La Cour will not reopen. (Photos courtesy Janet Poth)
(Last updated Sept. 10)
This page will be updated as we learn more. Are we missing some? Email reporter Thomas Gounley at [email protected].
It’s in reverse chronological order, so closures that became clear more recently are listed up top. Click the name for more in-depth coverage.
Here’s the list:
Acorn: The restaurant within RiNo’s The Source Market Hall, known for its wood-fired kitchen, rustic dishes and walls covered in graffiti, opened in 2013. The owner plans to open a new concept in the space.
Dazbog Coffee (Golden Triangle location): The coffee shop had been at 501 W. 12th Ave. since at least 2007.
Jason’s Deli (16th Street Mall location): The franchisee that operated the location filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Aug. 31.
Gallop Cafe: The restaurant at 2401 W. 32nd Ave. in LoHi opened in 2004, according to Westword.
Lena: The Latin restaurant at 24 N. Broadway, which opened in 2014, has closed, according to its website.
Rory’s Tavern: The Irish pub at 404 N. Broadway opened in 2017.
Rialto Cafe: The eatery along the 16th Street Mall, which opened in 1997, will serve its last patrons on Aug. 16, ownership announced.
The Pour House Pub: The sports bar catering to Boston fans has permanently closed, according to a lawsuit filed by the business’ landlord. Pour House signage has also been removed from the building. It opened in 2002.
Peet’s Coffee (downtown Denver): The San Francisco-based coffee chain has closed its location near Union Station at 2005 17th St., a spokesman for the company told BusinessDen, declining to detail specifically why. The location opened in 2019.
Fooducopia: In a July 30 Facebook post, owner Tim Lymberopoulos said the restaurant at 1939 E. Kentucky Ave. in Wash Park has closed. Fooducopia opened in 2012.
Great Northern: Westword reports the restaurant at 8101 E. Belleview Ave. in the Denver Tech Center has closed. It was established in 1998, according to its website.
Landry’s Seafood House: Westword reports the chain eatery located along I-25 at 7209 S. Clinton St. in Englewood has closed.
Vesta: The restaurant at 1822 Blake St. opened in 1997. Owner Josh Wolkon told Westword that he decided last year, with about two years left on his lease, that he likely wouldn’t renew. When the pandemic arrived, however, he worked out a deal to leave early.
Marrakech Grill: Westword reports furnishings have been removed from the eatery at 2290 S. Colorado Blvd., and a for-lease sign is up. The Lebanese/Persian restaurant operated for more than a dozen years.
El Jaripeo: Westword reports the eatery at 1050 S. Havana St., which opened in 2018, won’t reopen.
Gozo: The restaurant at 30 S. Broadway opened in early 2014. Owner Curt Sims indicated to BusinessDen he plans to open a different restaurant in the space.
Paris Crepe: The creperie at 3926 Tennyson St. opened in late 2018.
Dunbar Kitchen & Tap House: The eatery at 2844 Welton St. is being replaced by a new concept, which ownership described as a happy hour and dinner spot with contemporary American cuisine.
Lacuna Juice and Yoga: The yoga studio at 2590 Lawrence St. at the edge of RiNo also sold juices and plant-based soups and salads. It closes July 18 after a year in business.
Racines: Owners Lee Goodfriend and David Racine are under contract to sell the restaurant property to a developer, and originally announced in April that the eatery would reopen after the pandemic and then close for good in January 2021. On July 14, however, they announced that the restaurant won’t reopen, citing “the staying power of the virus.”
Nick’s Diner: The diner at 3743 Federal Blvd. in Denver announced its permanent closure on Facebook on June 12. The post indicated it had been open seven years.
Milo’s Sports Tavern: The restaurant at 6495 E. Evans Ave. announced its permanent closure on Facebook in mid-June. Owner TC Clark wrote Milo’s had “been a part of this neighborhood in SE Denver for almost 20 years” and that he owned the business for 11 years. On the decision to close, Clark wrote: “In the end, Covid killed the party. A small, neighborhood, full-service restaurant isn’t made for masks, 6 feet of distancing and 50% capacity, not to mention new hiring and purchasing.”
