourmand in 2023, and Potager. Both are in Denver.

“As we celebrate year two of the Michelin Guide in Colorado, we can see the passion and
momentum continue to grow in this culinary community,” said Gwendal Poullennec, the
International Director of the Michelin Guides, in a statement.

“The famously anonymous Inspectors were also eager to shine a light on the growing talent in the local community, with a handful of new restaurants added to the selection,” she added.

This is a developing story.

Colorado’s 2024 Bib Gourmand restaurants

Ash’Kara, 2005 W. 33rd Ave., Denver
Basta, 3601, Arapahoe Ave., Boulder
The Ginger Pig, 4262 Lowell Blvd., Denver
Glo Noodle House, 4450 W. 38th Ave., Denver
Hop Alley, 3500 Larimer St., Denver
La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal, 2233 Larimer St., Denver
MAKfam, (new) 39 W. 1st Ave., Denver
Mister Oso, 3163 Larimer St., Denver
Tavernetta, 1889 16th St. Mall, Denver

Colorado’s 2024 Recommended restaurants

A5 Steakhouse 1600 15th St., Denver, 80202
Barolo Grill 3030 E. 6th Ave., Denver, 80206
Blackbelly Market 1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, 80301
Boulder Dushanbe Tea House 1770 13th St., Boulder, 80302
Bramble & Hare 1970 13th St., Boulder, 80302

Brasserie Brixton (new) 3701 N. Williams St., Denver 80205
Dio Mio 3264 Larimer St., Denver, 80205
Element 47 675 E. Durant Ave, Aspen, 81611
Fruition 1313 E. 6th Ave., Denver, 80218
Guard and Grace 1801 California St., Denver, 80202
Hey Kiddo 4337 Tennyson St., Denver, 80212
Kawa Ni (new) 1900 W. 32nd Ave., Denver 80211
Marco’s Coal Fired 2129 Larimer St., Denver, 80205
Mawa’s Kitchen 305 Aspen Airport Business Center, Ste. F, Aspen, 81611
Mercantile Dining and Provision 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver, 80202
Mirabelle 55 Village Rd., Beaver Creek, 81620
Noisette 3254 Navajo St., Denver, 80211
Oak at Fourteenth, 1400 Pearl St., Boulder
Olivia, 290 S. Downing St., Denver

Osaki’s, 100 E. Meadow Dr., Vail
Prospect, 330 E. Main St., Aspen
Q House, 3421 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
Safta, 3330 Brighton Blvd., Denver
Santo, 1265 Alpine Ave., Boulder
Smok, 3330 Brighton Blvd. #202, Denver
Splendido at the Chateau, 17 Chateau Lane, Beaver Creek
Stella’s Cucina, 1123 Walnut St., Boulder
Sweet Basil, 193 Gore Creek Dr., Vail
Temaki Den, 3350 Brighton Blvd., Denver
Wyld, 130 Daybreak Ridge Rd. Avon
Zoe Ma Ma, 2010 10th St., Boulder

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Originally Published: September 9, 2024 at 8:00 a.m.

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Denver, CO

Rain returns to Denver metro on Thursday; snow stays mostly in the higher terrain

Published

14 hours ago

November 19, 2025

Press Room

Rain returns to Denver metro on Thursday; snow stays mostly in the higher terrain

DENVER — We’re in for a quiet night ahead, staying mostly dry and mild. The waiting game begins as the next system approaches Colorado.

Clouds increase throughout Thursday with cooler afternoon highs in the low 50s.

A complex storm arrives, and with models disagreeing on the details, confidence remains low for snowfall in the metro.

Expect rain to move in first. Pockets of rain and snow are possible later, mainly across higher terrain and areas farther east.

Rain returns Thursday; snow stays mostly in the higher terrain

On Friday morning, rain will continue for most of the metro and plains.

However, the Front Range mountains, foothills, and the Palmer Divide could see snow accumulation.

Precipitation should taper off Friday afternoon as the system weakens and moves east.

Heading into the weekend, dry air returns with temperatures bouncing back to slightly above normal.

We should stay quiet through the weekend.

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Denver, CO

Adams County Veterans Memorial vandalized again, just hours after Veterans Day

Published

1 day ago

November 19, 2025

Press Room

Adams County Veterans Memorial vandalized again, just hours after Veterans Day

DENVER (KDVR) — The Adams County Veterans Memorial, a place built for quiet reflection, was left damaged and vandalized just hours after residents gathered to celebrate Veterans Day.

County leaders say they’re frustrated, and crews are once again being forced to repair a monument that’s been targeted repeatedly since it opened.

The Adams County Veterans Memorial, designed to resemble the World War II battleship USS Colorado, had been covered in flowers earlier this month for Veterans Day.

