ChoLon Chef Lon Symensma Announces Gather, a New Cafe Downtown

Chef Lon Symensma of ChoLon and the Flow Restaurant Group will grow their culinary footprint in Denver with Gather, a new café and lounge, set to open in the historic Rocky Mountain Bank Note building under the same roof as Galvanize, a Denver-based digital startup hub.

Gather will provide a comfortable community space for the company located in the building, but also a destination for the surrounding businesses and residents. The café and lounge aims to be a place where people convene to exchange ideas while having access to exceptional food for breakfast and lunch and as well as at the end of the work day during happy hour.

The menu, crafted by chef Lon Symensma, will include house-made pastries like scones and muffins, as well as oatmeal and granola. Breakfast staples like bagels with house- cured salmon will be available daily. The lunch offerings will stay in line with the simplicity of the breakfast and will include salads, soups, and sandwiches. While simplicity will guide the tone of the menu, Symensma will provide his own interpretations on dishes Specialties might include dishes — the "Rue"Bahn Mi is an example of such an adaptation by Symensma, from classic deli sandwich to Vietnamese street food.

To complement the food, Gather will bring in a rotating assortment of fresh squeezed juices, along with a superior coffee program by Ninety Plus, as well as a large selection of Colorado beers on tap. A full liquor bar is in the works.

"I don't want to in a box - the chef who cooks Asian food. I want people to know that versatility is important, that I can cook Italian and Asian and Mediterranean and French," said Symensma last month when Eater sat down with him and talked about future ventures. While Gather does not appear to attempt to push the culinary envelope, it is certainly a big departure from the style that Symensma established at ChoLon.

Gather is slotted to open in December to serve breakfast, lunch, snacks, and happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

· All ChoLon Coverage [EDen]
· The 38 Essential Denver Restaurants, October '12 [EDen]