Work & Class, a New Restaurant, Will Open in RiNo, Along With Other Retailers

The North part of Larimer Street has been an attractive stretch of land for restaurateurs seeking the next edgy frontier that remains in the urban core. The corner of Larimer and 25th is about to get much hotter with the addition of Work & Class, a new restaurant from local restaurant veterans Delores Tronco and Tony Maciag.

Work & Class will combine the Peruvian roasted meats tradition with the American soul food model that takes the meat and combines it with different side dishes. The name came to Tronco and Maciag in a conversation about why they would not put a terrine on the menu of their future restaurant. "It's a working class place and we are working class people," said Tronco. "We want to make good quality food that stays away from the fuss," she added.

Delores Tronco has been in the hospitality industry for several years, most recently serving as a manager at Steuben's and Ace. She is a founding member and principal organizer of the Justice League of Street Food, a band of food trucks that pioneered street food pop-up parties in Denver four years ago and included the city's most popular eateries on wheels. Tony Maciag has spent a couple of decades in the service industry with recent stops at Euclid Hall, Row 14, and Rioja. The two met at Euclid Hall two and a half years ago. Within weeks, they were dating, "and the rest is history," Tronco says. When Work & Class opens, Tronco will handle the behind-the-scenes operations while still maintaining a presence on the floor and Maciag will serve as general manager of the restaurant.

Work & Class will be housed in a new 7360 square foot building located on the North East corner of 25th and Larimer. The project, 25th and Larimer, broke ground today. Brainchild of Gravitas, a real estate development company that offices only one door down, 25th and Larimer aims to create a space that enhances the businesses within. Gravitas is working with architect Matt Davis of Studio 11b Architecture to create what will likely be the first building of its kind in Denver: a structure that will combine 29 reclaimed shipping containers previously used for transporting goods around the world.

The space for Work & Class is 1400 square feet and will include 55 seats. A spacious 650 square feet patio that overlooks downtown and the mountains will provide additional seating as the weather permits. To start off, Work & Class will be open for dinner only Tuesday through Sunday. The anticipated timeline for the opening is late fall.

Huckleberry Roasters, a small-batch local coffee roaster, will be opening a small cafe providing coffee service and light fare in the same building. Other retailers, including Topo Designs, will join the street-level spaces. There is a second level to the building that will be available for offices.

Just across the street, chef Troy Guard is working on opening two new concepts, a taqueria and a dessert restaurant/bakery both set to open in the fall.

· Troy Guard to Open a Taqueria and a Dessert Restaurant in the RiNo Neighborhood [EDen]
· Huckleberry Roasters Joins RiNo at 28th and Larimer [EDen]