Food News | March 2022

Jeannot’s Patisserie & Bakery

• The James Beard Foundation announced 13 Colorado chefs and restaurants as semifinalists for its 2022 awards, and three of them were from Boulder County. Local recognitions went to Casian Seafood on Public Road in Lafayette for Best New Restaurant; The Black Cat’s Eric Skokan as Best Chef, Mountain Region; and Edwin Zoe from Chimera Ramen as Outstanding Restaurateur. The winners will be announced June 13, but regardless of the outcome, it’s an enormous career recognition to be included as a semifinalist on this list.

• Since the last edition of Food News, there have been 14 restaurant openings and closings. To kick off the list, Dickens 300 Prime is opening a second location on Pearl Street in Boulder this summer, expanding one of Old Town Longmont’s most legendary and historic venues to a wider audience.

• Elsewhere in Longmont, Boulder Pho opened its location on Clover Basin Drive, and Alabama-based Chicken Salad Chick announced that they’re bringing their franchise to Longmont (as well as Fort Collins, Loveland, Johnstown, Windsor, and Greeley) later this year or early next. The owners have Greeley roots, and placing locations in northern Colorado is near and dear to their hearts.

• Elsewhere in East County, Jeannot’s Patisserie & Bistro has opened in Lafayette and Erie Social Club opened in the Old Town district on Wells Street. Roaming throughout the county with a food truck-based kitchen, MASSively wHOLEhearted Pizza is bringing Massachusetts South Shore bar-style pizza to area diners. Its owners plan to crank out pies with a biscuit-like crust and specialized cheese blend.

• There’s a notable new restaurant that opened earlier this month on U.S. Highway 36 in Broomfield. La Distileria is a distillery and restaurant from Issac Gonzalez, part owner of the beloved Italian restaurant Delvickios. When that space closed in December, Gonzalez pivoted with a focus on creating something inspired by his family’s favorite dishes from his time growing up in Mexico City.

• Westminster is welcoming two very different establishments. One of them is Bella Macaron, a bakery featuring the beloved and beautiful French sandwich cookies. On the more savory side, Chicken Rebel has also opened a sit-down and drive-thru restaurant, making its way north from Lower Highlands in Denver.

• As expected, Boulder proper is keeping pace with restaurant change. Boulder Fresh Garden is coming to 25th and Arapahoe at the former location of Doug’s Day Diner. In addition, Oskar Blues Taproom has left its Pearl Street location as one casualty of Monster Beverage’s purchase of CANarchy (The Liquids and Solids restaurants in Lyons and Longmont weren’t part of the purchase and will be sticking around). On the other side of town, Ska Street Brewstillery closed restaurant operations on Arapahoe Avenue, and NOSH delivery service is shutting down delivery in Boulder only.

• In happier news, television came to Boulder last month as Daniel Asher’s River and Woods and College Hill staple The Sink were both featured on Cooking Channel’s Man v. Food.

• New dishes and new offerings are also prominent in March. For those who are paella fans, Cafe Aion has started a monthly Paella Club with specialized, unique versions of paella and optional add-on drink pairings as well as other member perks. Native Foods also debuted a new plant-free menu item in its restaurants, a Katsu Curry which is inspired by the Japanese dish of the same name. In Denver, Dos Luces Brewery, specializing in pre-Hispanic beer-making traditions, is kicking off its beer school. It’s going in depth with a six-week class focusing on pre-colonial and Western European beers and tastings.