Restaurant Roll Call: Every Opening and Closing in May

During May, we reported 24 new bars and restaurants added to the metro Denver dining scene, including a Denver International Airport outpost of Tacos Tequila Whiskey, which had recently closed its original location off East Colfax Avenue.

In the last week of the month alone, downtown bar Bedlam, juice and smoothie bar Mystical Blends, Mediterranean buffet Sawa and Chinese Palace Dim Sum in Northglenn all opened, as did three other concepts from familiar faces.

Big Apple Bodega, a food truck that helped up the popularity of bodega-style chopped cheese sandwiches in Denver, moved into its first brick-and-mortar, replacing the recently closed poke restaurant Turtle Boat on South Broadway. Owner Brian Murphy has transformed the patio area with added greenery and is planning some fun specials, including Dole Whip Fridays.

Pancho & Jane in Golden is a new concept from the team behind the Eddy Taproom & Hotel. The menu is taco-centric, with options such as crispy Brussels, carnitas, suadero (confit beef belly), lamb birria and more. There are also quesadillas, burritos, bowls and salads, as well as a full bar program with margaritas, palomas and an extensive list of bourbons and agave spirits.

The Colorado Club in Boulder has replaced the Sophomore on Pearl Street. The neighborhood saloon and grill is the latest concept from Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality's Bryan Dayton, who also owns Corrida, Brider, Oak at Fourteenth, Bellota and C Burger.
Another highlight among the May openings is Eat'Ya Pizza, which brought Roman-style slices back to the 16th Street Mall after Sofia's brief run in the space. The restaurant is the latest from Nick Kayser, who recently closed Rooted Craft American Kitchen in the West Highland neighborhood.

We were also impressed by Wok Spicy, a Sichuan restaurant that took over the former Twin Dragon building on South Broadway.

May brought some surprising closures, too, including Cheba Hut on Champa Street, which shuttered without warning to customers or employees after nearly fifteen years downtown. In more chain news, four Red Lobster locations closed; they were among dozens the chain dropped as it deals with financial strain caused in part by its botched endless shrimp promotion.

We had to say goodbye to one of our favorite places to dine: Misfit Snack Bar closed up shop at Middleman; that kitchen will now host rotating guest concepts, starting with Rock N Lobster. The news does have an upside, though, as owner Bo Porytko is looking for a new home for Misfit "to stretch its legs and make even more of the food you love. We’re not abandoning you, we’re just finding room to grow," he wrote in an Instagram post announcing the news.

Now, as we kick off June, we're anticipating the official return of Vine Street after a four-year hiatus. Cheers to a summer of beers, wings and burgers on its Uptown patio.

Here's the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened and closed in May*:

Openings

Banh Mi Zone, 2424 South Federal Boulevard
Bedlam, 1516 Wazee Street
Big Apple Bodega, 2231 South Broadway
The Brunch House, 10081 Wadsworth Parkway, Westminster
Chinese Palace Dim Sum, 11970 Washington Street, Northglenn
Chopstix Fusion, 2020 South Parker Road, Aurora
Chop Shop Broomfield, 799 U.S. 287, Broomfield
The Colorado Club, 1043 Pearl Street, Boulder
Eat'Ya Pizza, 1530 16th Street
Georgie's, 1416 Market Street
Hot Shot Coffee, 3358 York Street
Migas Coffee, 2590 Walnut Street
Milieu Fermentation, 2101 Ursula Street, Aurora
Mystical Blends, 2936 East Colfax Avenue
Pancho & Jane, 16500 South Golden Road, Golden
Sawa, 1737 East Evans Avenue
SportyPickle, 8640 South Peoria Street, Englewood
Parkway Food Hall, 700 Ken Pratt Boulevard, Longmont
Spice Room, 7355 Ralston Road, Arvada
Via 313 at Park Meadows Mall, 9595 East County Line Road, Centennial
Wok Spicy, 3021 South Broadway, Englewood

New at Denver International Airport, Concourse A-West:

• Elway’s Taproom & Grill
• Peet’s Coffee
• Tacos Tequila Whiskey

Closures

Cheba Hut, 1531 Champa Street
Chicken Rebel, 10448 Town Center Drive, Westminster
Kodiac Brewery Bar and Grill, 7685 East Arapahoe Road, Centennial
Misfit Snack Bar, 3401 East Colfax Avenue
Red Lobster at four locations:

• 8268 East Northfield Boulevard
• 810 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood
• 4455 Wadsworth Boulevard, Wheat Ridge
• 9067 East Westview Road, Lone Tree

Renegade Brewing, 925 West Ninth Avenue
SkinnyFATS, 7795 East Belleview Avenue
Turtle Boat, 2231 South Broadway

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

Know of something we missed? Email [email protected].