Every Opening and Closing This Week: New Additions to Colfax and Beyond

There continues to be a lot of action on East Colfax Avenue despite the ongoing traffic woes caused by the BRT construction project. Following the recent debut of a trio of Asian eateries between Capitol Hill and Colorado Boulevard (dim sum spot Ma’s Kitchen, the third location of Hong Kong Station, and Japon, which is serving ramen, sushi and more in the former Fox Run Cafe), two more new businesses have opened.

Melody and Carson Allen are behind Good Bones Colfax, a coffee shop located next to Uptown Banh Mi (which opened in February) that’s also a vintage clothing and guitar store. The space has a small stage as well, and plans to host music and comedy open mic nights as well as band meet-and-greets, thanks to a partnership with AEG/Live Nation and the nearby Ogden Theatre.

Just steps away across Marion Street, Carw Gwyn (pronounced “ca-roo gwinn”) is a new Medieval mead bar in the space that was the longtime home of Kinga’s Lounge until 2022; most recently, it was the Mansion, which shuttered a year ago. Owner Douglas Wagner previously worked at the Denver Art Museum for nearly three decades; this is a real switch. Along with twenty meads on tap, the spot also serves cocktails, beers and ciders along with a food menu that includes charcuterie, stews and Cornish pasties from The Pasty Republic. Like Good Bones, Carw Gwyn plans to host events, including live acoustic music and game nights.

In Aurora, Korean barbecue spot Moonbongri BBQ is in soft opening mode on South Parker Road, with a grand opening planned for December.

Over on South Parker Road, the owners of House of Bread (which remains temporarily closed following a September fire at Gyros and Kebab next door) have opened a kebab and shwarma spot of their own. Shawarma House offers chicken, beef and gyro meats (which you can see turning on spits behind the counter) as a sandwich or plate, the latter of which comes loaded onto a bed of rice, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Kebobs, which are cooked to order, are also available, along with sides like hummus and freshly made dolma.

Venalonzo’s Tacos, which has a popular location in Centennial that’s been open since 2022, recently added a second outpost in Parker. Now it has a third, this one in Lone Tree off I-25 and East County Line Road.

A new bar opened this week as well. Neon Cowboy at Alameda and Logan at the edge of West Washington Park is another spot that functions as a cafe-and-cocktail bar combo, offering coffee, breakfast burritos and pastries alongside Bloody Marys, an espresso “Martinez” made with tequila, and a trio of spritzes.

While one watering hole opened, three others are among this week’s seven closures. Culinary Creative Group’s Bar Amorina is out at the Clayton Hotel in Cherry Creek, less than a year after its debut. It’s set to be replaced by Mar Bella Boqueria, a Spanish concept from Johnny and Kasie Curiel, the couple behind the city’s hottest Mexican eateries, including Michelin-starred Alma Fonda Fina and Mezcaleria Alma.

Boombox Brew Bar, which had been serving on Pecos Street in north Denver since 2022, poured its last beer on November 15.

In LoDo, Vesta’s former home is quiet once again following the closure of Status Ultra Lounge, a nightclub that opened in 2023. It’s been named a “public nuisance” by the city, which cites “unlawful use, firing or discharging for ay firearm.”

This week’s other closures include Boulder’s Breadworks Bakery & Cafe, the Glendale outpost of Jax Fish House, La Reyna Azteca’s location in the former Breakfast King, and Szechuan Tasty House, which will be replaced by a Chinese and Vietnamese spot, Foreign Wok, next month.

In other openings and closings news:

• James Beard Award-winning chef Matt Vawter is opening a third spot in Breckenridge next month — a bakery dubbed Threefold.
• A coffee shop and a burrito joint will soon fill the two vacant spaces in a building at Evans and Downing near DU.

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

Openings

Carw Gwyn, 1509 Marion Street
Good Bones Colfax, 1201 East Colfax Avenue
Moonbongri BBQ, 2630 South Parker Road, Aurora
Neon Cowboy, 300 South Logan Street
Shawarma House, 1412 South Parker Road
Venalonzo’s Tacos, 7824 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree

Closures

Bar Amorina, 233 Clayton Street
Breadworks Bakery & Cafe, 2644 Broadway, Boulder
Boombox Brew Bar, 5686 Pecos Street
Jax Fish House, 650 South Colorado Boulevard, Glendale
La Reyna Azteca, 1100 South Santa Fe Drive
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.