Casa Juani
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Just days after the New York Times listed two Denver-based Mexican restaurants among the best in the country, another Colorado eatery has landed on a national media roundup.
Bon Appétit just released its list of Best New Restaurants 2026, and Boulder’s Casa Juani is among the 19 establishments listed nationwide. The restaurant from chefs Eduardo Valle Lobo and Kelly Jeun, both alums of the celebrated Italian eatery Frasca, opened in February.
This is the second nod the couple has received from Bon Appétit. Last December, the magazine listed Casa Juani among its list of most-anticipated openings of the year.
“Returning to Spanish food and the traditions that shaped me has been so rewarding, but the true highlight of this journey is honoring my mother, Juani,” says Lobo. “She’s our north star. It’s a dream come true to be recognized by Bon Appétit Magazine for something that’s so personal to us, and we’re grateful for the chance to bring more national attention to Boulder’s incredible hospitality community.”
Molly Martin
We’ve had our eye on the culinary power couple for some time. Their restaurant, located on Boulder’s Pearl Street, is a love letter to Lobo’s native Spain Eduardo was born in Madrid, and the restaurant is named after his mother, Juanita. You can find him regularly strolling the dining room floor, pushing a Jamón Ibérico cart from table to table and hand-carving thin slices of the prized meat tableside.
Casa Juani also features a raw bar, a wide range of both meat-based and seafood selections, rice plates and a broad selection of starters known as “piki-piki.” The bar features both an array of Spanish wines and a respectable Sherry program, as well.
How does the magazine pick the best new restaurants? In its own words: “To be among my best of the best, a restaurant must serve dishes and drinks that are complete in terms of flavor and technique, from the pre-meal cocktails to dessert — like an album with no skips.”
And while Bon Appétit gives plenty of praise to the restaurant’s food — calling out the tortilla española, arroz con setas, and tarta de queso, particularly — what seems to have tipped it over the top is the personal attention of Lobo and Jeun themselves.
“Every dish at Casa Juani hints at a little something special, but the answer is right in front of diners the whole time: Valle Lobo and Jeun are the lifeblood of a restaurant that is all heart.”
The Bon Appétit list is just the latest example of Colorado restaurants and chefs gaining national attention. Most recently, Denver-based Penelope Wong of Juan Wonton took home a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mountain.
Casa Juani’s latest nod is also a nice amuse bouche for the imminent Michelin Guide announcements. While inspectors have covered select cities in Colorado since 2023, this is the first year that the organization will expand its scope to the entire state. Michelin Guide announcements are typically made in mid-September.
Casa Juani is located at 901 Pearl St., Boulder, and is open from 4 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and from 4 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit casajuaniboulder.com.
