Everything Old Is New Again: A Second Helping of Cafe Society, February 2-6

Two local favorites that presaged the Denver restaurant boom by several years and garnered early attention for the city's national dining reputation reopened this week after makeovers. Rioja swung open the doors on Wednesday to a refresh which modernized the space after ten years on Larimer Square. Fruition is doing...

By Westword Staff

February 6, 2015

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Two local favorites that presaged the Denver restaurant boom by several years and garnered early attention for the city's national dining reputation reopened this week after makeovers. Rioja swung open the doors on Wednesday to a refresh which modernized the space after ten years on Larimer Square. Fruition is doing the same today, with a new look and a few throwback menu items to celebrate its eighth anniversary.

Meanwhile, we were busy renovating our list of the ten best Chinese restaurants in Denver, since two of our old favorites -- Chef Liu's Authentic Chinese Cuisine and East Asia Garden -- closed last year.

And when it comes to renew, reuse and recycle, these breweries are making the most of used whiskey barrels from Laws Whiskey House, a craft spirits maker from the original distiller at Stranahan's.

The guys at Butcher's Bistro remodeled the dining room that was most recently home to Jeff Osaka's Twelve; Gretchen Kurtz dropped by for a few meals to break down the nose-to-tail menu. In other news:

OPENING THIS WEEK* Copper Hound Coffee Co., 2137 South Sheridan Boulevard The French Press Cafe & Bakery, 7323 West Alaska Drive, Lakewood Kobe An, 231 Milwaukee Street School House Kitchen and Libations, 5560 Olde Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada

REOPENING THIS WEEK* Fruition (after remodel), 1313 East 6th Avenue Rioja (after remodel), 1431 Larimer Street

CLOSING THIS WEEK* Emilio's Mexican Restaurant, 338 East Colfax Avenue Indulge French Bistro, 4140 West 38th Avenue La Scala Trattoria, 282 South Logan Street Rustic Tavern, 5126 West 29th Avenue Teriyaki Madness, 2720 South Colorado Boulevard

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