Hidden Idol: The tiki bar at 2240 Clay St. in Jefferson Park briefly reopened as dine-in restrictions eased before opting to instead shutter for good, according to Westword. It opened along East Colfax Avenue in 2017 before moving to Jefferson Park in 2019.
Fresh Fish Co.: The eatery at 7800 E. Hampden Ave. in Denver had been open for 40 years. “We reopened from May 29 to June 28, but with only 50 percent occupancy or fifty customers allowed, we were only at 12.5 percent of our occupancy,” an owner told Westword.
Arada Ethiopian Restaurant: A for-lease sign has been posted at 750 Santa Fe Drive in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Yelp reviews indicate the eatery had been there since at least 2007.
Butcher’s Bistro: The steakhouse at 2233 Larimer St. opened in October 2014. Owner Scott Bauer confirmed the closure.
Buchi Cafe Cubano: The restaurant at 2651 W. 38th Ave. in Sunnyside said on its Facebook page June 22 that it had permanently closed. It opened in 2008. A Leadville location added in 2019 continues to operate.
Frijoles Colorado Cuban Cafe: The eatery at 12095 W. Alameda Ave. in Lakewood has permanently closed, according to Westword.
Armida’s: The Mexican restaurant at 840 Lincoln St. is changing its name to La Milpa and jettisoning the karaoke nights for which it’s become known, according to the Denver Post, which reported that the restaurant’s ownership is not changing.
Chuey Fu’s Baja Cantina: Owner Joe Knoblich said “the handwriting was on the wall” for the restaurant at 2100 16th St. in Riverfront Park even before the pandemic arrived. Chuey Fu’s still has brick-and-mortar locations along Santa Fe Drive and in Englewood.
Blue Pebble: The restaurant at 698 Santa Fe Drive in Lincoln Park had just opened in the fall, replacing Pistol Whip, another concept that lasted less than six months. The building’s owner said the tattoo shop he owns next door will move in.
Old Major: Owner Justin Brunson told BusinessDen he’s closing Old Major to focus on his meat processing company River Bear American Meats, a decision he might not have made were if not for the coronavirus. The restaurant at 3316 Tejon St. in LoHi opened in 2013.
There: The restaurant at 3254 Navajo St. in LoHi said on its Facebook page in early June that it wouldn’t reopen. A sister location in Telluride, which preceded the Denver location, continues to operate.
Meadowlark Kitchen: A co-owner of the restaurant at 2705 Larimer St. in RiNo told BusinessDen in early June that it won’t reopen. It opened in late 2014.
Royal Rooster, Mother Tongue and Pizzeria Coperta in Broadway Market: Three of the food hall’s original concepts didn’t return when it reopened after nearly three months, according to Westword.
Punch Bowl Social (Stapleton location): The Denver-based chain, whose locations are both restaurants and entertainment complexes, still expects to reopen its original location on Broadway. The Stapleton location opened in 2017.
The Cereal Box: The cafe at 5709 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. in Arvada opened in 2017, and dished up wacky cereal combinations, including the bestseller “unicorn poop.” Co-owner Lori Hofer said the business’ lease was expiring and its landlord wanted to take over the space.
Costa Vida (some locations): The Utah-based Mexican chain closed restaurants in Arvada and Stapleton in April.
Rubio’s Coastal Grill: The CEO of the California-based fish taco chain told BusinessDen in early June that its six Colorado locations — in Denver, Lakewood, Littleton, Aurora, Highlands Ranch and Broomfield — were done.
Tony Roma’s: Signage for the chain’s location downtown at 1480 Arapahoe St. had been removed by early June. The restaurant, known for its steak and ribs, opened in early 2018.
12@Madison: 5280 reported in late May that chef-owner Jeff Osaka would not reopen his restaurant at 1160 Madison St. in Congress Park. It opened in late 2016.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room: A representative for parent company Landry’s told BusinessDen in late May that the chain’s location at 1400 Arapahoe St. would not reopen. It had been there since July 2007.
Morton’s The Steakhouse: BusinessDen reported in late May that the chain, also owned by Landry’s, had nixed its location downtown at 1745 Wazee St., along with some in other cities.
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom (Denver location): The chain, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early March, confirmed the closure in mid-May.
