The Kitchen [Next Door], Alex Seidel, and Snooze Going into the Union Station Project

Today, at a fancy press conference downtown at the Oxford Hotel, Larimer Associates and their partners announced the first group of restaurants going until the Union Station project. The project, set to open July 2014, will include well-loved Denver area restaurants like the Kitchen [Next Door], Snooze, and new restaurant and market concept from chef Alex Seidel of Fruition.

The three locally-owned restaurants will open in the train terminal next year, each featuring a large patio for outdoor dining. The project, set in a century old building, will include an extensive transportation hub, an attractive line-up of locally-owned restaurants and shops, and a new 112 room boutique hotel. From this 125,000 square foot building, RTD lines will connect the downtown area to surrounding communities, but will also provide a direct railway to the Denver International Airport.

The Kitchen [Next Door], a restaurant that got its start in Boulder as the Kitchen nearly nine years ago, will open its more casual iteration in close proximity to Denver location of the Kitchen, set at 16th and Wazee. The Union Station version will occupy 4,432 square feet at the south end of Union Station. Co-owners Hugo Matheson and Kimbal Musk were in attendance today at the press conference. "It was a long road and we're exited to finally be here," Musk said emphasizing his excitement for bringing a community pub focused on simple food and Colorado beers to this landmark building.

Alex Seidel of Fruition has worked for a couple of years on a new concept for this location, a generous space that will absorb nearly 4,900 square feet at the North end of the building. "We are floating around a couple names for the place, but nothing has been decided yet," Seidel said. The chef, who was among FOOD & WINE's Top New Chefs in 2010, is planning to open a restaurant and European-like market that will include lots of products from his farm in Larkspur. "We see the market as an important component of our business offering quick service but a European feel," Seidel explained. "The whole idea at Union Station and the market is preservation, preservation. We will feature local products that showcase canning methods and more- things like duck confit in a jar and sturgeon in a jar," Seidel added.

In a 2,000 square foot space on the South end of the building, Snooze, A.M. Eatery will serve breakfast and lunch daily at Union Station from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. "This will be smaller than our normal foot print and will give us the opportunity breakfast taco and other options to go for people on the way to the airport." Denver entrepreneurs John and Adam Schlagel opened the first Snooze in the Ballpark neighborhood in 2006. Snooze now features five Colorado locations as well as a restaurant in San Diego. "We are thrilled to take part in such a historic and special place in Denver. Doing this alongside such incredible restaurants is an honor and we can't wait to bring our energy and breakfast to the station," Adam Schlagel said.

Larimer Associated promised that more exciting announcements are forthcoming for Union Station.

· Kate Kaufman of The Kitchen Denver on the Downtown Location [EDen]
· Del Frisco's Grille Coming to Cherry Creek [EDen]