Antony Bruno
Audio By Carbonatix
What started as a routine business transaction quickly turned into a mini mystery when the Jelly Cafe near the University of Denver suddenly changed its name to “Jelli,” even though the menu and staff at the longtime breakfast/brunch spot remained the same.
“Does anyone know what happened?” a commenter asked on the r/denverfood subreddit.
The restaurant at 1700 East Evans Avenue has been a neighborhood staple since Jelly Cafe owner Josh Epps and his team added the DU location fourteen years ago, after opening the original Jelly Cafe at 600 East 13th Avenue. Both spots won fans with Jelly’s Corn Flake French toast, as well as plates full of doughnut bites filled with a variety of jelly flavors, including Mexican chocolate and maple bacon.
But when the lease came up on the DU location earlier this year, Epps decided not to renew and instead to focus on his original restaurant. “I just kind of wanted to direct my attention to one area and maybe not work quite as hard as I have,” he says.
On March 29, the new owners of the space started posting on Instagram as Holi Jelli Masala Cafe and Bar, with the hours extended well past brunch…until 1 a.m. But much remains the same: While the original Jelly sign has been removed from the restaurant, the replacement logo sports the same shade of pink, the About sections on the new Jelli website repeats word-for-word content on the old Jelly website, and many of the menu items are identifcal.
Turns out, Epps sold the restaurant’s assets — the equipment, sales infrastructure, and more — to the new owner, Maha Laxmi Group LLC, which plans to turn the space into an “Indo-American breakfast, lunch, and dinner” eatery, according to Secretary of State records. In fact, the “Jelli” insertion into the restaurant’s name appears to be a late addition, as the LLC filing submitted in February simply lists “Holi Masala Cafe & Bar.”
But rather than having the new owners close the restaurant and then reopen, Epps says he agreed to allow the new ownership group to continue operating as Jelly, in order to maintain customer continuity while it came up with a new menu and decor. The Holi Jelli team began offering clues of what they plan to do this past weekend, rolling out a menu that includes Indo-American-inspired dishes such as butter chicken wings and tikka beef burgers, while continuing to offer brunch items before 1 p.m.
“I wish them the best of luck,” Epps says. “I’d like for them to succeed. I think what they’re doing is interesting, and I think it has a pretty good chance of doing well down there.”
As changes are implemented at the Evans location, the mystery of the Jelly/Jelli Cafe switch could soon be a closed case for locals.
Holi Jelli Masala Cafe and Bar is located at 1700 East Evans Avenue, and is open from 7 to 1 a.m. Monday through Sunday. For more information, visit holijelli.com.
