Coperta Parts Ways with Chef Bob Blair, Adds Breakfast and Lunch Walk-Up Counter

One of the most popular additions to the restaurant scene in 2016, siblings Paul and Aileen Reilly’s Coperta, has lost some of its most potent back-of-the-house talent, chef Bob Blair. "I was missing too much," Blair said, expressing a desire to spend more time with his wife and 10-year-old daughter. Blair had joined the kitchen team that opened Coperta last summer as chef de cuisine. He previously owned and operated Fuel Café in RiNo, which shuttered last year. Reilly expressed his appreciation for the chef’s time with the Uptown Italian spot. Looking ahead, Blair is open to exploring work outside the kitchen. "Everything is on the table," he said.

On the bright side, Coperta menu updates are helping kick-off 2017. Coperta Da Asporto, the restaurant’s walk-up counter modeled after quick-service kiosks in Italian train stations, is open weekdays starting at 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekends. Located on the northeast corner of the restaurant, the satellite is serving grilled-to-order sandwiches, including prosciutto, egg and provolone and grilled kale, egg and cacio de Roma. Bonus: House-made pastries, a full espresso bar, grab and go sandwiches, as well as Coperta's full lunch and dinner menus are also available for take out.

If you want to dine-in, a new power lunch offering gets guests in and out in 45 minutes, with soup, salad, sandwiches, and pastas. At the end of the workday, the bar and restaurant will offer late-afternoon snacks and spirits, all priced under $10, starting at 4 p.m daily. Aperitivo dishes include sienese peppers ($2), polenta fritters ($3), cheese polpettine ($4), and a variety of inexpensive beverages.