Denver's Most Anticipated Fall Restaurant Openings

Fall means many things for Denver — autumn beers, festivals, squash season, golden aspen leaves, and new restaurants — in general, a bunch of stuff everyone should be pretty darn excited about. The group of restaurants that are about to take our city by storm in coming months are certainly something to celebrate. Here now, eight flashy restaurant previews for the season.

Kachina Southwestern Grill
Address: 10600 Westminster Blvd.
Major Player(s): Executive Chef Patrick Harnett, Mixology Consultant Devlin Darlington Devore, Bar Manager John Martinez
The Scoop: Kachina, a Sage Restaurant Group concept, will open in the Westin Westminster — a space formerly occupied by O's Steak & Seafood. Chef Harnett's Southwestern menu showcases dishes inspired by Santa Fe, and offers a variety of traditional cowboy grub heightened with the finesse of French technique. Since the restaurant will be open inside of a hotel, guest can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Opening Date: September 6, 2012

Gaetano's Restaurant
Address: 3760 Tejon St.
Major Player(s): Chef Christopher Cina, Cocktail Consultants Matty Durgin and Ken Kodys, Bar Manger Kyle West
The Scoop: Gaetano's, a North Denver institution dating back to the 1940's, will make its debut on September 15th after weeks of renovation. Though originally owned by the three "connected" Smaldone brothers, Gaetano's is now owned by the Wynkoop/Breckenridge group and has undergone both an internal renovation and a major menu upgrade.
Projected Opening Date: September 15, 2012

The Populist
Address: 3163 Larimer St.
Major Player(s): Jonathan Power, Noah Price
The Scoop: The creators of Crema Coffeehouse will open The Populist, a restaurant just blocks away from their popular coffee mecca. Price told Eater back in August that the space would feel similar to Crema, with an emphasize on community dining. The Populist will feature a variety of small plates meant for sharing every evening, with nearly everything priced in favor of diners on a budget.
Projected Opening Date: Mid-September

Punch Bowl Social
Address: 65 S. Broadway
Major Player(s): Chef/Restaurateur Robert Thompson, Executive Chef Sergio Romero, Beverage Director Anika Zappe
The Scoop: Punch Bowl Social, an upscale bowling alley-meets-diner (Punch Bowl being the bowling component, Social Food & Drink referring to the diner), has been on Denver's culinary radar since 2010. Next month, after years of anticipation, Thompson will open his swanky, Broadway establishment to the masses. Look for modern diner fare and sophisticated craft cocktails.
Projected Opening Date: October 20, 2012

Jelly, East Evans
Address: 1700 E. Evans Ave.
Major Player(s): Owners Josh Epps and Christina Smith
The Scoop: Cap Hill's much-adored Jelly Cafe will expand with a second location near the University of Denver in the former Tokyo Joe's space on East Evans. While the second Jelly Cafe was slated to open last month, Epps tells Eater that setbacks have pushed the opening to mid-October. Epps says the new location will have the same retro vibe with an expanded menu (more doughnuts!).
Projected Opening Date: October 2012

Tom's Urban 24
Address: 1460 Larimer St.
Major Player(s): Tom Ryan
The Scoop: Toms's Urban 24 is named after Tom Ryan, managing partner and chief concept officer at Consumer Capital Partners — he's also one of the guys who brought us Smashburger. The 24-hour diner will serve updated classics, including new school diner dishes.
Projected Opening Date: October 2012

Corner House
Address: 2240 Clay St.
Major Player(s):James Iacino, Scott Kinsey
The Scoop: Corner House, a 50-seat restaurant brought to Denver by Seattle Fish Co. president James Iacino, will feature a Colorado-based cocktail program utilizing top tier liquors from the region, as well as Colorado beers and Infinite Monkey Theorem wines. The kitchen will focus on a variety of small plates that emphasize local and organic ingredients. Executive chef TBA.
Projected Opening Date: October 2012

Southern Hospitality
Address: 1433 17th St.
Major Player(s): Ryan Tedder, Victor Matthews
The Scoop:The Southern Hospitality Franchisee Holding Corp., based in New York City and co-founded by pop icon Justin Timberlake, will open in Denver's historic St. Elmo Hotel this November. Ryan Tedder, Colorado Springs native/lead singer of One Republic/Southern Hospitality co-owner, encouraged a Denver franchise to bring his restaurant back home. The restaurant will specialize in barbecue and bourbon flights.
Projected Opening Date: November 2012

WINTER '12/SPRING '13 OPENINGS

St. Ellie
Address: 1553 Platte St.
Major Player(s): Chef/Owner Nelson Perkins, Bar Manager/Partner Kevin Burke
The Scoop: St. Ellie has been in the works for months, an hopefully (fingers crossed!), the speakeasy/cocktail parlor will open this winter/early spring. Chef/owner Nelson Perkins is still waiting for all the proper permits, but once the concept takes full flights, guests can expect an extended dining room for Colt & Gray, a private dining space, and a charcuterie production center — all under the same roof.
Projected Opening Date: Late 2012/Early 2013

Pinche Taqueria, Highlands
Address:3300 W. 32nd Ave.
Major Player(s): Chef/Owner Kevin Morrison
The Scoop: Denver's famed Pinche Taqueria has become one of the hottest restaurants in the city, and in less than a year of opening, chef/owner Kevin Morrison is already gearing-up to open a second location. Morrison on the new location: "The design will be very similar. We're going to incorporate some different textures in the new space with more iron, beams and metals. It will be a little more open and airy. The kitchen will definitely be more open, and we'll have barstools around it so people can see what's going on and take shots with the taco-makers."
Projected Opening Date: January 2013

Old Major
Address: 3316 Tejon St.
Major Player(s): Chef/Owner Justin Brunson, GM Jonathan Greschler
The Scoop: Described as a "swine, wine and seafood restaurant" when first reported by Cafe Society, Old Major is the latest concept to come from chef Justin Brunson — a co-owner of Masterpiece Deli. From Cafe Society: "Once the site of a roller rink, the 3,000-square-foot quarters, which have been vacant for decades, will boast garage doors, a barrel ceiling, exposed brick walls, an 800-square-foot open kitchen and an in-house curing program that Brunson says will be front and center in the dining room."
Projected Opening Date: Early 2013

The Source
Address:3350 Brighton Blvd.
Major Player(s): Developer Kyle Zeppelin, Rayme Rossello of Comida Cantina, Chad Yakoboson of Crooked Stave, and other TBA tenants.
The Scoop: The Source — a beer, meat, retail, cheese, bakery, coffee community — will take form inside an old and tarnished warehouse on Brighton Boulevard, which is just minutes away from Zeppelin's Taxi development. The urban market will feature two restaurants (Comida Cantina #2 confirmed, the other TBA), a Crooked Stave Artisan Beer brewing pilot system, a butcher, a coffee roaster, a distillery, and a couple retail outlets.
Projected Opening Date: Early 2013

Chain Lightning
Address: 1215 20th St.
Major Player(s): Chef/Owner Justin Cucci
The Scoop: While little is known about chef/owner Justin Cucci's latest project, the fact remains this: Cucci loves music and he plans on fusing his passions for food, innovation and live music together. Cucci has yet to announce whether his new restaurant/music venue will indeed be called Chain Lightning (as advertised on the liquor license application), but whatever it's called, it likely bound for cult success. Cucci told Cafe Society that the new venue "personifies 'death (Linger), gasoline (Root Down) and sex.'"
Projected Opening Date: Early/Mid 2013