Every Opening and Closing This Week: Steak, Wings, Dumplings and More

'Unfortunately, our sales have not been what they needed to be over the last year, and at this point, with the delay in Denver and getting sick — and being sick most of this year so far, we're in a position where we've had to permanently close the bakery," says Ana Fanakra in a video posted on Instagram this week. In 2020, Fanakra began hosting pop-ups where she sold Norwegian pastries. The business moved into a Centennial brick-and-mortar in 2021, and a second space on the 16th Street Mall was added in November. But now both locations of Ana's Norwegian Bakeri have closed for good.

A modern Mexican eatery near the now-closed 1STBANK Center in Broomfield has also said goodbye. Mama Lolita's was chef/owner Joe Mazzocco's first restaurant. But less than two years after its debut, he made the call to shut its doors, a decision that was partially motivated by the closure of the venue. "This is just the end of this chapter," he promises.

Of the four openings to report this week, two are expansions. Mason's Dumpling Shop, which also has outposts in Aurora and Boulder, now has a location in Lakewood's Belmar neighborhood — the latest in the ongoing local dumpling boom.

Wheat Ridge spot King of Wings introduced its long-awaited second location in Golden, which is where it will be bringing back Snipeburger, its popular smashburger pop-up, this spring.

Restaurateur Jared Leonard is hoping that his latest Wash Park concept is one that will stick. After originally opening his Chicago-born hot chicken brand Budlong in the space at 81 South Pennsylvania Street, he turned it into Montreal-inspired Au Feu, then Clairette. Now it's a steak-centric spinoff of his Michelin-recognized barbecue joint, AJ's.

The metro area's newest sports bar is Play Ball, which is owned by Daniel Medina, a longtime high school and college baseball coach who also owns Play Ball Academy. The space was formerly a nightclub and is now a family-friendly spot to catch games and nosh on fare like all-day breakfast burritos, tortas, burgers and quesadillas.

In other openings-and-closings news:

• Twin brothers are opening a Japanese-inspired coffee shop in Boulder this month.
• Il Posto will shutter on February 24 after seventeen years in business.
• One of our favorite liquor stores, Bottle Shop 33, is saying goodbye on March 17.
• Sunroom Brewing in Englewood is closing, but Lady Justice is moving into its space.

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

AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q Steakhouse, 81 South Pennsylvania Street
King of Wings Tap + Tequila, 1100 Arapahoe Street, Golden
Mason's Dumpling Shop, 6981 West Alaska Drive, Lakewood
Play Ball Sports Bar & Grill, 2121 South Sheridan Boulevard

Restaurant and bars that closed this week:*

Ana’s Norwegian Bakeri, 6770 South Yosemite Street, Centennial, and 918 16th Street Mall
Mama Lolita's, 8181 Arista Place, Broomfield

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

Know of something we missed? Email [email protected].