“We do a great event every Veterans Day,” said Byron Fanning, Adams County’s director of Parks, Open Space and Cultural Arts. “You can take a flower and place it at our remembrance wall in honor of somebody that you want to honor that’s important to your life.”

The morning after the holiday, Fanning said he discovered graffiti on the sidewalk, and a park bench soaked in paint. There was also damage to the plumbing system, which now needs to be pumped out.

Crews remove a bench from the Adams County Veterans Memorial after vandal dumped a bucket of paint on it. (Adams County)

“It really hurt my heart,” Fanning said.

Fanning described the graffiti as “gibberish” but said photos of it have been blurred while the sheriff’s office investigates.

Graffiti at Adams County Veterans Memorial. (Adams County)

Most of the cleanup work is already done. Crews removed graffiti that had been sprayed across the walkway and took out a bench for repairs after someone dumped a bucket of paint on it.

And it’s nothing crews aren’t used to. Fanning say this is the tenth time the memorial has been vandalized since it opened in 2023.

“Some of them are small, just a little graffiti on the railings or on some of the structures behind me,” Fanning said. “But some of them have been rather extensive.”

Hoping to protect the memorial as a place to honor those who served, Fanning offered a simple plea to the public.

“Please stop,” he said. “Please show some respect for who this was built to honor, and for those veterans that mean so much to our community. You’re disrespecting them, and it’s not okay.”

Officials estimate the latest cleanup cost about $3,000. The county is working to install security cameras, and the sheriff’s office is increasing nighttime patrols in hopes of preventing future vandalism.

The county is also asking visitors to report any vandalism to law enforcement.

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Denver, CO

Nine in 10 Denver area homes lost value in the past year, Zillow reports

Published

2 days ago

November 18, 2025

Press Room

Nine in 10 Denver area homes lost value in the past year, Zillow reports

Metro Denver is leading the country for the share of homes that have lost value over the past year, with 9 in 10 homes down in price compared to only half nationally, according to an analysis from Zillow.

About 91% of metro Denver homes lost value in the past year compared to 53% nationally. Denver edges out other once-hot metros like Austin, with 89.5% of homes down in value and Phoenix, with 86.9% down the past year.

Home prices have bounced around in a narrow band since the peak in June 2022, making it hard to discern the overall trend. Overall, Denver home prices are about 10% below the peak, matching the average decline measured nationally, Zillow said.

“Denver’s home values were growing in 2024, so it’s natural to see a bit more giveback now. What stands out more is the depth of the losses. The average Denver home has lost about the same as the national average, while Austin’s average drop is more than twice that,” said Mischa Fisher, Zillow’s new chief economist, in an email.

While nearly all Denver homeowners have lost equity, those losses are mild and very much in line with what homeowners across the country are experiencing when measured from the peak, he said.

If the declines accelerate, however, the situation could prove problematic for first-time buyers who bought near the top, especially if they made only a small down payment and are forced to sell.

The Zillow Home Value Index for metro Denver, which includes both homes and condos, peaked at $592,969 in June 2022. Last month, its index reported a value of $530,699. That represents a decline of $62,270 or 10.5%.

In Colorado, the average commission that a seller pays is 5.65% of the sales price, which would mean about $30,000 that needs to be covered. Someone who bought a typical home at the peak and sold last month would be down about $92,000, not counting other closing costs.

Back in 2022, the average down payment a first-time buyer made was 6%, according to the National Association of Realtors. And someone using a 30-year mortgage might pay down principal by about 5% or 6% in the first three years. It isn’t 10% because the bulk of monthly payments in the earliest years of a mortgage go to cover interest.

Vulnerable buyers, however, represent a small share of the overall market. The volume of activity or turnover has slowed down since the peak, and of the homes that do sell, only a quarter to a third are claimed by first-time buyers. Depending on where they bought, when they bought, and how much they put down, even those buyers might still have equity.

“Absent a major hit to the economy, most of today’s paper losses will likely have turned into profits down the road when recent buyers sell,” predicted Fisher.

Another way to look at the stress on a specific housing market is what share of homes are being listed below the last price paid. From that viewpoint, Denver’s market is still in good shape.

About 6.3% of homes in metro Denver are being listed below the prior sales price, which compares to 3.4% nationally, according to Zillow. The metros with the biggest shares of homes being discounted are San Francisco, 14%; Austin, 13%; San Jose, Calif., 9% and San Antonio at 8%.

In 2019, 0.6% of homes sold below the prior sales price in Denver, compared to 5.9% nationally. That measure has improved nationally but deteriorated locally. Building equity looks like it will be more of a slog for buyers who started down the home ownership trail late in metro Denver, and they will need to watch their footing. But patience will still be rewarded, Fisher argues.

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