The vacant Southern Hospitality space downtown finally got a new tenant this week. A dual concept with boozy themes took over; Rose & Thorn is now open on the main level serving Latin American street food, while a Cuban rum speakeasy called Double Barrel Club now occupies the basement. Rose & Thorn also has what the company calls "the world's first ice laboratory," making flavored ice cubes to go in cocktails. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily, with brunch served on Saturdays and Sundays.

In Boulder, a second location of downtown Denver's Whole Sol just opened on the Pearl Street Mall, serving smoothie bowls packed with organic super foods and antioxidants from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The new outpost is considerably larger than the original, which opened last summer behind Union Station, so with the extra space comes a bigger menu. Expect more of the eatery's toasts, poached egg bowls, tofu scrambles, coffee drinks and pressed juices, among other light and healthy eats and drinks.

Two chain eateries announced closings this week. Thirsty Lion, an English-style pub company from Portland, Oregon, shuttered its Cherry Creek location that had operated for two and a half years. The Union Station Thirsty Lion outpost remains open. And in LoHi, Marcella's will close in mid-May after nearly two years in business. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, which runs Marcella's, also runs Ocean Prime in Larimer Square and in the Denver Tech Center.

Here's our complete list of restaurant and bar openings and closings for the week, plus links to coverage of current and upcoming changes. Restaurants Opening This Week*
Leo's Sports Bar & Billiards, 2525 Federal Boulevard
Snooze, 7587 North Academy Boulevard, Colorado Springs
Rose & Thorn and Double Barrel Club, 1433 17th Street
Ten Seconds Yunnanese Rice Noodles, 2000 South Havana Street, Aurora
Welton Room, 2590 Welton Street
Whole Sol, 1420 Pearl Street, Boulder

Restaurants Closing This Week*
Thirsty Lion Cherry Creek, 201 Columbine Street

*Or earlier, and not previously reported.

"Amethyst Coffee to Add Third Location Inside Upcoming Realm Space"

"Here's What's Taking the Place of Morning Collective: Tacos"

"Aurora Gets Its First Yunnanese Rice Noodle Specialist"

"Comida Will Close at the Source on April 30"

We're always looking ahead to see what's coming on the restaurant scene; here's a list of twenty places expected to open this year — some as soon as the first week of May. And if that's not enough, here's another twenty we compiled earlier this year, only four of which are now up and running.

What happens once all these projects open? We stop in to taste our way through the menus, looking for outstanding dishes and overall excellence. And then we name the Best of Denver every year; this year we gave awards in 116 food and drink categories to help keep you busy for the rest of the year.

Have you spotted any openings or closings that aren't on our list? Let us know in the comments or send an email to [email protected].