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For design lovers, a restaurant’s aesthetic is nearly as important as its menu. Sure, there are times when an eatery’s interiors are the least of your concerns—like when you need to snag a quick bánh mì between back-to-back meetings, cure a sudden bout of hanger with mouthwatering barbecue served on a piece of parchment, or soak up the previous night’s tequila shots with the warm hug of a breakfast sandwich. But for the evenings when you want to impress a date, savor precious kid-free time, or celebrate a milestone, a restaurant’s atmosphere can make or break a meal.
Luckily, several of Denver’s newest additions to the culinary scene serve up serious style alongside flavorful food. Here, five of our favorite new eateries that speak to all five senses.
Dear Emilia
The masterminds behind Michelin-recommended Restaurant Olivia didn’t want to lean on red-sauce-joint clichés for their latest endeavor, Dear Emilia, which opened in January. Instead, chef Ty Leon, bar director Austin Carson, and hospitality director Heather Morrison set out to recreate the essence of Emilia-Romagna, a region in northern Italy, without being too literal.
Working with Denver firm Regular Architecture, the team turned a new office building’s blank concrete canvas into a space bathed in natural light and sunset hues—a quiet backdrop for the menu’s housemade pastas, negronis, and seasonal veggies. At the entrance, barrels of San Giacomo balsamic vinegar double as sculptures and tributes to the region’s coveted export. Inside, the subtle material palette features soft lime-washed plaster, muted stone, warm woods, and custom millwork by local artisans. The dining room’s distinct architecture was inspired by a photo Carson snapped of Bologna’s portico-lined streets, but rather than copy the columns outright, the team translated their rhythm into a series of arches that usher guests through the space and create privacy between tables. 3615 Delgany St., Denver (RiNo)
Semiprecious
Hospitality vets Mike Capoferri and Rahul Marwah tapped Denver-based Wunder Werkz—who liked the project enough to come on as co-owners—to design their first bar outside Los Angeles. Situated on Sunnyside’s 44th Avenue, the neighborhood cocktail lounge was influenced by an unlikely muse. “We were heavily inspired by Le Corbusier’s ability to elevate humble materials through proportion, color, and composition rather than extravagance,” says Wunder Werkz founder and owner Jon Hartman of the Swiss-French architect and designer.
By leaning on affordable materials and creative techniques, the design team created an inviting space that feels somewhat unexpected (much like its cocktail menu, which features a sour cream and onion martini, tomato highball, and a mango spritz).The bar top, for example, is made entirely from post-consumer recycled plastic, while the bar facade is crafted out of pegboard. Walls and booth upholstery in rich burgundy hues and electric blue tile contrasts with light oak accents. “Nothing feels overworked or overly precious,” Hartman says. “Semiprecious, some would say.” 2839 W. 44th Ave., Denver (Sunnyside)
Milpero
Chef Johnny Curiel’s sixth restaurant, which debuted in May, is his most intimate (and entertaining) yet. Each eight-person seating acts as a progressive dinner of sorts: Guests lucky enough to get a reservation move throughout the space to taste 18 courses of seafood, mole, and masa dishes, learning about the ingredients and preparation techniques along the way.
Curiel and his wife and business partner, Kasie, worked with Agatha Strompolos of Denver’s Agatha Jane Interior Design to transform the 1,300-square-foot RiNo space that was once home to Comal Heritage Food Incubator into an immersive escape. Rather than completely gut the interiors, Strompolos worked with the existing elements as much as possible. The old wine room remained a wine room, with bench seating added for guests to gather before the full omakase experience begins. In the dining room, Strompolos expanded an existing oven-facing counter to comfortably seat eight guests.
Terracotta tile and woven chargers nod to Mexico, while layers of buffalo-check drapes, reclaimed wood siding, and exposed stone ground the room in Colorado’s mountains. “It marries Johnny’s origins in Mexico and Colorado,” Strompolos says. “The menu sources ingredients from Colorado farms and features experimental takes on common dishes from all over Mexico. The dishes have simple origins, as do the restaurant materials: stone, clay, metal, wood.” 3455 Ringsby Ct., Unit 105A (Globeville)
All Is Well & Fino
In March, the neglected East Colfax property that was once home to the Fountain Inn Motor Hotel and the rowdy dive Rockbar entered a new era as the All Inn Hotel. Local design firm Maximalist led an extensive renovation of the 1959 building that leaned into its midcentury roots (think: color-themed floors, walnut furnishings, and chrome lighting). The property’s original neon sign out front was restored, and, inside, Rockbar’s signature exposed rock wall still stands (after it was thoroughly cleaned to remove graffiti).
The revived property’s new dining concept, Mediterranean restaurant Fino, was built with a lively energy in mind. High-gloss red-lacquered metal, walnut and burlwood, and smoked glass intermingle on the sculptural terrazzo bar. “The indoor-outdoor layout draws on Europe’s alfresco dining traditions, bringing the restaurant’s coastal Mediterranean spirit to life and reinforcing that lively, social energy the Fino concept is centered on,” says owner and operator Steven Waters. After you’ve downed a few Dirty Fino’s, you’ll need a trip to the bathroom—which also happens to be the perfect place for a moody selfie. 3015 E. Colfax Ave., Denver (City Park)
Blossom by SYC
Known for her Asian dining concepts—including Go Fish, Chubby Fish, and Miya Moon—local restaurateur Shuang “Sherry” Crossland’s newest opening draws its design cues from restaurants she’s fallen for on her own travels. “The design is polished, elegant, and sophisticated,” says Crossland, who steered Blossom’s creative vision. “It reflects how the menu blends authentic Chinese flavors with refined French cooking techniques.”
Denverites eager to try this new LoHi eatery can visit now during its soft opening to nosh on dim sum dumplings and upscale Chinese mains (including slow-braised beef short rib, wagyu fried rice, and miso black cod). The garden-inspired dining room taps into its feminine side with glass cherry blossoms cascading from the ceiling, intricate jade mosaics lining the walls, and seating upholstered in emerald-green velvet and bubblegum-pink vinyl. Layers of soft lighting—from overhead globe pendants, crystal chandeliers, and above-bar LED strips—create an ambient glow. 1691 Central St., Denver (LoHi)
