Every Opening and Closing This Week: Ten New Places to Eat and Drink

When Orrapan Botthaisong opened her first solo restaurant venture, Edgewater's La Mai Thai Kitchen, in 2022, her goal was to "show Colorado real Thai street food."

A year later, she had a second concept in the works, but construction and permitting delays drew out the timeline. Now, Som Dee Thai Kitchen has finally opened in the former Paxti's Pizza space in Uptown. The menu includes many favorites from La Mai, including fried chicken wings inspired by Botthaisong's grandmother's recipe.

There's a new upscale French-Vietnamese restaurant in Cherry Creek. Le Colonial, which was founded in New York City over three decades ago, is inspired by 1920s Saigon; Denver is the seventh location of the brand.

Also debuting in Cherry Creek is the Parlour Bar at Clayton Hotel & Members Club. Located on the second floor, it is open to hotel patrons, club members and their guests from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, with live music every Thursday.

Thick's Gelato and Chocolates opened in the Cole neighborhood on Black Friday. It's launching with limited hours to start and will host two weekends of holiday markets: December 6-8 and December 13-15.

The latest locally born concept to open at DIA is chef Lon Symensma's ChoLon, which is now serving in Concourse C, not far from Bar Dough, Mister Oso and Aviano Coffee, the three Culinary Creative concepts that opened in the airport last week.
The other five openings to report this week are all in the suburbs, including the fourth location of Gastamo Group's Homegrown Tap & Dough in Westminster. It will soon be joined by the second outpost of another Gastamo Group concept, Perdida Kitchen. A fifth Homegrown Tap & Dough is set to open soon in Parker.

There's a new drive-thru coffee shop on the scene: Empanada Espresso debuted in Northglenn, where it's offering a lineup of coffee drinks alongside breakfast burritos and Peruvian empanadas.

The latest addition to Wheat Ridge is Colorado Hots, which opened in the former Large Marge's Philly Cheesesteaks location. It's dishing up something that's not available elsewhere in town: Rochester, New York-style fare, including wings and buffalo sauce-doused chicken tender subs.

The One Concept Restaurant Group operates Go Fish, Chubby Fish & Sushi, Honey Basil Asian Grill, Honey Basil Express, Bronze Empire and two Kung Fu Tea locations in Denver. It has more expansion plans in the works, including Chinese tapas concept Miya Moon, now in soft-opening mode in Broomfield, with a second location slated for Lone Tree near Lincoln and Park Meadows Drive.

Many dumpling spots have joined the scene this year, and there's a new option in Greenwood Village. Oh Dumpling is serving a variety of dumplings, buns and appetizers, such as scallion pancakes and crispy calamari in the shopping center that's also home to Sushi Katsu, India's Castle and JD's Bait Shop.
There are four closures to report this week. Providence at 5280 in Edgewater, which had a tough run since opening in 2019, said goodbye, while both remaining locations of vegan eatery Meta Burger closed November 29. “Sales are down for restaurants across Denver, especially niche places like vegan fast casual,” co-owner Michael Reeves told Westword. “Don't open a restaurant in Denver, that's what I learned.”

Pie Society Pizza in Glendale shuttered last month. Its final Facebook post: "Thank you for your patronage over the past five years. Pie Society and this community have held a special place in our hearts. Unfortunately, due to the state of small business in America, we must close our doors. While the rich get richer and multi-million dollar corporations receive bailouts, small family-owned businesses suffer."

It went on to list "some of the reasons that led to this difficult decision," including increasing taxes, rising food prices, increased utility costs and "ERC funding from the US Government that was filed and approved but never dispersed." The farewell encouraged fans to "take your business to another locally owned shop like Jimano’s on South Broadway, Basil Doc’s, or Marco’s Coal Fired."

In other openings-and-closings news:

• Two additions are coming to Your Mom's House: A Sapphic speakeasy called Pearl Divers and Tua Mama's Pizzeria, which will take over the former Benny Blanco's space and have a window connected to the Capitol Hill venue.
• Check our guide to all the holiday pop-up bars open now and coming soon.

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

Openings

ChoLon Modern Asian, Denver International Airport, Concourse C
Colorado Hots, 3890 Kipling Street, Wheat Ridge
Empanada Espresso, 11461 Washington Street, Northglenn
Homegrown Tap & Dough, 1257 West 120th Avenue, Westminster
Le Colonial, 255 Fillmore Street
Miya Moon, 2055 West 136th Avenue, Broomfield
Oh Dumpling, 9555 East Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village
The Parlour Bar at Clayton Hotel & Members Club, 233 Clayton Street
Som Dee Thai Kitchen, 1598 East 17th Avenue
Thick's Gelato and Chocolates, 3339 Downing Street

Closures

Meta Burger, 5505 West 20th Avenue, Edgewater, and 1905 29th Street, Boulder
Pie Society Pizza, 4615 East Mississippi Avenue, Glendale
Providence at 5280, 5280 West 25th Avenue, Edgewater

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

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