Check out the latest restaurant openings and closings in the Denver metro area, served up April 24.
A new market debuts in LoDo, while a fast-causal chicken spot flies south. Denver and Boulder are about to be hit with some grand openings, including a sushi spot, Italian, and pizza. Have a tip? Send us a note via Instagram or by emailing info@diningout.com.
Restaurant Openings
LoDo’s Newest Market
Marczyk Mighty Market by Marczyk Fine Foods has officially opened in Denver Milk Market. Open daily starting at 11 a.m., the 450-square-foot venue carries a mix of Marczyk favorites, including homemade to-go dishes, dairy products, soups, salads, sweets, and grocery items. Join the grand opening party on Wednesday, April 29 at 11:30 a.m., complete with words by co-founder Pete Marczyk, giveaways, and complimentary bites.
Two Birds in Hand
Castle Rock is getting a Starbird Chicken, a fast-casual spot highlighting quality ingredients. It’s the second Colorado location for the brand, which first opened in Denver a few months ago. The new shop opens this Monday, April 27 at 6360 Promenade Pkwy. To celebrate the grand opening, guests can enjoy free food, a live DJ, temporary tattoo station, and giveaways starting at 5 p.m.
Coming Soon
Anticipated Pizza Spot
On May 9th the boutique hotel Urban Cowboy Denver will launch the third pizza concept inside its on-site restaurant, Urban Cowboy Public House. This time, Justin Freeman takes the reins with Monarch, the chef’s long pop-up of seasonally-inspired sourdough pizzas. He will also serve up fresh vegetables and rustic mains to complement the hotel’s cocktail program. Freeman, who is also the executive chef of Somebody People in Denver, is joined by hospitality operator Daniel Matthews.
“We have been looking for the right space for Monarch to land for the last three years,” Freeman said in a press statement. “We were really excited to hear that Urban Cowboy was looking for a new partner. The space and ethos really fit what we were looking for, so this felt right from the start.”
The transition follows a successful year with the Little Johnny B’s woodfired pizza pop-up from Mamas & Papas Hospitality, the team behind Dio Mio, Redeemer Pizza, and the newly-opened Johnny Bechamel’s. Little Johnny B’s will live on as the group’s new catering service, offering on-site woodfired pizza catering for weddings and corporate events throughout the Denver Metro area. Little Johnny B’s will wrap up its residency at Urban Cowboy on Friday, May 1, with a farewell party featuring $12 pizzas specials, a live DJ set, and new spring cocktails.
Fruition Spot Made Anew
Chef Quincy Cherrett opens Madeline on Thursday, May 7, inside the former Fruition space at 1313 E. 6th Ave. Cherrett has spent the last few years at Avanti Food & Beverage Denver with his sandwich shop 22 Provisions, and then Eloise American Bistro, a higher-end European concept. Madeline will mirror both, with a global menu of seasonal favorites.
Celebrity Chef Goes Italian
Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s Little Piggy Hospitality plans to launch Morso this spring or early summer. The idea behind the new Boulder spot is to create a contemporary Italian-American restaurant and bar to draw in the South Boulder neighborhood. The group is known for award winning spots Blackbelly Restaurant and Market in Boulder and Denver, as well as Santo in Boulder. Morso will open at 627 A S. Broadway in the Table Mesa Shopping Center.
“At its core, Morso is rooted in respect for simple, humble, exceptional ingredients, and that’s what excites me most,” said Rosenberg in a press statement. “Whether it’s the precision and discipline of our pizza dough or the San Marzano tomatoes we bring in for our sauce, we’re focused on bringing that simplicity to its fullest potential.”
Sushi in Boulder
Boulder will be getting a fresh concept on May 7 when Wellness Counter opens at 1117 Pearl St. The restaurant specializes in Japanese sushi and chef’s tasting experiences, brought to town by Phoebe and Steven Lee, co-owners of Wellness Sushi, Denver’s first plant-based Japanese restaurant. Expect a dry-aged fish program, nigiri, hand rolls, robata grill, claypot rice, and homemade shokupan.
While the grand opening for Wellness Counter is May 7th, the restaurant is participating in Mile High Asian Food Week by giving guests a sneak peek from April 26 to May 1. Not only that, but diners will receive a complimentary Sago Brûlée with their meal.
Getting Corny
Chef Johnny and Kasie Curiel are at it again, and this time the power couple is opening in RiNo. Enter Fonda Maize, a tasting-menu-only restaurant located inside the Taxi development. The 16-seat spot will serve eight diners at a time for an intimate experience where they enjoy an 18-course meal. Fonda Maize will also pour a vegan pechuga-style mezcal made with corn exclusively for the restaurant. Opening is expected in mid-May.
Spanish Food Moves South
Barcelona Wine Bar announced a second location coming in early 2027. This time, the Spanish wine bar and tapas restaurant plans to move into the Denver Tech Center at Marina Square. The new space is about 4,000-square-feet inside, with two 1,000-square-foot patios, one enclosed and the other open air.
Closings
Bonanno Leaves Highland
Bonanno Concepts has closed Dumplin’ in Highland. Run by chef Frank Bonanno, the restaurant opened in 2024 with a menu of internationally-inspired dumplings. There was no reason given for the closure, though an Instagram post mentioned the company was leaving the space, which it had for 12 years, running Salt & Grinder before.
Wing Spot Flies Away
In a sudden shuttering, Genna Rae Wings & More said goodbye on April 11. The 10-year-old Whittier shop was run by Genn Dickerson, from the same family that owns Welton St. Cafe. The popular spot served some of the best wings around, but we have more on this list for when you need a fix.
The Last Last Stand
Mustard’s Last Stand in Boulder will be shuttering in the coming years due to the Civic Area Phase 2 plan. The city and county of Boulder wants to revitalize parts of the area, and will be tearing down older buildings to make way for newer developments. The Denver Mustard’s Last Stand is still going strong near Denver University.
Tax Seizure
After announcing it would be closing, fans of the Lesbian bar The Pearl, located inside the former Mercury Cafe space, raised over $80,000. But it wasn’t enough. The owners refunded the money right before the property was seized for unpaid taxes. The Pearl is closed for good, and the future of space remains up in the air.
