Every Restaurant Opening and Closing This Week, November 12-18

A lot of familiar names appear on the ten additions to the dining scene this week, including Stem Ciders, which quietly opened its new taproom in RiNo just a few blocks from its original Walnut Street location (now the home of Stem’s Howdy Bar). The former Preservery space comes with plenty of room for cider fans to sit and sip, and also includes a kitchen that’s serving appetizers, salads, sandwiches and a handful of larger entrees from Acreage executive chef Matt Ochs. A grand-opening celebration is slated for December 1.

A big name in beer also opened its latest outpost. Left Hand RiNo is located near the Mission Ballroom and has food offerings along with plenty of drink options. On the menu: elevated brewpub fare with music-inspired names like Let’s Salsa & Mosh, Red Hot Chile Rellenos, K-Corn Pop, Smoke of the Water Trout Dip, Bringin’ the House Salad Down, Hail to the Kale and Under Pressure Fried Chicken; there’s also a Grab n’ Go roster with quick, handheld options and ten-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas.

There’s a brand-new brewery on the scene, too, with the November 18 debut of Public Offering on South Broadway. Founder Cody Higginbottom has a background in home brewing, interned at Station 26 Brewing Co. and earned a brewing certificate from Regis University before opening this venture.

Snooze continues to expand its locally grown brunch empire with a new outpost on Broadway and First Avenue, its thirteenth in Colorado (out of 55 across the country). The homemade chain is planning another spot in Arvada that will open next year.

After being MIA in Colorado for more than a decade, fast food chain El Pollo Loco made its return to the state with a location on Peoria Street. Two franchisees are planning eight total locations for metro Denver.

Other openings this week include the rebrand of Barbed Wire Reef, which has embraced Mexican cuisine; Cucina Bella, a new family-owned Italian eatery in Lowry; charcuterie concept Graze Craze’s first Denver outpost; a second location in Longmont for Tiffin’s India Cafe; and the second Arvada location of Ziggi’s Coffee.

There was just one closure this week: On the heels of Epic Brewing announcing that it will shutter in RiNo by the end of January, 10 Barrel Brewing Company announced its last day. The loss is the latest development in the neighborhood’s ever-changing beer scene.

In other openings-and-closings news:

• There are new food options at Edgewater Public Market, including Black Box Bakery, which will open its permanent space in the food hall by the end of the year.
• Five Points cocktail bar Welton Room has expanded into a new space with a food program.

Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars opening and closing this week:

Restaurants and bars opening this week:*

Barbed Wire Reef GourMexican, 4499 West 38th Avenue
Cucina Bella, 9660 East Alameda Avenue
El Pollo Loco, 4698 Peoria Street
Graze Craze, 5730 East Otero Avenue, Centennial
Snooze, 101 Broadway
Stem Ciders, 3040 Blake Street
Left Hand RiNo Drinks & Eats, 4180 Wynkoop Street
Public Offering Brewing Company, 1736 South Broadway
Tiffin’s India Cafe, 1232 South Hover Street, Longmont
Ziggi’s Coffee, 7700 West 67th Avenue, Arvada

Restaurants and bars closing this week:*
10 Barrel Brewing Company, 2620 Walnut Street

*Or earlier and not previously reported. Know of something we missed? Email cafe@westword.com.