Denver, CO
The 10 most-anticipated restaurant openings for Denver in 2023
From the reopening of a soul meals staple to a Texas burger chain to a contemporary tackle conventional Vietnamese delicacies, these 10 eating places ought to be in your eating bucket record in 2023.
Some tendencies we’re noticing amongst these deliberate openings: current eateries are discovering new areas to remain in enterprise; fashionable quick meals chains are persevering with to make the leap to Colorado; and up-and-coming cooks are able to tackle the chance of a brand new restaurant once more.
Listed here are the ten most-anticipated restaurant openings round Denver in 2023.
Casa Bonita
Colorado received its Christmas want in December with the announcement of a Casa Bonita opening date. “South Park” creators and Casa Bonita house owners Trey Parker and Matt Stone mentioned they plan to reopen the doorways of the well-known Lakewood eatertainment venue in Could with well-known native chef Dana Rodriguez behind the burners.
The unique plan was to reopen by late 2022, and the restaurant — which has been closed for the reason that starting of the pandemic — made our record of anticipated openings a yr in the past, however Stone and Parker bumped into some unexpected challenges with the constructing’s renovation. In keeping with metropolis allowing paperwork and development plans, the renovations will price about $12 million.
6715 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood; casabonitadenver.com
Sap Sua
Cooks Anna and Anthony Nguyen moved again to Colorado from California two years in the past with the thought to start out their very own restaurant, and after a collection of pop-up previews that garnered lots of consideration from Denver foodies, the couple has lastly secured a location.
In April 2023, the Nguyens plan to open Sap Sua, a Vietnamese restaurant, in Congress Park. Anthony is a first-generation Vietnamese American, and the menu will embrace a few of his household recipes with a twist, reminiscent of a charred cabbage dish primarily based on his mom’s recipe.
2550 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; sapsua.com
Hey Kiddo
Followers of Kelly Whitaker, the Denver chef behind extremely acclaimed eating places like The Wolf’s Tailor, Basta and Bruto, will get one other style of his abilities with the opening of Hey Kiddo on the third flooring of the Asher boutique lodge in Berkeley early in 2023. Hey Kiddo’s menu will not be but totally fleshed out, however Whitaker mentioned the fashion will likely be New American, and he’s collaborating with a San Francisco chef on some Korean-inspired dishes. There may also be a 16-seat cocktail lounge known as Okay Yeah.
4337 Tennyson St., Denver; hk-oy.com
Molotov Kitschen and Cocktails
When you miss Insurgent Restaurant as a lot as I do then rejoice at Bo Porytko’s plans to open an Jap European restaurant known as Molotov Kitschen and Cocktails in January. Molotov is an ode to Porytko’s Ukrainian grandparents, and its menu will likely be primarily based on conventional delicacies from Ukraine, Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and Georgia. Dishes will embrace elk Sauerbraten, braised duck and bitter cherry borscht, patychky (Ukrainian meat on a stick) and rabbit in a clay pot.
3333 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; molotovdenver.com
Welton Road Cafe
It’s been practically two years since Welton Road Cafe closed its doorways in 5 Factors, as a result of a landlord disagreement. And we’re counting down the times till the soul meals mainstay reappears in a bigger, newer location down the block from its unique area, the place proprietor Fathima Dickerson mentioned they plan to interrupt floor this month. A gap is penciled in for summer season.
After elevating cash via a short lived takeout area and a GoFundMe marketing campaign, the Dickerson household feels assured within the transfer and is able to present Denverites with its oxtail stew, catfish and fried hen as soon as extra. Till then, the enterprise continues to be providing catering.
2883 Welton St., Denver; fb.com/weltonstcafe
Bistro Vendome
After practically 20 years in a garden-like setting in Larimer Sq., Bistro Vendome closed its doorways on Jan. 1 and can transfer to Park Hill early in 2023. The French restaurant will get to reinvent itself when it takes over the previous house of Tables, one other long-lived restaurant that closed in August.
