2013 was a great year for restaurant openings from
Work & Class Ceiling Lights [Photo: Facebook]
WORK & CLASS
Where: RiNo, 2500 Larimer Street
What: Work & Class is a reflection of the working class roots that Tony, Dana, and Delores come from. As a restaurant, Work & Class can be described as "a square meal, a stiff drink, and a fair price." The design is industrial, and fits well into the building (made from 29 recycled shipping containers) as a whole.
Who: Delores Tronco- owner/chief operating officer, Tony Maciag-owner/general manager, Dana Rodriguez- owner/chef. Delores Tronco's background is as a strategic communications consultant. She left that job to open Euclid Hall as a manager and continued her path in the service industry by forming the Justice League of Street Food and going on to work at Steuben's, Vesta, and Ace. Tony Maciag is a veteran of the restaurant industry, having put in 20+ years in Denver alone. Some of his most memorable stints have been at Panzano (bar manager), Mel's (bar manager), Rioja (bartender), and Euclid Hall (general manager). Dana Rodriguez aka Loca moved to Denver 13 years ago and started work as a dishwasher at Panzano where she first met Maciag. Rodriguez worked her way up the ranks, became the sous chef at Rioja and later became the chef de cuisine at Bistro Vendome.
Anticipated opening: End of January.
· Work & Class, a New Restaurant, Will Open in RiNo, Along With Other Retailers [EDen]
FORMER FUTURE BREWING COMPANY
Where: Baker, 1290 South Broadway
What: The 2700 square foot brewery and taproom will focus on reinventing historical ideas, combining them with futuristic innovation, and making them better than they ever were. Designed by FinArt (most recently completed an install at the new Root Down at DIA, the space aims to transport the customer to a place embodying the past, the present, and the future.
Who: James and Sarah Howat. James serves as founder and chief beer officer. He has a BS in Microbiology from Colorado State University and is a former high school science teacher. Sarah is a founder and community builder for the brewery. She holds a BS in Marketing from Metro State College of Denver and has 10+ years work experience in the restaurant, bar, and club world.
Anticipated opening: Early February.
· Former Future Brewing Company Finds a Home on South Broadway [EDen]
· Nano Brewery Former Future Brewing Company to Open in 2013 [EDen]
CART DRIVER
Where: RiNo, 2500 Larimer Street
What: Inspired by the Autogrill, the Italian-style chain of truck stops, this casual eatery will serve simple food cooked in a wood-fired oven. A retail component will feature spices sourced from San Francisco's Le Sanctuaire, fresh pastas and grab-and-go items.
Who: Kelly Whitaker and Andrew Birkholz, the co-owners and pizzaioli at Basta.
Anticipated opening: Early 2014.
· Coming Attractions: Cart Driver [EDen]
[Photo:Courtesy of David Burke Group]
DAVID BURKE KITCHEN
Where: Aspen, 515 Hopkins Avenue.
What: The contemporary farm-to-table restaurant. The opening menu will include emblematic dishes at David Burke Kitchen like peanut butter maple bacon dates with fried grapes, potted duck and foie gras with citrus-maple glaze, and short ribs with wild mushroom, cavatelli, and black truffle mousse. There will also be signature items such as the dry-aged patented beef from the aging vault, the pretzel-crusted crab cakes, and the cheesecake lollipops.
Who: Acclaimed New York City restaurateur David Burke and chef Matthew O'Neill, who most recently served as executive chef at the Ajax Tavern located in Aspen's iconic Little Nell hotel. O'Neill has also worked alongside Tony Maws at Boston's celebrated Craigie On Main and at Daniel Boulud's Bar Boulud and Restaurant Daniel, both in New York City.
Anticipated opening: February.
· David Burke Kitchen Will Debut In February in Aspen [EDen]
GUARD & GRACE
Where: Downtown, 1801 California Street, main floor of the CenturyLink tower.
What: A 9,000 sq ft modern American steakhouse with an empahsis on wood-fired dishes. There will be a full bar, a wood-fired oven for meats but also pizzas, a raw bar and a 4,000-bottle cellar along with an outdoor lounge with fire pits.
Who: Restaurateur Troy Guard.
Anticipated opening: February.
· Troy Guard To Open New Steakhouse Downtown [EDen]
· The Taco Craze Continues: Troy Guard's Los Chingones Opens Today [EDen]
Frank Bonanno [Photo: Food Republic]
SALT & GRINDER
Where: Highland, 3609 W. 32nd Avenue, former Venue Bistro space.
What: Meat-curing emporium and sandwich shop in the former space that housed Venue Bistro.
Who: Acclaimed restaurateur Frank Bonanno who will add this eleventh venture to his Denver restaurant empire.