Tom’s Diner: The diner at 601 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver had been planning to close in June, but that date was moved up when dine-in service was nixed, according to Westword.
Next Stop Brewing Co.: OK, this one is a brewery, not a restaurant. Westword reported in mid-May the business at 925 W. 8th Ave., formerly known as the Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project, would close May 30, citing competition and COVID.
La Cour: The French bistro, jazz club and art bar on South Broadway was located at 1643 S. Broadway. The owners now are trying to sell the real estate.
Biju’s Little Curry Shop: Biju’s briefly had three locations in Denver, but was down to one at 4279 Tennyson St. in Berkeley when owner Biju Thomas announced in early May that it wouldn’t reopen.
Scratch Burrito & Happy Tap: The restaurant at 4262 N. Lowell Blvd. opened in 2013 and called it quits in late April after initially doing takeout as the pandemic set in, according to The Denver Post.
20th Street Cafe: The restaurant at 1123 20th St. had been in the same family and location since 1946. The owners said that, had it not been for the pandemic, they likely would have stayed open for two more years.
Wendell’s: The diner at 3838 Tennyson St. announced it was “indefinitely” closed on its Facebook page on March 17. The post didn’t explain why, but came as Denver’s dine-in prohibition began. It opened in 2018.
The Market at Larimer Square: The deli and small grocery at 1415 Larimer St. had been open for 42 years, and under the same ownership for the last 37. “I reinvented The Market every five years for 37 years, and I just wasn’t ready to reinvent myself again after closing,” Mark Greenberg told BusinessDen.
Euclid Hall: The restaurant at 1317 14th St. said in mid-March that it wouldn’t reopen. Its lease was up in August, and ownership already had been looking to move, according to Westword. No new location has been announced.
La Cour will not reopen. (Photos courtesy Janet Poth)
(Last updated Sept. 10)
This page will be updated as we learn more. Are we missing some? Email reporter Thomas Gounley at [email protected].
It’s in reverse chronological order, so closures that became clear more recently are listed up top. Click the name for more in-depth coverage.
Here’s the list:
Acorn: The restaurant within RiNo’s The Source Market Hall, known for its wood-fired kitchen, rustic dishes and walls covered in graffiti, opened in 2013. The owner plans to open a new concept in the space.
Dazbog Coffee (Golden Triangle location): The coffee shop had been at 501 W. 12th Ave. since at least 2007.
Jason’s Deli (16th Street Mall location): The franchisee that operated the location filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Aug. 31.
Gallop Cafe: The restaurant at 2401 W. 32nd Ave. in LoHi opened in 2004, according to Westword.
Lena: The Latin restaurant at 24 N. Broadway, which opened in 2014, has closed, according to its website.
Rory’s Tavern: The Irish pub at 404 N. Broadway opened in 2017.
Rialto Cafe: The eatery along the 16th Street Mall, which opened in 1997, will serve its last patrons on Aug. 16, ownership announced.
The Pour House Pub: The sports bar catering to Boston fans has permanently closed, according to a lawsuit filed by the business’ landlord. Pour House signage has also been removed from the building. It opened in 2002.
Peet’s Coffee (downtown Denver): The San Francisco-based coffee chain has closed its location near Union Station at 2005 17th St., a spokesman for the company told BusinessDen, declining to detail specifically why. The location opened in 2019.
Fooducopia: In a July 30 Facebook post, owner Tim Lymberopoulos said the restaurant at 1939 E. Kentucky Ave. in Wash Park has closed. Fooducopia opened in 2012.
Great Northern: Westword reports the restaurant at 8101 E. Belleview Ave. in the Denver Tech Center has closed. It was established in 1998, according to its website.
Landry’s Seafood House: Westword reports the chain eatery located along I-25 at 7209 S. Clinton St. in Englewood has closed.
Vesta: The restaurant at 1822 Blake St. opened in 1997. Owner Josh Wolkon told Westword that he decided last year, with about two years left on his lease, that he likely wouldn’t renew. When the pandemic arrived, however, he worked out a deal to leave early.
Marrakech Grill: Westword reports furnishings have been removed from the eatery at 2290 S. Colorado Blvd., and a for-lease sign is up. The Lebanese/Persian restaurant operated for more than a dozen years.
