Restaurant Roll Call: Every opening and closing in June

There’s been a lot of doom and gloom in the restaurant scene over the past month, as several Denver staples announced plans to close. RiNo breakfast banger Port Side will wind down operations on July 5 after a decade, and Table 6 has targeted a July 9 closure date after 22 years. 

And some places, like Rock Bottom Brewing and Church & Union, shuttered without warning, making it easy to view the Denver dining landscape through a bleak lens. 

But the bright beacon on the horizon is the fact that new openings outpaced closures 26 to 12 in June, with a few interesting newcomers injecting unexpected life into the scene. We have high hopes for El Tule in the Denver Tech Center, which brings another high-end Mexican restaurant to the fold. Mother Other’s vegetarian fare is another welcome addition, showcasing how great flavors don’t need traditional proteins to shine. And on the other end of that spectrum, Highland butcher shop Western Daughters expanded into a slick wine bar where beef is definitely what’s for dinner. 

We also saw a good deal of activity in the city’s food halls. Denver Central Market replaced the Curio bar with Bar 77. Sandomi added Japanese sandwiches to the offerings at Edgewater Public Market. And both Cafe Crepe and Schwarma Max fleshed out the stalls at Junction Food & Drink. But it was Ciao Babe’s take on Italian street food at Avanti Food & Beverage that really made our day. 

So yes, some restaurants closed, and others will close soon; we get no pleasure in reporting that news. But it is news, and we try to balance it with reporting on what’s new or what’s still out there for us to enjoy. Seeking out the Filipino restaurants that remain in town in the wake of Magna Kainaan’s closure, for example. Reminding ourselves that local and independently owned restaurants are far closer to their customers than soulless corporate chains can ever be (we’re looking at Rock Bottom Brewery’s private equity owners, who took over a homegrown chain). 

Or just celebrating the simple satisfaction of any one of the many best burgers this city has to offer. 

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

Openings

Bar 77, 2669 Larimer St.
BARna Global Soccer & Tapas, 1201 E. Colfax
Bawarchi Indian Cuisine, 11001 E. Arapahoe Pl., Centennial (reopened)
Cafe Crepe at Junction Food & Drink, 2000 S. Colorado Blvd.
Ciao Babe at Avanti Food & Beverage, 3200 Pecos St. 
Cici’s Pizza, 14000 E. Mississippi Ave., Aurora
Decent Bagel, 5863 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder
Denver Cafe and Kava, 5501 Colfax Ave.
El Tule, 4862 S. Newport St.
Every Little Thing, 2816 E. Third Ave.
Flower Shop Beer Werks, 3501 Delgany St. 
Griddled Crêpes & Paninis, 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Castle Rock
Ichigo Matcha, 2075 S. University Blvd. 
Kinoya Izakaya, 9393 East Dry Creek Rd., Centennial
Milly’s Bagels, 712 1/2 S. Pearl St. 
Morso, 627 S. Broadway Ste. A, Boulder
Mother Other, 675 S. Broadway
Moxie Social, 9686 E. Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village 
Orion Hot Pot, 6730 S. Cornerstar Way, Aurora
Sandomi, Edgewater Public Market, 5505 W. 20th Ave,, Edgewater
Shawarma Max at Junction Food & Drink, 2000 S. Colorado Blvd.
Sundae, 1600 Glenarm St.
Tavern on Blake Street, 2301 Blake St.
Temaki Joint, 2900 Baseline Road, Boulder 
Western Daughter Wine Bar, 3326 Tejon St.
Wingshack, 10280 Washington St., Thornton

Closings

1UP Arcade, 1925 Blake St.
Butchers at RiNo, 2669 Larimer St.
Church & Union, 1433 17th St.
Copper Kettle, 1338 S. Valentia St.
Curio Bar, 2669 Larimer St.
High Point Creamery at Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer St.
Little India Highlands, 3496 W. 32nd Ave.
Magna Kainan, 1350 40th St.
Mecha Noodle, 2801 Walnut St.
On The Border Mexican Grill, multiple locations
Rock Bottom Brewery, 1001 16th St.
Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, 7890 Northfield Blvd.

What did we miss? Post a comment or let us know at editorial@westword.com.