James Beard award-winning chef and co-owner Jen Jasinski and head chef Jeremy Wolgamott have mentioned they need to deliver the identical “Bistro Vendome really feel” to Park Hill with a patio, plus its traditional nightly dinner and weekend brunch service.
2267 Kearney St., Denver; bistrovendome.com
Kings of Wings Faucet & Tequila
When you’ve been struggling with out Kings of Wings because it closed in December 2021 as a result of a fireplace, you’ll be glad to listen to that not solely is its unique restaurant reopening subsequent yr, however the house owners are including a second, bigger location in Golden.
King of Wings Faucet & Tequila is taking on the two,800-square-foot former house of Colorado Plus Cidery & Pub in Golden. The brand new area will embrace all of King of Wings’ signature sauces and grilled (not fried) wings, a tequila bar, margaritas and a faucet wall that includes 29 native beers.
7741 W. forty fourth Ave., Wheat Ridge; 1100 Arapahoe St., Golden; king-of-wings.com
El Rancho
El Rancho’s closure this summer season left a brewery-sized gap in Evergreen. However the native landmark will return underneath new possession and the culinary steering of Bonanno Ideas, which owns eating places like Mizuna, Luca, Ostera Marco and Denver Milk Market. El Rancho is anticipated to start serving house-made beer and meals, impressed by Russell’s Smokehouse, which the restaurant group closed on the finish of 2022, and infused with Latin taste, in January.
29260 US-40, Evergreen; elrancho-colorado.com
Wealthy Spirit Bagels
This summer season, followers of Bakery 4’s bagels can skip the road for its pastries and head to a brand new bagel store, Wealthy Spirit Bagels, inside Wheat Ridge’s Gold’s Market improvement. Clients can anticipate to see the identical basic choices Bakery 4 has on its menu now, like every thing bagels, sesame bagels and salt bagels, in addition to different flavors like inexperienced chile, cheddar or cinnamon crunch. There may also be some bagel and lox and egg sandwich choices.
10081 W. twenty sixth Ave., Wheat Ridge; instagram.com/getrichspirit
Whataburger and In-N-Out Burger
Texas-based Whataburger made its Colorado debut in 2022 with the opening of two areas in Colorado Springs. And the burger chain, identified for its honey butter hen biscuits and spicy ketchup, introduced in November that it plans to open 4 extra franchise areas in northern and southern Colorado Springs by the top of 2023. Hopefully, Denver is subsequent.
5905 Structure Ave.; 2495 Montebello Sq. Drive; 1105 Backyard of the Gods Rd.; 702 E. Fillmore, Colorado Springs; whataburger.com
California-based In-N-Out Burger, however, is opening its first Denver location subsequent yr in Central Park after having already delighted burger lovers in Aurora, Lone Tree, Lakewood, Thornton, Citadel Rock and Colorado Springs. Clients ought to anticipate to get their animal-style fries someday within the subsequent few weeks or months as the corporate is nearing the ultimate phases of development, based on a spokesperson, though there is no such thing as a set opening date but.
4597 N. Central Park Blvd., Central Park; in-n-out.com
Subscribe to our new meals publication, Stuffed, to get Denver foods and drinks information despatched straight to your inbox.
Denver, CO
Laws Whiskey House opens two-story bar and lounge in Denver
Laws Whiskey House this weekend will unveil the pièce de résistance of the two-story addition to its Denver distillery: A sprawling upstairs bar and lounge with a twilight view of the mountains.
Distillery co-founder Al Laws spent seven years overseeing the construction of the 4,000-square-foot Whiskey Sanctuary, located at 80 W. Arkansas Ave. between South Broadway and the light-rail line. The upstairs lounge is the last section to open in the new space, which includes a tour room, a small bar and sectionals downstairs.
A spiral staircase with tall white balusters leads to the new floor. (There is also an elevator.) Upstairs, the bar wraps around in a sleek oval with plenty of seating, while larger parties can settle down in the mid-century style sofas and chairs.
