Every Opening and Closing This Week: 24/7 Taco Drive-Thru on Colfax and More

Last week’s openings list included two full-service Mexican restaurants; among this week’s four additions to the dining scene is the latest outpost of a local fast-food Mexican chain. Taco Star now has seven metro locations, including this spot on East Colfax Avenue, directly behind one of the recently raised white arches on the storied street. A big bonus for hungry diners in the area: The drive-thru joint is open 24/7.

Over on South Broadway, the Couloir is a new bar in an unexpected location — inside Meier Skis. Here, you can imbibe while watching as skis are made, bringing a different kind of “après” experience to the city.

Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. just debuted in Aurora. The business was founded by Al-Eidaroos and Munif Maweri as a wholesale operation with a focus on beans sourced from Haraz, Yemen, then expanded into a network of franchise-owned cafes. This is its first outpost in the state.

After beginning the transition from Yak & Yeti back to Spice Trade last month, the revamped DTC brewery and restaurant is celebrating its grand reopening all weekend long.

There are also four closures to report this week, the most dramatic of which was the unraveling of The Pearl, the Saphhic bar that had moved into the legendary Mercury Cafe space last year. The story is full of twists and turns — catch up with the ordeal here — and The Pearl’s property was ultimately seized by the City for over $56,000 in unpaid taxes.

In LoDo, Nativ Hotel & Gatsby Social was also shut down by the city after receiving hundreds of fire code citations over a year. Its business license was suspended on April 10; it has a hearing set with the city on May 15.

One of our favorite wing joints, Genna Rae’s, quietly shut its doors, while restaurateur Frank Bonanno announced the end of Dumplin’, his Highland eatery. But he plans to open a new restaurant, Rōmyō, in Larimer Square this summer, in the former home of Ted’s Montana Grill

In other openings and closings news:

• Chef Justin Freeman is bringing Monarch to Urban Cowboy.
• Korean food truck Mukja is opening a brick-and-mortar next month.
• The owner of Blackbelly and Santo is opening an Italian American eatery in Boulder.

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

Openings

The Couloir, located inside Meier Skis, 1775 South Broadway
Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co., 15464 East Hampden Avenue, Aurora
Spice Trade Brewery & Kitchen, 8775 East Orchard Road, Greenwood Village
Taco Star, 6151 East Colfax Avenue

Closures

Dumplin’, 3609 West 32nd Avenue
Genna Rae’s Wings & More, 1819 East 28th Avenue
Nativ Hotel & Gatsby Social, 1612 Wazee Street
The Pearl, 2195 California Street

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

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