We first fell in love with chef Ismael de Sousa over the Crookie, his delectable cookie-croissant that now has a cult following at his bakery, Reunion Bread. For six years he’s been baking and selling goods out of this tiny space nestled inside The Source in RiNo, but now, he’s ready to grow up.
“It’s been a long time in the making, but it’s finally coming together,” said de Sousa. “The space is already a reality.”
Coming to Platt Park, the new bakery can help fulfill the chef’s culinary dreams. Something, he added, The Source spot never really did.
“It’s not properly designed to be a bakery, it’s only a bakery because it was a bakery,” said de Sousa, referencing Babettes Bakery, the original tenant of the small nook inside the building, which now resides in Longmont. “We have run out of space. Last year the bread oven had a fire. Now we have so much space, because we don’t have an oven, but we don’t have an oven.”
Still, over the six years the chef made a name for himself in the bakery scene. Hailing from Venezuela, de Sousa came to the country and found a lack of good bread. So, he decided to do something about it and learned to bake. Once he gained enough skill, he opened Reunion Bread to create small-batch goods using European techniques with a global flavor palette. People have flocked to the mostly-abandoned (currently Tamaki Den resides there) shared space ever since. In 2023 he was a James Beard semifinalist, and though he didn’t win, it still showcased his dedication to the art, the people, and Colorado.
Today de Sousa makes gorgeous loaves of sourdough in flavors such as sunflower, za’atar, and rye, as well as country loaf and brioche ($8 to $12). Pastries include a variety of savory and sweet croissants ($4.50 to $7), the pastry of the day ($6 to $7), and cardamom buns, aka Cardi Bs ($7). On the sweet side guests will find chocolate babka loaves ($16), golfeado (a type of Venezuelan sticky bun) for $5, and pastel de nata ($3.50), a type of Portuguese tart.
De Sousa said he hopes for a summer opening, right after his lease expires at the Source in June. He especially wants the new Reunion Bread to be running before the heat of the season. For the last couple years, he mentioned, the air conditioning has been non-existent.
“So the really hot hot days we were in the bakery and it’s 120-degrees,” said the chef. “I’m the owner, I will be there, but asking your staff to be doing that…well I appreciate them, but it’s not an easy feat for them.”
For Reunion 2.0, de Sousa plans to offer more of a cafe-style bakery, but with all the same baked goods. Other menu items may include salads, grab-and-go items, coffee, wine, and a cold display case featuring cakes and cold desserts. There will also be modest seating for 15 to 20, and floor-to-ceiling windows pouring daylight in, which is a big change from the concrete cell the current bakery resides in.
“It will be a better Reunion,” he said. “A Reunion that feels like a reunion.”
For now, visit Reunion Bread now at The Source on Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed Mondays. 3350 Brighton Blvd. Denver, reunionbread.com
