July is here and as summer heats up we have news of a fresh menu to go with a new name of a beloved Mexican restaurant downtown. There’s also a holiday in the coming weeks, which was created to celebrate one of Denver’s greats who helped put Larimer Square on the map. There are festivals around town to enjoy too, including DiningOut Events’ inaugural Surf Seafood Championship on July 31.
Read on for more top news stories and send us any tips via Instagram or by emailing info@diningout.com.
The 411
Westword reported that Carioca Cafe, also known as Bar Bar, a beloved dive bar downtown, had an outside wall collapse early on Monday morning. Luckily no one was hurt, and the bar itself was vacant due to a closure last year after an arson. Owner Rich Granville was raising money to reopen the bar, though now that may be impossible.
Larimer Square will honor the legacy of award-winning, Denver urban preservationist Dana Crawford on Saturday, July 19th with the inaugural Dana Day: A Tribute to Dana Crawford. Crawford pioneered the redevelopment of Denver’s original main street, Larimer Street, in the mid 1960s, creating a destination shopping and dining district from the neglected and abandoned buildings. She passed away in January this year, at the age of 93.
The event will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. and feature remarks by Denver dignitaries, live music, dancing in the street, and food and drink specials from Garage Sale Vintage, Rioja, Corridor 44, Disco Pig, Emerald Eye, Osteria Marco, and NADC Burger. The event is free, but registration is requested here.
LoDo’s Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant rebrands as Rio on Wazee. While the decor and overall vibe won’t change, the menu will be updated with new dishes to go with the new name.
“The Rio has always been about passion for food, tradition, and pushing the boundaries of what great Tex-Mex should be,” said Pat McGaughran, founder and owner of the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, in a press release. “With Rio on Wazee, we’re honoring what our guests love while taking bold new steps forward to offer some slightly more sophisticated dishes we’ve spent years crafting and perfecting.”
Highlights on the appetizer menu include made-to-order guacamole, potato taquitos, and queso fundido with caramelized onions, poblano rajas, and shiitake mushrooms. Also look for a grilled Caesar salad, roasted pork shank birria, and the steak and enchilada combo plate served with potato pave and seared kale.
The newly-opened omakase den Kizaki is changing its hours of operation. Now the restaurant will be open from Wednesday through Saturday every week, with seatings at 5 and 8 p.m. Reservation availability releases on the 15th of every month through OpenTable.
Openings and Closings in the News
Glady’s fans worry not, the plant-based eatery in Edgewater Public Market may be closing on July 3. But that’s only because it’s setting up shop in a bigger spot in the food hall between July 4 and 13. Check out the new and improved Glady’s on July 14.
When La Vista Motel, a 23-room boutique property, reopens this coming fall you can expect El Piñon to come along with it. The new coffee shop and cocktail bar will serve locally roasted coffee from Denver’s Servant Coffee by day and original craft cocktails by night. Overseen by Weston Scott, founder of Ephemeral Rotating Taproom, the setting blends 1960s Colfax charm with a modern, neighborhood-friendly vibe.
Kakigori Ken, Denver’s first Japanese shaved iced spot is now open for the summer season inside The Source. Look for the delicate shaved ices topped with macerated strawberries, uji matcha syrup, mascarpone whipped cream, and farmers’ market fresh flavors.
CD’s Wings, the award-winning fast-casual wing restaurant, announced the closure of its Parker location, 11211 S. Dransfeldt Dr. will close this month. The outpost of the wing shop opened in March, 2025, but after significant permit delays and missing “crucial months of peak customer traffic,” the company has decided to abandon ship. The last day of service will be July 13.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision and one we do not take lightly,” said Dean Copeland, owner of CD’s Wings, in a press release. “We invested heavily in this location and were excited to serve the Parker community, but a combination of factors made it impossible to continue operations sustainably. To every customer who walked through our doors and made CD Wings part of your rotation, thank you for your support.”