Anticipated opening: Late winter/early spring.
· Former Venue Space Will Become a New Frank Bonanno Venture [EDen]
· Venue Closes Its Doors Quietly [EDen]
THE KITCHEN FORT COLLINS
Where: Fort Collins, 100 N. College Avenue
What: A third outpost of the Boulder-based The Kitchen, a farm-to-table restaurant. The group is also opening locations of [Next Door] in Union Station and at City Set in Glendale, but the Fort Collins location of the original concept is by far the most notable move in their empire building this year.
Who: Owners Kimbal Musk and Hugo Matheson.
Anticipated opening: Early spring.
· After City Set and Fort Collins, the Kitchen Will Go Out-of-State [EDen]
SOLITAIRE
Where: Highlands, 3927 W 32nd Avenue, former Highland's Garden Café.
What: A restaurant featuring diversified world cuisine and a comfortable bar.
Who: Mark Ferguson, formerly of Spago in Vail and Las Vegas.
Anticipated opening: Spring.
· Solitaire Will Open in the Former Highland Garden Café [EDen]
· Solitaire Restaurant [Official Website]
SARTO'S
Where: Jefferson Park, 2900 West 25th Avenue
What: An Italian restaurant focused on seasonal eating and fresh ingredients. The chef promises an extensive pasta program as well as meats and birds prepared in a big great pizza oven Florentine style. The eatery will offer pizza in the retail space, which will also feature house-made fresh pastas and sauces, grab-and-go salads, soups, panini, and more.
Who: Chef Brian Laird
Anticipated opening: Early summer.
· Denver FIVE Cook at the James Beard House Tonight [EDen]
· Sarto's Brian Laird Talks Pasta and Passion for Italy [Zagat]
ARGYLL WHISKY BEER
Where: Uptown, 1035 E 17th Avenue, former Las Margaritas space
What: The reincarnation of the gastro-pub that became popular in Cherry Creek but shuttered over two years ago. The food program will be led by accomplished chef John Broening. The new venture will put an emphasis on the beverage program which will include the largest whisky library in the state of Colorado with an emphasis on single malt whiskys.
Who: Restaurateur Robert Thompson (Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar, Punch Bowl Social) and chef John Broening (Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar, Spuntino).
Anticipated opening: Summer.
· Argyll Will Reopen In The Former Las Margaritas Space [EDen]
· Le Grand Bistro Brings Chef John Broening on Board [EDen]
· Robert Thompson and The Revival of Brasserie Dining at Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar [EDen]
STOIC & GENUINE
Where: LoDo, Union Station Development
What: An iconic fish house in the tradition of the oyster bar in New York's Grand Central Station. Guests should anticipate New England regional favorites such as lobster and clam rolls, whole Maine lobsters, a selection of the freshest oysters, raw and smoked fish preparations, a fish sandwich, among others, but also other styles of food, say an Italian crude or a Mexican ceviche.
Who: Jennifer Jasinski, the James Beard-winning chef and partner Beth Gruitch, the duo behind Euclid Hall, Bistro Vendôme, and Rioja along with chef Jorel Pierce, currently at Euclid Hall.
Anticipated opening: July.
· Chef Jennifer Jasinski Will Open Stoic & Genuine in Union Station [EDen]
· The Kitchen [Next Door], Alex Seidel, and Snooze Going into the Union Station Project [EDen]
MERCANTILE DINING & PROVISION
Where: LoDo, Union Station Development
What: A venture that will include two concepts in one- a restaurant and market. The 75 seat restaurant will serve dinner only while the market will provide
Who: Chef Alex Seidel of Fruition Restaurant and Fruition Farms and his partners—wine director Stephanie Caraway and chef de cuisine Matt Vawter.
Anticipated opening: July.
· Alex Seidel Reveals Details for Mercantile Dining & Provision [5280]
· The Kitchen [Next Door], Alex Seidel, and Snooze Going into the Union Station Project [EDen]
What else should you look for in 2014? Atticus, a collaboration between the teams at Table 6 and Boone's Tavern will open for breakfast, lunch and dinner at 1125 E. Evans Avenue. Glazed and Confused Doughnuts will open in April adding fuel to the doughnut fire that began with Voodoo Doughnut in Denver. The other openings in Union Station, Snooze and [Next Door] will certainly add to the food emporium planned for the historic building. And Pizzeria Locale will open two more locations of its casual concept in Denver.
Stay hungry Denver!
· The 38 Essential Denver Restaurants, October '13 [EDen]
· Marijuana-Laden Desserts, Fancy Ice: Headline Predictions for 2014 [EDen]
· Most Anticipated Openings of 2013 [EDen]
· Snarf's Will Add New Locations By the Fall [EDen]
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