Restaurant Roll Call: All the Openings and Closings in August 2025

After a summer of long-anticipated openings (Bear Leek, Pig and Tiger, Fortezza in the former home of Farow in Niwot) and much-publicized closings (the Hornet, Middleman), August ended with a surprise: Noble Riot, the spinoff from the owners of Nocturne that was named one of 2021's Best Bars in America by Esquire (and won top honors for Best Fried Chicken in the Best of Denver 2023), shuttered its brick-and-mortar location in RiNo on August 30, after six years.

"This was an incredibly tough decision, and one I didn't make lightly," says Troy Bowen, co-founder and owner of Noble Riot. "I am immensely proud of what we built at Noble Riot and the incredible community we've been so fortunate to serve. We've poured our hearts and souls into creating a space where people could discover and appreciate wines in a fun, unpretentious environment. While this marks the end of Noble Riot's brick-and-mortar presence as we know it, we are excited about future iterations and new ways to share our passion for wine. This isn't goodbye, but rather a transformation."

But he adds a warning to his message. "The current landscape makes it incredibly difficult for independent businesses like ours to thrive," Bowen says. "Many businesses are one large expense away from collapse. We urge the public to continue supporting their local establishments now more than ever, as these businesses are the heartbeat of our communities. We also call upon our local government and policymakers to consider more robust support systems and policies that foster a sustainable environment for small business owners, who are the foundation of our city's unique character and economy."

Pandemic Donuts, the house-based venture that Gabrielle Henning and Michael Milton started a month into the pandemic, then moved into a brick-and-mortar space at Queen City Collective Coffee, gave its regulars more time to prepare for its closure on August 31. “Almost 6 years ago, we started Pandemic Donuts in the middle of an uncertain world, thinking it might be a small side project," they posted on Instagram. "Instead, it turned into something much bigger than we could have imagined — a community, a family, and a place where we poured our hearts into every dozen.”

Also shutting on the final day of the month: Milk T Boba House. "We’ve really enjoyed serving you all for these past 3 years," the owners posed on Instagram, "but we’ve decided to set our sights on new goals. It’s been a pleasure contributing to our community and meeting so many wonderful people."

Balancing those end-of-the-month closings were several openings over the past week, including a fourth Cherry Cricket, a fourth Aloy Thai and yet another Urban Egg. But despite those optimistic openings, restaurateurs warn that there are rough times ahead..and some, like Mary Nguyen of the Olive & Finch empire, are working with the city to smooth out those bumps.
Here are all the restaurant openings and closings in metro Denver in August 2025.*

Openings

Ajax Tavern, Limelight Boulder, 1295 University Avenue, Boulder
Aloy Thai, 1400 East Hampden Avenue, Greenwood Village
Bao Tennyson, 3973 Tennyson Street
Broderick, 1080 South Gaylord Street
Cherry Cricket, 1280 East First Avenue, Broomfield
Fortezza Ristorante, 7916 Niwot Road, Niwot
King Arthur Baking, the Shops at River North Art District, 2800 Walnut Street, Suite #100
La Loma DTC, 8000 East Belleview Avenue
Leroy's Bagels, 1549 Platte Street
Next Level Veggie Grill, 1605 East Evans Avenue
Osteria Marco, Denver International Airport
Pete's Pub, 833 Colorado Boulevard
Pig & Tiger, 2200 California Street
Rougarou, 2844 Welton Street
Saigon Noodle Bowl, Edgewater Public Market, 5505 West 20th Avenue, Edgewater
Santo, Denver International Airport
Tessa Delicatessen, Edgewater Public Market, 5505 West 20th Avenue
Town Pump Provisions, 2810 East Third Avenue
Urban Egg, 1550 Wewatta Street
Venalonzo's Tacos, 18951 Mainstreet, Parker
Vintage Himalayan Restaurant & Bar, 2598 South Broadway
Yum Cha, Milk Market, 1801 Wazee Street

Closings

First Draft, 1309 26th Street
The Hornet, 76 Broadway
Mile-Hi Sweets and Treats, 2940 East Colfax Avenue
Milk T Boba House, 902 Federal Boulevard
Millers and Rossi, 3542 Walnut Street
Noble Riot, 1336 27th Street
Pandemic Donuts, 2962 Welton Street
Rhapsody Karaoke, 24 Broadway
Ritual Social House, 1209 East 13th Avenue
Santo Remedio, 3900 Tennyson Street
Sullivan Scrap Kitchen, 1740 East 17th Avenue
Wu's Garden, 6731 West Ken Caryl Avenue, Littleton

*Or earlier, and not listed in a previous Restaurant Roll Call

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