Restaurant Roll Call: Every Opening and Closing in November

In October, we reported 27 new Denver restaurants and bars and 13 closures. Last month, those numbers stayed pretty consistent, with 29 openings and 17 closures in the metro area.

Many of the places we lost in November were a part of national chains, including the state’s only remaining location of both Bubba Gump and Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q. A Chili’s that had been a Hampden area staple for decades is gone as well, along with Colorado’s two Rosso Pomodoro outposts, which opened just last year.

Some of the spaces left vacant by November’s closures won’t be empty for long. First-time restaurant owner Xirong Liao is bringing a Chinese and Vietnamese concept, Foreign Wok, to the Szechuan Tasty House location soon; and Johnny and Kasie Curiel will debut their fifth Colorado eatery, Mar Bella Boqueria, in the former Bar Amorina space this winter. Here’s hoping someone local snags the former Breakfast King building off Santa Fe Drive, which is vacant once again following the closure of La Reyna Azteca.

The November additions span cuisines and come from many familiar faces. The OG Biker Jim’s is back at Avanti; the owners of Odie B’s added Boombots Pasta Shop to their growing group; Insee Father Noodle House is the next-door sister restaurant of Daughter Thai; and Molino Chido is a buzzy new Stanley Marketplace taqueria from chef Michael Diaz de Leon (formerly of Bruto) and Tommy Lee, owner of Uncle and Hop Alley.

Last month brought more wins for the still-under-construction Colfax, with the debuts Japon, Good Bones, El Piñon at La Vista Motel, mead bar Carw Gwyn, Hong Kong Station 3 and Azu Ramen.

The bar scene is making some waves as well, with the openings of Side Bar, Neon Cowboy, Fin N Tonic and the Peach Crease Club, the much-anticipated spot from bar pros Alex Jump and Stuart Jensen, which is poised to become a Mission Ballroom pre-game must.

Things are only looking to get tastier as the year ends — we’re particularly excited for the openings of two new Italian joints near Wash Park: Johnny Bechamel’s from the Dio Mio/Redeemer Pizza team and Florence Supper Club from the crew behind Odell’s Bagels.

While it may be tempting to hit up as many new spots as possible, don’t forget to visit old favorites this time of year — including Call to Arms Brewing, which is decked out for its final Big Holiday Energy pop-up before it says goodbye for good on December 23.

Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened and closed in November*:

Openings

Anna’s Donuts & Burritos, 2120 South Broadway
Azu Ramen, 12600 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora
Biker Jim’s at Avanti, 3200 Pecos Street
Boombots Pasta Shop, 2647 West 38th Avenue
Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse, 2345 East Third Avenue
Camino by Ultreia at Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop Street
Carw Gwyn, 1509 Marion Street
CV Tap House & Kitchen, 6460 South Syracuse Way, Centennial
El Piñon at La Vista Motel, 5500 East Colfax Avenue
Fin N Tonic, 2641 Larimer Street
Good Bones Colfax, 1201 East Colfax Avenue
The Guest, 1432 Market Street
Happy Cafe Express, 945 South Federal Boulevard
Hearth, 5610 South Curtice Street, Littleton
Hong Kong Station 3, 2205 East Colfax Avenue
Insee Father Noodle House, 1700 Platte Street
Japon, 3550 East Colfax Avenue
Molino Chido at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas Street, Aurora
Moonbongri BBQ, 2630 South Parker Road, Aurora
Neon Cowboy, 300 South Logan Street
Origami Den at Sushi Hai, 3600 West 32nd Avenue
The Peach Crease Club, 4180 Wynkoop Street
Rosai Indian Kitchen, 8181 Arista Place, Broomfield
SelvaSur, 1111 Broadway
Shawarma House, 1412 South Parker Road
Shiish Shawarma, 2600 High Street
Sidebar, 3463 Walnut Street
Van Leeuwen, 1535 Platte Street
Venalonzo’s Tacos, 7824 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree

Closures

Bar Amorina, 233 Clayton Street
Big Wave Taco,  10155 East 29th Drive
The Blind Tiger Lounge, 3040 Blake Street
Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q, 9393 East Dry Creek Road, Centennial
Boombox Brew Bar, 5686 Pecos Street
Breadworks Bakery & Cafe, 2644 Broadway, Boulder
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., 1437 California Street
Chili’s, 3625 South Monaco Street Parkway
Jax Fish House, 650 South Colorado Boulevard, Glendale
La Reyna Azteca, 1100 South Santa Fe Drive
Majestic Saloon, 3140 South Parker Road, Aurora
Pete’s University Park Cafe, 2345 East Evans Avenue
Rosso Pomodoro, 7505 East 29th Place and 8575 East Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village
Smashburger, 1201 16th Street
Status Ultra Lounge, 1822 Blake Street
Szechuan Tasty House, 1000 West Evans Avenue

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

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