Restaurant Roll Call: Every Opening and Closing in February

Metro Denver saw the debut of twenty new eateries in February, including one of the area’s most anticipated. In December, Bon Appétit dropped its list of the seven spots it’s most excited about, and a single Colorado restaurant made the cut: Casa Juani, which just opened in Boulder on February 26.

The project comes from chefs Eduardo Valle Lobo and Kelly Jeun, husband-and-wife alums of celebrated Italian eatery Frasca, where Lobo served as the longtime director of culinary operations and co-executive chef alongside Jeun. Casa Juani is named for Lobo’s mother, who is the inspiration behind the concept; the restaurant celebrates his Spanish heritage to offer “an elevated yet soulful dining experience,” according to the menu

More international flavor came to Denver on February 27, when the city got its own Puerto Rican social club, Aguanile.

Parker lost its own social club this month, when the Wild Goose Saloon, a restaurant and live music venue that opened in 2021, closed its doors as co-owner Chris Dellinger undergoes treatment for cancer. “The Goose is closed. We have been struggling for months financially and haven’t been able to catch up on any of our bills. That, along with my cancer diagnosis have brought us to where we are. I apologize to all of the bands,” Dellinger said in a social media post on February 23, adding that he and his wife and co-owner, Lola, would do everything in their power “to make sure we take care of our employees.”

In the meantime, friends and supporters are hosting a GoFundMe to help take care of Dellinger. “If you can,” it says, “please help out a good friend, husband, father, mentor, and someone who would give the shirt off his back to help others in Chris and his family’s time of need.”

Like Jack’s in Lone Tree, which is still closed for repairs, Odyssey Italian Restaurant suffered a fire that has temporarily shuttered the eatery. Gone for good is 100 % Agave, as well as Gold Spot Brewery and a half-dozen other spots.

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

Openings

Agave Blue, 18168 N 92nd Lane, Arvada
Aguanile, 415 South Cherokee Street 
Casa Juani, 801 Pearl Street, Boulder
Convivio Cafe in the Alliance Center, 1536 Wynkoop Street
Crispy Cones, 20269 East Smoky Hill Road, Centennial
Dave’s Hot Chicken, 1223 South Iola Street, Aurora
Dough Boy at Crazy Mountain, 1505 Ogden Street
Einstein Bros. Bagels, 2000 South University Boulevard
El Delicioso, 19553 Main Street, Parker
Frank & Roze Uptown, 494 East 19th Avenue
The Gallery and Bar, 3246 Larimer Street
King Buffet, 9229 Sheridan Boulevard, Westminster
Lavender Coffee Boutique, 1400 East Hampden Avenue
Manna Bakery University, 7424 South University Boulevard, Centennial
Po’Boys Creole Cafe, 5505 West 20th Avenue, Edgewater
Sip Fresh, 3000 East First Avenue
Stadium Pickleball Lounge, 750 Canosa Court
Uchiko, 299 Fillmore Street
Velvet Lasso, 3254 Navajo Street

Temporarily closed

Odyssey Italian, 603 East Sixth Avenue (closed for repairs after a fire)

Closures

100% de Agave, 975 Lincoln StreetEinstein Bros. Bagels, 1213 East Evans Avenue
Goldspot Brewing Company, 4970 Lowell Boulevard
Las Delicious, 19553 Main Street, Parker (replaced by El Delicioso)
Macaroni Grill, 10411 Town Center Drive, Westminster
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2907 Huron Street
Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 Pikes Peak Drive, Parker
Wild Sky Brewery, 4151 East County Line Road, Centennial

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

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