The tasting room serves ten signature cocktails using Laws liquors, such as a whiskey sour ($12) made with its Four Grain Bourbon. The bar incorporates the house-made Blanco agave spirit into the Siesta ($13), along with Campari, lime, grapefruit and organic agave nectar. There is also the Jungle Bird ($14), a boozy cocktail made with Aperol, pineapple, lime and an 85-proof rum named after Laws’ wife and distillery co-founder, Marianne.
Cocktail glasses sparkled in the dimly lit space during a soft opening last week. The sun had long set. Bordered by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the lounge, the backlit mountains dissolved into the night. Peyton Mason, the CFO of Laws, called it “the best seat in the house.”
A Laws packaging facility is visible from the lounge’s overlook. The company, which initially hoped to open the Whiskey Sanctuary by August or September, recently cut hours for two of its packaging employees due to the changing tides of the industry, Mason said. Laws employs fewer than 40 people, he said.
Flights and single pours are also available upstairs. Bar snacks include chorizo ($6) and veggie ($5) cones, almonds and olives ($5) and tinned fish at market price.
The ground floor opened a couple of months ago for distillery tours starting at $20 a person. Participants enter a room meant to resemble a chapel (Laws himself hand-carved the pews), walk into the distillery and exit through a small bar where they can order pours of bourbon and rye whiskey varieties.
Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.
Denver, CO
LA Chargers rally past Denver Broncos with first fair-catch kick since 1976
Trailing 21-13 at halftime Thursday night against the Denver Broncos, some wondered if the Los Angeles Chargers had any resolve left after going through their worst four-quarter stretch of the season.
The Chargers put some doubts to rest getting back on track and getting closer to wrapping up a playoff spot.
Justin Herbert passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 19-yarder to Derius Davis early in the fourth quarter, as the Chargers rallied for a 34-27 victory.
Los Angeles (9-6) have a 97% probability of making the playoffs with the win according to the NFL. They can wrap up their second postseason berth in three seasons Sunday with losses by Indianapolis and Miami.
“It was a total team effort by everyone. It was phenomenal,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “The test and challenge is how you are going to respond. They went back to work and stayed the course.”
The Chargers’ comeback also included Cameron Dicker making the first successful fair-catch kick in the NFL in 48 years. He was good from 57 yards on the final play of the first half to pull the Chargers to 21-13.
Denver (9-6) could have clinched a playoff spot but had their four-game winning streak snapped. The Broncos still have an 85% chance of making it, but they have tough remaining tests at Cincinnati on 28 December and at home against Kansas City in Week 18.
“Obviously, a disappointing loss. There was a lot at stake, and we know that,” Denver coach Sean Payton said. “We had a fast start, and then uncharacteristically this season, we didn’t finish or play nearly well enough in the second half, both offensively and defensively.”
The Broncos appeared well on their way to wrapping up their first postseason berth since 2015 after they scored on their first three drives to go up 21-10. But after Wil Lutz’s 41-yard field goal midway through the third quarter gave the Broncos a 24-13 advantage, the Chargers stormed back.
“First three drives, 21 points, and then just kind of stalled,” said Bo Nix, who completed 29 of 40 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns. “We got the same defense (in the second half). Just for whatever reason, we couldn’t get going.”
Gus Edwards – who had 14 carries for 68 yards – went off five yards off left end for his second touchdown of the game to get the Bolts within 24-19, but the two-point conversion was no good when Herbert was stopped short of the goal line.
Edwards also burrowed in from the 1 in the first quarter to tie it at 7.
After Denver went three-and-out for the second time in three possessions, the Chargers took their first lead. On first-and-10 from the Denver 19, Herbert – who completed 23 of 30 passes with an interception – scrambled left and threw across his body off his left foot to Davis with 12:29 remaining.
“We had him on a little bubble out of the backfield. I scrambled out, saw the pressure and he just turned upfield and made an incredible play,” Herbert said.
Herbert then found Joshua Palmer in the back of the end zone for the 2-point conversion. Palmer made a one-handed grab before going out of bounds to make it 27-24.
