Good Signs on East Colfax: Two More New Restaurants Coming Soon

No matter how you feel about the BRT lanes that will eventually run along the center of East Colfax Avenue, it’s undeniable that the blocked-off streets and sidewalks are hitting the businesses there now hard.

Pete’s Kitchen has been suffering , as have longtime staples like Lion’s Lair and the Squire. Both Middleman and Q House are now closed, while the entrances of newer additions such as Champagne Tiger and Mama Jo’s Biscuits & BBQ are blocked off and difficult to access.

But there are some signs of hope, too. A new bar, the Low Beam, is getting ready to shine in Middleman’s former space this month. And Ma’s Kitchen, a dim sum and noodles spot, is now open in the former Tacos Tequila Whiskey space at York Street and Colfax (it had been empty since Rolling Pin Pizza closed in August 2024).

Now, there are two more good signs: “coming soon” signs.

The closure of brunch spot Fox Run Cafe at East Colfax and Madison Street a year ago was a sad loss for the neighborhood, but there was hope for the space when Bakery Four announced its plans to add a second outpost there in January. That didn’t pan out, but a new banner for Japon is now up, promising sushi, ramen, hibachi and teriyaki.

There was once a restaurant called Japon on Old South Gaylord; it closed over a decade ago. We have not yet confirmed whether this spot has any relationship to that long-gone eatery from Miki Hashimoto, but we do know that it has different owners from the Japon Sushi & Asian Cuisine that opened in Aurora last month. That restaurant is owned by James and Mira So.

Over at East Colfax and Gaylord Street, Hong Kong Station is set to open its third location. Last year, the original in Centennial was named among the best Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.; open since 2020, it offers a long list of Cantonese, Szechuan and Americanized Chinese food dishes. Its second outpost, Hong Kong Station 2Go, opened in the Hampden neighborhood in 2024 and was our 2025 Best of Denver pick for Best Chinese To-Go.

The future home of Hong Kong Station 3 was most recently a short-lived outpost of Chuey Fu’s Latin-Asian Grub, and a Noodles & Company before that. It’s next door to Yahya’s Mediterranean Grill & Pastries; a third space in the building is still up for lease.

Once this new addition opens, those in the area will have a very tough choice when ordering Chinese takeout: Pepper, Peter’s Chinese or Hong Kong Station? You can’t go wrong with any of them.