Also in closing news, the bar Queens Eleven in RiNo has shuttered, but you can still go to its sister spot, Room For Milly in LoHi.
On the Menu
The tomato sandwich is back at Odell’s Bagel. It features slices of local heirloom tomato, scallion cream cheese, chili crunch, chive, and olive oil on a bagel.
Wild Columbia River king salmon and wild Maryland softshell crab return to the menu at Water Grill in Downtown Denver. A first-of-season delicacy, king salmon is the largest of the Pacific salmon, featuring a rich flavor and distinct marbling. Enjoy it poached in a lemon nage with snap peas and heirloom tomatoes. The first-of-season wild Maryland softshell crabs also join the menu with a signature sweet and earthy flavor. Water Grill serves the mid-Atlantic summer treat tempura-fried with pickled plums, Belgian endive and xo sauce.
Get a $5 Dragon Fruit Margarita from Atomic Cowboy all July long. It’s sweet and tangy and, most importantly, refreshing.
Also on the drink side, The Family Jones Spirit House has a new cocktail menu dubbed A Colorado Summer, which features beverages inspired by iconic local landmarks and Colorado’s signature quirks.
Events
It’s Phish weekend in Boulder and Big Red F is celebrating July 3 through 5. The company’s Velvet Elk Lounge will host the after-party on Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. with live music and late-night eats available until midnight. Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar will open early at 11 a.m. for lunch with lots of Phish-y specials from July 3 through 5. To add to the fun, Centro Mexican Kitchen and West End Tavern will keep the vibes going on Pearl Street until midnight July 3 through 5 with late-night eats and drinks. You can also expect a special keg tapping of Avery Brewing’s Pholsom Haze IPA, Y.E.M. punch, heady grilled cheese and Phish Food ice cream at the Tavern.
For the first time FlyteCo Tower is opening the top of its 11-story tower, previously the Stapleton Air Traffic Control Tower, for July Fourth. A limited number of tickets will be available for the best fireworks viewing spot in town. Revelers will be able to catch most of the firework shows across the Denver area, including Aurora, Westminster, downtown Denver. Tickets are $40 each and include a beer toast and a tour.
Head to Rook, the new rooftop bar at the Catbird Hotel in RiNo, for its July 5th “pool party”. Relax in an inflatable cabana as a live DJ spins, and sip on slushy specials and sizzling hot dogs. The event runs from 1 to 8 p.m., and the six-person cabanas are first-come, first-served for $100 per 3 hours, which also includes towels, shades, and a round of slushies and a hot dogs for everyone in the party. While there’s no actual poll, there are pool tables and a front-yard sprinkler zone to cool off in.
Urban Farmer Denver is hosting Market & Mixology on Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Sage Room at The Oxford Hotel. This is the second event in the 2025 Tasting Menu Dinner Series, and guests can expect an immersive, six-course evening celebrating the flavors and faces of Colorado’s farming and distilling communities, including spirits from Leopold Bros. Distillery. The event runs $215 per person, which includes drinks, both zero-proof and alcoholic depending on your desire. Book a spot here.
WeldWerks Brewing Co. in Greeley is hosting the Juicy Summer Music Market on July 12 from 3 to 7 p.m. This community-centered, market-style event features craft beer, local housewares, live music, and a dog adoption bonanza with Big Bones Canine Rescue. The rescue will be on site from 4 to 7 p.m.
On July 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., head to 9+CO for the Cloud 9 Park Block Party. Expect snow cones, sidewalk chalk art, and delicious eats from local food trucks. The party also acts as a fundraiser for the venue’s Fill a Backpack campaign. Find more information here.
Have you thought about joining Toro’s Tequila Locker? News is, this is the perfect time to see what the fuss is about during the restaurant’s July 24 event. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 150 Clayton Lane in Denver, ticket holders can get a sneak peek of what membership entails. Meet some of the restaurant’s tequila partners and sample some pours along the way. The $30 price of the ticket will go towards membership for those who sign up in-person during the event. Reserve a spot here.
