Restaurant Roll Call: All the Openings and Closings for July 2017

July was a hot month — for both the weather and for Denver restaurateurs, who added to their portfolios with a whole batch of new eateries. Frank Bonanno debuted French 75 downtown; Lon Symensma brought Kaya Kitchen to Avanti Food & Beverage; Park Burger’s Jean-Philippe Failyau launched Birdcall in Five…

Palizo Italiano Slated to Open From a Familiar Name on Old South Pearl

A few weeks ago, an Italian flag was seen draped over the rooftop-patio guardrail at 1472 South Pearl Street, former home of Southern eatery Fourteen Seventy-Two. That, along with construction inside the building, gave us hope that an Italian restaurant would soon emerge. The restaurant, Palizo Italiano, is set to open…

Low Country Kitchen Shows Off Its True Grits

Low Country Kitchen owes its Southern soul to owners Brian and Katy Vaughn; and their menu reads like a love letter to the South. Themost satisfying way to approach a meal here is to stick with traditional Southern entrees, then supplement as necessary with starters and small plates. But don’t miss the grits.

Chipotle Fan Registers Chipotlequeso.com Domain Name

Queso lover and self-described Chipotle fan Joe Niehaus knew important things were afoot when he learned that his favorite burrito chain would be adding cheese dip to its menu for the first time in its 24-year history. On a hunch, he checked to see if chipotlequeso.com had been registered yet…

Wood-Fired Pizza Comes to the Land of Tamales

Just past South Sheridan Boulevard on West Mississippi Avenue in Lakewood, tamales and burritos are the staples that have held down the corner for years. Tamales Moreno, Tamale Kitchen and Alameda Burrito have been the primary choices for neighbors, along with Hart’s Corner, which is now another in a series…

Westword Watch List: Where and What to Eat Right Now

Recent restaurant closings have begun to take their toll on the Denver dining scene, with old favorites like Beau Jo’s exiting Denver city limits this Sunday, July 30, and newcomers like the Thunderbird Imperial Lounge bowing out suddenly in a Highland space that’s had trouble gaining traction over the past…

Great Moments in Cheese History: Chipotle Adds Queso

There have been many momentous occurrences in the history of cheese in America. In 1831, Wisconsin’s first farmstead cheese factory was opened in the town of Koshkonong. In 1918, Velveeta was invented by Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. And in July 2017, Chipotle Mexican Grill reversed…

Nine Great Colorado Cheeses and Where to Find Them in Denver

The American Cheese Society is hosting its annual conference and Festival of Cheese (an event that’s open to the public on July 29) in Denver this week, aptly naming the entire group of events Cheese With Altitude. So what better time to talk about Colorado’s own awesome cheese makers —…

The Post Brewing Co. Will Take Over Shine Space in Boulder

Earlier this summer, the Emich sisters announced that they would be moving Shine Restaurant & Gathering Place from its home at 2027 13th Street to a new location outside of downtown Boulder. They’ll keep Shine open there until September, but speculation as to who would take over the address, complete…

Street-Food Veterans Open Taco Shop in a Box in Athmar Park

Adrian and Brenda Bonilla are veterans of the west Denver street-food scene, having launched Mega-Burger in 2006 on Federal Boulevard and then briefly serving Mexican-style hamburgers under the Las Hamburguesas name inside the Valverde Country Club (a now-defunct dive bar on West Alameda Avenue). The couple’s latest venture, with partner…

Frank Bonanno on Denver Dining, His Restaurant Empire and French 75

Few people have had more of an impact on Denver’s current dining scene than Frank Bonanno. The New Jersey native and his wife, Jacqueline, own and operate ten establishments in this city: Mizuna, Luca, Bones and Vesper Lounge in Capitol Hill; Osteria Marco, the Green Russell, Russell’s Smokehouse and Wednesday’s Pie in Larimer Square; Salt & Grinder in Highland; and, as of July 17, French 75 downtown.

Kaya Kitchen Comes to Avanti From ChoLon and Cho77 Team

Chef Lon Symensma has his bases covered when it comes to Southeast Asian cuisine. ChoLon Modern Asian has been going strong on the 16th Street Mall since 2010, serving high-flying interpretations of classic dishes gleaned while traveling and working abroad and in New York City. Next came Cho77, which captures the…

How to Get the Best Out of Your Taco Experience

America is obsessed with tacos. What in Mexico is considered an everyday snack, a working lunch, a late-evening indulgence or just a tortilla with leftovers on top has become the subject of nearly unlimited variations and convolutions (many complete with an eye-popping price tag) here in the United States. One…

Ten Great Denver and Boulder Farmers’ Market Finds

The farmers markets around town are in full swing. But you’ll find far more than just fresh peaches, crunchy peppers, organic eggs and bunches of beets. Plenty of artisan foods are also for sale, all handmade in Colorado and bursting with local flavors. Fancy a bottle of drinking vinegar? You…