Sofia's Roman Pizza on the 16th Street Mall Shutters Suddenly

For years, the 16th Street Mall hasn't had the best reputation, particularly as a dining destination. While other downtown neighborhoods, such as the area around Union Station and RiNo, gained new, independent restaurants, bars and breweries, the mall remained largely stagnant, boasting several dated chains.

And as construction on the mall continues, over the past year even places like McDonald's, Chili's and, most recently, the Hard Rock Cafe, have exited — moves that open up spaces to fresher concepts. More important, several local restaurateurs have already opened new concepts on this stretch that runs straight through the heart of downtown.

Last year, Zoe Ma Ma owner Edwin Zoe added Dragonfly Noodle; in February, Olive & Finch owner Mary Nguyen debuted all-day cafe Little Finch; and a former petroleum engineer from Fort Collins brought the second location of his dumpling spot, Chopstickers, to 16th and California last month.
While those businesses are all helping to revitalize the downtown lunch scene, one newcomer is already gone. Sofia's Roman Pizza had opened in March at the corner of Wazee and 16th streets. It quickly impressed diners with its bright and airy interior complete with pale pink walls; at the walk-up counter, they could get quick slices of square-cut pies alongside frozen negronis and small cups of soft serve with gourmet toppings like sea salt and olive oil for dessert.

But last week, without warning or explanation, the sign outside was gone and the doors were locked. Work + Shop, the group behind the project, did not respond to a request for comment on the abrupt closing of Sofia's.

Its disappearance is certainly a blow for an area that's already struggling to make a comeback.  And ongoing construction in the area along with the still-slow return of downtown workers continues to pose significant challenges for both existing and new businesses.

Ahead of Dragonfly Noodle's opening, Zoe told Westword, "It's really important that we have businesses come back to downtown."

Nguyen reiterated that point when she introduced Little Finch. "The city is really trying to redefine what the 16th Street Mall looks like," she said. "Hopefully, we're a part of that change, where more chef-driven places, more local places are going to want to be here, because it's great to be able to represent our city."

Sofia's stay was brief, but its space, complete with a patio out front, would be a prime spot for another local restaurateur to scoop up. Here's hoping it's not vacant for long.