Guerrero, who was the corporate chef at Il Vicino, a national pizza chain headquartered in Albuquerque, when the first Denver store opened in 2000 at 550 Broadway, says the Colorado outpost of Mangiamo Pronto will be similar to his Santa Fe operation -- but with a few significant upgrades. "In Santa Fe, I do really simple, straightforward food like salads and panini, and we'll do those in Denver, too, but I also want to have a salumi and cheese bar, handmade pastas, a fish and meat special every day and a full bar, which we don't have in Santa Fe," he told me.
When I asked Guerrero why he chose Denver for his next location, he stopped short of saying we were the most wonderful people in the world, but he came close: "Denver is a little city that feels like a bit city, and I've met some of the nicest people anywhere in Denver. I fell in love with it when I spent time there. It really is the best choice for us."
Welcome to the neighborhood.