Every Opening and Closing This Week: Nine New Spots To Try

Last year, the original Hong Kong Station in Centennial, which opened in 2020, was named one of the top 100 Chinese restaurants in the U.S. It also added a Hong Kong Station 2Go outpost in southeast Denver in 2024, where customers could pick up such favorites as Szechuan fried chicken and Hong Kong-style French toast.

This week, the business expanded again, this time to East Colfax Avenue, where Hong Kong Station 3 debuted in a space that most recently held a short-lived outpost of Chuey Fu’s Latin-Asian Grub, as well as a Noodles & Company before that. This location is much larger than the first two, with plenty of seating for hungry fans inside.

It’s just the latest addition to the still-under-construction Colfax, where, despite traffic woes, spots like Ma’s Kitchen, Japon and the Lowbeam have all recently opened.

Another familiar Chinese food spot has now reopened on Federal Boulevard. Happy Cafe closed earlier this year when its owners took over the former Super Star Asian Cuisine, transforming it into Harbor Dim Sum & Cuisine. Though there was a “for sale” sign on the Happy Cafe space when we drove by last month, it’s now back under the same owners with a slight name change: Happy Cafe Express.

Two food halls welcomed new tenants this week, as chefs Tommy Lee and Michael Diaz de Leon debuted their buzzy taqueria Molino Chido at Stanley Marketplace, while Saturday marks Biker Jim’s first official day at his new Avanti stall.

Anna’s has brought its popular doughnuts and burritos to South Broadway and Evans; further north at Broadway and 11th Avenue, SelvaSur has opened its first coffee house in the former Cherry Bean space.

Up in Broomfield, Rosai Indian Kitchen recently started serving.

Two new bars round out this week’s additions. Fin N Tonic has opened next to Los Chingones RiNo, serving cocktails and seafood bites, including raw oysters. Meanwhile, Sidebar, the evening concept at Revision Coffee, now takes over that spot at 2 p.m. every Tuesday through Sunday.

We also reported five closures this week, starting with a sad farewell to Pete’s University Cafe. We hope its closure will allow the Contos family to strengthen their remaining businesses, including Colfax staples Pete’s Satire Lounge and Pete’s Kitchen.

A reader alerted us to the loss of Majestic Saloon, an Aurora bar that Westword contributor Sarah McGill visited back in 2019.

Despite outcry from neighbors, the Chili’s near I-25 and Hampden did indeed serve its last Tripple Dipper on November 12. And hard kombucha taproom Blind Tiger Lounge, which was opened by the founder of Hooch Booch in late 2022, has shut its doors at Backyard at Blake. Its last day was November 14, but staff will be on-site selling decor, furniture, refrigerators and more after November 17.

And finally, another chain downtown bid farewell as Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. closed its only Colorado location after nearly two decades on California Street.

Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened and closed this week*

Openings

Anna’s Donuts & Burritos, 2120 South Broadway
Biker Jim’s at Avati, 3200 Pecos Street
Fin N Tonic, 2641 Larimer Street
Happy Cafe Express, 945 South Federal Boulevard
Hong Kong Station 3, 2205 East Colfax Avenue
Molino Chido at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas Street, Aurora
Rosai Indian Kitchen, 8181 Arista Place, Broomfield
SelvaSur, 1111 Broadway
Sidebar, 3463 Walnut Street

Closures

The Blind Tiger Lounge, 3040 Blake Street
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., 1437 California Street
Chili’s, 3625 South Monaco Street Parkway
Majestic Saloon, 3140 South Parker Road, Aurora
Pete’s University Park Cafe, 2345 East Evans Avenue

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

Know of something we missed? Email cafe@westword.com.