El Jaripeo: Westword reports the eatery at 1050 S. Havana St., which opened in 2018, won’t reopen.
Gozo: The restaurant at 30 S. Broadway opened in early 2014. Owner Curt Sims indicated to BusinessDen he plans to open a different restaurant in the space.
Paris Crepe: The creperie at 3926 Tennyson St. opened in late 2018.
Dunbar Kitchen & Tap House: The eatery at 2844 Welton St. is being replaced by a new concept, which ownership described as a happy hour and dinner spot with contemporary American cuisine.
Lacuna Juice and Yoga: The yoga studio at 2590 Lawrence St. at the edge of RiNo also sold juices and plant-based soups and salads. It closes July 18 after a year in business.
Racines: Owners Lee Goodfriend and David Racine are under contract to sell the restaurant property to a developer, and originally announced in April that the eatery would reopen after the pandemic and then close for good in January 2021. On July 14, however, they announced that the restaurant won’t reopen, citing “the staying power of the virus.”
Nick’s Diner: The diner at 3743 Federal Blvd. in Denver announced its permanent closure on Facebook on June 12. The post indicated it had been open seven years.
Milo’s Sports Tavern: The restaurant at 6495 E. Evans Ave. announced its permanent closure on Facebook in mid-June. Owner TC Clark wrote Milo’s had “been a part of this neighborhood in SE Denver for almost 20 years” and that he owned the business for 11 years. On the decision to close, Clark wrote: “In the end, Covid killed the party. A small, neighborhood, full-service restaurant isn’t made for masks, 6 feet of distancing and 50% capacity, not to mention new hiring and purchasing.”
Hidden Idol: The tiki bar at 2240 Clay St. in Jefferson Park briefly reopened as dine-in restrictions eased before opting to instead shutter for good, according to Westword. It opened along East Colfax Avenue in 2017 before moving to Jefferson Park in 2019.
Fresh Fish Co.: The eatery at 7800 E. Hampden Ave. in Denver had been open for 40 years. “We reopened from May 29 to June 28, but with only 50 percent occupancy or fifty customers allowed, we were only at 12.5 percent of our occupancy,” an owner told Westword.
Arada Ethiopian Restaurant: A for-lease sign has been posted at 750 Santa Fe Drive in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Yelp reviews indicate the eatery had been there since at least 2007.
Butcher’s Bistro: The steakhouse at 2233 Larimer St. opened in October 2014. Owner Scott Bauer confirmed the closure.
Buchi Cafe Cubano: The restaurant at 2651 W. 38th Ave. in Sunnyside said on its Facebook page June 22 that it had permanently closed. It opened in 2008. A Leadville location added in 2019 continues to operate.
Frijoles Colorado Cuban Cafe: The eatery at 12095 W. Alameda Ave. in Lakewood has permanently closed, according to Westword.
Armida’s: The Mexican restaurant at 840 Lincoln St. is changing its name to La Milpa and jettisoning the karaoke nights for which it’s become known, according to the Denver Post, which reported that the restaurant’s ownership is not changing.
Chuey Fu’s Baja Cantina: Owner Joe Knoblich said “the handwriting was on the wall” for the restaurant at 2100 16th St. in Riverfront Park even before the pandemic arrived. Chuey Fu’s still has brick-and-mortar locations along Santa Fe Drive and in Englewood.
Blue Pebble: The restaurant at 698 Santa Fe Drive in Lincoln Park had just opened in the fall, replacing Pistol Whip, another concept that lasted less than six months. The building’s owner said the tattoo shop he owns next door will move in.
Old Major: Owner Justin Brunson told BusinessDen he’s closing Old Major to focus on his meat processing company River Bear American Meats, a decision he might not have made were if not for the coronavirus. The restaurant at 3316 Tejon St. in LoHi opened in 2013.
There: The restaurant at 3254 Navajo St. in LoHi said on its Facebook page in early June that it wouldn’t reopen. A sister location in Telluride, which preceded the Denver location, continues to operate.
Meadowlark Kitchen: A co-owner of the restaurant at 2705 Larimer St. in RiNo told BusinessDen in early June that it won’t reopen. It opened in late 2014.
