The Westword Watch List: Where and What to Eat This Week

There’s plenty of great new grub around town to try out, as well as a couple of older favorites doing new things. Cool off with Vietnamese smoothies or check out hot pizza and tacos on Stapleton’s eastern frontier. Here are six places on our Watch List of fun and exciting…

Twelve Restaurant Closings in Six Months That Reflect Changing Scene

We’ve had plenty of exciting new openings in the Denver restaurant scene so far this year, but the fierce competition has led to the demise of old favorites and big names, too. The industry is shifting because of skyrocketing food and real estate costs as well as a labor shortage, and restaurateurs need to adapt or go under.

The Squeaky Bean Will Serve Its Last Dinner Tonight

Last night, the Colorado Restaurant Association presented its annual Industry Spotlight Awards at the Stanley Marketplace. Among the award recipients were the owners of the Squeaky Bean, Johnny Ballen and Joshua Olsen, who were receiving the CRA’s Philanthropist Signature Dish Award in recognition of the work the two have done…

Colorado Restaurant Association Presents Annual Industry Spotlight Awards

Every year, the Colorado Restaurant Association presents its Spotlight Awards for outstanding restaurants, restaurant owners and service-industry professionals from around the state. This year the dinner and awards ceremony takes place at the Stanley Marketplace in Aurora. While Denver gets the bulk of the media attention when it comes to the…

Roostercat Remodels, Adds Second Location Downtown

“I wanted to create Roostercat so I would have a place to hang out with all my friends,” says Colin Floom, sitting on the patio of his laid-back cafe at 1045 Lincoln Street. Before founding Roostercat in 2012, Floom “was just a coffee shop whore. All I did between films…

The Westword Watch List: Where and What to Eat This Week

If you need a little something beyond typical ballpark dogs when you’re cheering on the Rockies, we’ve got just the thing for you, along with suggestions for succulent sustainable seafood and deep-fried treats from South America. Here are three hot ideas for lunch and dinner this week, followed by our…

Chef Justin Brunson Closes Masterpiece Luncheonette

Masterpiece Delicatessen’s younger sibling at 1710 Sherman Street in the Uptown neighborhood got a name change and menu overhaul earlier this year, turning into Masterpiece Luncheonette. But that wasn’t enough to boost sales to meet the expectations of chef/owner Justin Brunson and his business partners, so they’ve closed the eatery…

Sapor Coffee and Concepts Emerges From Two Love Stories

Two love stories intertwine for Caleb and Jeannie Sprenger as they prepare to open Sapor Coffee & Concepts at 2785 Speer Boulevard. When Caleb went to work at his uncle’s coffee roastery four years ago, he didn’t know he was going to fall in love. He had no previous knowledge of coffee,…