Los Angeles put it out of reach with 2:27 remaining on Herbert’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Hassan Haskins.
Lutz narrowly made a 55-yard field goal with 57 seconds remaining to get Denver within a touchdown, but Los Angeles’ Nick Niemann recovered the onside kick to dash any hopes of a comeback.
Herbert completed passes to 10 players, including Ladd McConkey, who had six receptions for 87 yards.
Nix had a pair of touchdown passes in the first half – a one-yard pass to Michael Burton off a rollout and a six-yard throw to Devaughn Vele in the left corner of the end zone – and completed 15 of 21 passes for 155 yards before halftime.
Audric Estime’s three-yard run off right guard gave the Broncos a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. It was only the third time this season Denver reached the end zone on their opening possession.
The Chargers were outscored 48-13 in four quarters that included the second half against Tampa Bay and first half against Denver.
Going into halftime, the defense had a stretch where it had allowed scores on 13 of 18 drives (including eight touchdowns) and forced only two punts in seven quarters.
Instead of Harbaugh addressing the team at halftime, it was safety Derwin James.
“I feel like, as players, we need to take it upon ourselves. This is our team too,” James said. “And I feel like, man, my message was simple. Man, it’s time for us to play ball. And I feel like, as a team, we just came out and did that. It was nothing rah, rah, rah. It was just, it’s time to go, man. It’s time for us to play our best ball in December, January. I feel like we did that today.”
Denver gained 212 yards on their first drive and 229 in the first half, but just 107 after halftime.
Coach Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers took advantage of a seldom-used fair-catch kick, which allows a team that has just made a fair catch to try a free kick for three points. The kick is attempted from the line of scrimmage, and the defending team must stand 10 yards away.
The Chargers were able to try it because Denver’s Tremon Smith committed fair-catch interference on what would have been the final play of the first half when Los Angeles’ Derius Davis attempted to field Riley Dixon’s punt at the Chargers 38.
The penalty moved the ball to the Denver 47 for an untimed down. The Chargers also were the last team to successfully execute a free kick when Ray Wersching converted from 45 yards for San Diego on 21 November 1976, against Buffalo.
Denver, CO
Bo Nix 1-yard touchdown puts Denver back in front 14-7
Denver has had two possessions in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
So far, the Broncos have executed them perfectly — scoring another touchdown to go back up 14-7.
Quarterback Bo Nix tossed a 1-yard score to cap the 12-play, 70-yard drive.
Nix prevented a three-and-out and moved the chains with a 10-yard scramble on third-and-9. Then a few plays later, Nix hit receiver Devaughn Vele for a 15-yard gain to put Denver at the Los Angeles 33.
After the quarter break, the Broncos moved down to the 11-yard line with back-to-back 4- and 18-yard completions to receiver Courtland Sutton — his first touches of the game.
A couple of plays later, Nix connected with fullback Michael Burton on the right side for a 1-yard touchdown to put the Broncos back up by a touchdown.
That was Nix’s 21st touchdown pass of his rookie season.
Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman, who is active after missing the last four games with a groin injury, was examined in the medical tent before sitting back on the bench on the sideline.
-
Politics1 week ago
Canadian premier threatens to cut off energy imports to US if Trump imposes tariff on country
-
Technology1 week ago
Inside the launch — and future — of ChatGPT
-
Technology6 days ago
OpenAI cofounder Ilya Sutskever says the way AI is built is about to change
-
Politics6 days ago
U.S. Supreme Court will decide if oil industry may sue to block California's zero-emissions goal
-
Technology7 days ago
Meta asks the US government to block OpenAI’s switch to a for-profit
-
Politics1 week ago
Conservative group debuts major ad buy in key senators' states as 'soft appeal' for Hegseth, Gabbard, Patel
-
Business5 days ago
Freddie Freeman's World Series walk-off grand slam baseball sells at auction for $1.56 million
-
Technology5 days ago
Meta’s Instagram boss: who posted something matters more in the AI age