Royal Rooster, Mother Tongue and Pizzeria Coperta in Broadway Market: Three of the food hall’s original concepts didn’t return when it reopened after nearly three months, according to Westword.
Punch Bowl Social (Stapleton location): The Denver-based chain, whose locations are both restaurants and entertainment complexes, still expects to reopen its original location on Broadway. The Stapleton location opened in 2017.
The Cereal Box: The cafe at 5709 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. in Arvada opened in 2017, and dished up wacky cereal combinations, including the bestseller “unicorn poop.” Co-owner Lori Hofer said the business’ lease was expiring and its landlord wanted to take over the space.
Costa Vida (some locations): The Utah-based Mexican chain closed restaurants in Arvada and Stapleton in April.
Rubio’s Coastal Grill: The CEO of the California-based fish taco chain told BusinessDen in early June that its six Colorado locations — in Denver, Lakewood, Littleton, Aurora, Highlands Ranch and Broomfield — were done.
Tony Roma’s: Signage for the chain’s location downtown at 1480 Arapahoe St. had been removed by early June. The restaurant, known for its steak and ribs, opened in early 2018.
12@Madison: 5280 reported in late May that chef-owner Jeff Osaka would not reopen his restaurant at 1160 Madison St. in Congress Park. It opened in late 2016.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room: A representative for parent company Landry’s told BusinessDen in late May that the chain’s location at 1400 Arapahoe St. would not reopen. It had been there since July 2007.
Morton’s The Steakhouse: BusinessDen reported in late May that the chain, also owned by Landry’s, had nixed its location downtown at 1745 Wazee St., along with some in other cities.
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom (Denver location): The chain, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early March, confirmed the closure in mid-May.
Tom’s Diner: The diner at 601 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver had been planning to close in June, but that date was moved up when dine-in service was nixed, according to Westword.
Next Stop Brewing Co.: OK, this one is a brewery, not a restaurant. Westword reported in mid-May the business at 925 W. 8th Ave., formerly known as the Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project, would close May 30, citing competition and COVID.
La Cour: The French bistro, jazz club and art bar on South Broadway was located at 1643 S. Broadway. The owners now are trying to sell the real estate.
Biju’s Little Curry Shop: Biju’s briefly had three locations in Denver, but was down to one at 4279 Tennyson St. in Berkeley when owner Biju Thomas announced in early May that it wouldn’t reopen.
Scratch Burrito & Happy Tap: The restaurant at 4262 N. Lowell Blvd. opened in 2013 and called it quits in late April after initially doing takeout as the pandemic set in, according to The Denver Post.
20th Street Cafe: The restaurant at 1123 20th St. had been in the same family and location since 1946. The owners said that, had it not been for the pandemic, they likely would have stayed open for two more years.
Wendell’s: The diner at 3838 Tennyson St. announced it was “indefinitely” closed on its Facebook page on March 17. The post didn’t explain why, but came as Denver’s dine-in prohibition began. It opened in 2018.
The Market at Larimer Square: The deli and small grocery at 1415 Larimer St. had been open for 42 years, and under the same ownership for the last 37. “I reinvented The Market every five years for 37 years, and I just wasn’t ready to reinvent myself again after closing,” Mark Greenberg told BusinessDen.
Euclid Hall: The restaurant at 1317 14th St. said in mid-March that it wouldn’t reopen. Its lease was up in August, and ownership already had been looking to move, according to Westword. No new location has been announced.
Real sad, the corporate owned titans like Morton’s, Oceanaire, Tony Roma’s & Rubio’s (all corporate chains, that are still open in most other cities) got bailouts, mom & pop restaurants got screwed & are going away for good. Where’s the bailouts for mom & pop locales? They NEVER got any of the PPP $ that corporate muckity mucks like Landry’s received. Priorities are ALL out of whack, & fundamentals need to be drastically changed.
I will really miss the Market in Larimer Square. It was the place for coffee and baked goods when my friends and I would bike to downtown from Littleton. That was years ago, but I still love the place.
There was such a fun spot to get drinks and their food was amazing. Will definitely miss that spot!
So many great restaurants on this list and some I did branding for. It breaks my heart. COVID sucks and so does our government’s response.
Tia Maria on N Pecos
Hansons on Pearl St.