Every Restaurant Opening and Closing This Week, October 24-30

Restaurateur Troy Guard has had a busy year, opening new outposts of Los Chingones and his fast-casual bowl concept Bubu, as well as Grange Hall in Greenwood Village. Then this week, he announced two closures: Big Wave Taco inside Junction Food Hall will shutter on October 31, the day after Congress Park staple TAG Burger Bar serves its last meal after eleven years in the neighborhood. The Madison Street address won't be dark for long, though: The building's owner, City Street Investors, plans to open a new restaurant in the space.

Another restaurant partnership that said goodbye to one spot this year has welcomed a new one. While Paul Reilly and sister Aileen Reilly continue to operate Italian eatery Coperta, their Beast + Bottle shut down this summer after the building was sold, marking the end of a farm-to-table era in Uptown. Now the Reillys are putting their hospitality expertise into Apple Blossom, which is in a soft-opening phase at the new Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver hotel.

At the Denver Art Museum, the October 24 grand reopening of what's now called the Martin Building also marked the debut of the Ponti, the restaurant located in the new Sie Welcome Center. James Beard Award winner Jennifer Jasinski is the consulting chef on the project, and the menu is filled with vegetable-centric dishes.

At Avanti, Steve Redzikowski (of Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder) and Bill Espiricueta (of Smok and Bellota at the Source) introduced the Tex-Mex Vaca Gordo BBQ, which specializes in smoked meats including brisket, chicken and sausage served on pork-fat tortillas, in tortas and more.

And in Lone Tree, chef Charles Mani, who has cooked in India and New York, is opening Urban Village Grill on October 30. The restaurant combines two concepts. Inside, Mani will serve his take on Indian cuisine, with classics like samosas, tandoori-style meats and beef curry as well as such dishes as duck confit made with an Indian twist. Outside on the patio are interactive barbecue-style grills. Diners can choose an array of meats, seafood and vegetarian items to cook at the table, along with traditional Indian marinades.

Here's the complete list of restaurants and bars opening and closing this week:

Restaurants and bars opening this week:*

Apple Blossom, 1776 Champa Street
The Ponti, 100 West 14th Avenue Parkway
Urban Village Grill, 8505 Park Meadows Center Dr, #2184A, Lone Tree
Vaca Gordo BBQ, 3200 Pecos Street

Restaurants and bars closing this week:*

TAG Burger Bar (at the end of service October 30), 1222 Madison Street

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

Know of something we missed? Let us know, [email protected].