March ends and with it comes April and the news of a killer happy hour in Uptown. Also fresh on the scene, a cowboy-themed barbecue spot and the third location of a casual Mexican restaurant. We’re sad to report the closing of Sushi-Rama, the last conveyor belt sushi eatery in the city. But on a positive note, Colorado officially has a state mushroom, and it’s not psychedelic.
The 411
Today Governor Jared Polis officially made the Agaricus Julius, or the Emperor Mushroom Formerly Known as Prince, Colorado’s state mushroom. No, we didn’t know having a state mushroom was a thing either, but mycologists have been working on picking said fungi for over a year. Agaricus Julius was first discovered in Colorado 2016, but was often mistaken for Agaricus Augustus, aka the Prince Mushroom. Hence, the whimsical name it now carries, and a title fit to rule them all.
This is no April Fool’s joke, today through Wednesday, April 2, Chipotle will offer 2,500 BOGO codes per hour to the first Chipotle Rewards members who unlock the Burrito Vault at UnlockBurritoDay.com. All you have to do is enter the correct Chipotle order. The first player to unlock the Burrito Vault each hour will win free burritos for a year. Also new this year, if you miss out on the BOGO codes, you can still receive 25 Chipotle Rewards points (though just once during the campaign).
A recent news report by the point-of-sale tech provider Toast stated that Denver restaurants had the steepest decline in transactions last year. The report compares the numbers to 20 other major cities in 2024, and shows that Denver dropped 9%. Places such as New York City, Austin, and Atlanta grew by 1%, and Chicago and Philadelphia grew by 3%. Losses include Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington D.C., down 1%. The closest number to Denver was Tampa at negative 6% and Minneapolis at negative 4%.
In mixer and condiment news, the Real Dill has pivoted away from mass pickle production to focus on its popular Bloody Mary Mix and now, a Pickle Juice. Use it to make a briny martini, as a side shot with whiskey, or however you see fit. Don’t worry, the company will still sell pickles, but will be moving to a small batch operation.
Heading to First Friday on Santa Fe Drive and 9th Avenue this week? If so, make sure to look for Berliner Haus, which will be launching its food truck during the festivities. You may know the name from the Denver Christkindlmarket, but now you don’t have to wait until the holidays to have a solid döner kebab.
Congrats to the talented Alex Jump, winner for Somebody Doing Good at the 2025 Spill Awards. Jump is known for her work at Death & Co. in Denver, as well as advocating for mental health as co-founder of Focus on Health. Yacht Club also took home a prize from the awards this year for Best Bar. Great work Mary Allison Wright and McLain Hedges, we can’t wait to see you soon.
Openings and Closings in the News
On Friday, April 4, Belles & Boots opens in LoDo. The western-themed bar and restaurant will dish up barbecue and keep things cowboy inspired. Dance under a disco ball to live DJs, and on some nights there will be live music. There’s even a mechanical bull to ride, just make sure to do it before you eat.
We celebrated the opening of the last spot, and now the casual chicken shop CDs Wings has expanded to 11211 S. Dransfeldt Dr. in Parker. Opening day is Thursday, April 10, and fans of the Chicken-Fight!-winning wing spot can celebrate with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m. But that’s not all the news, the next day, on Friday, April 11, 50% of sales will be donated to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Parker. Finally, on Saturday the new shop will be giving out a CD’s Wings branded T-shirt and 10 free wings to the first 50 guests.
Qué Rico! opened in the Denver Premium Outlets last week, the third location and first non-Denver one. Find the Mexican food spot in the Dining Pavilion within the complex, and enjoy street tacos, chilaquiles, and Latin American takes on breakfast foods.
Safta in the Source Hotel is about to get a sibling spot called Ceci Italian Lounge. The space will feature small bites, wine, espresso, and Italian-influenced cocktails. The new place is named after owners Alon and Emily Shaya’s dachshund and translates to “garbanzo bean.” We don’t have an opening date yet, but stay tuned.
In sadder news, Jeff Osaka is shuttering his last restaurant in Colorado. On Saturday, April 12, Sushi-Rama will say goodbye to RiNo. Last year the chef closed all his conveyor belt sushi spots, leaving intact the original, which opened in 2015. Last month he announced the end of Osaka Ramen, and the space already has a new tenant slated to come in, Bear Leek, by chef Harrison Porter.
“When we first opened Sushi-Rama, the RiNo neighborhood was just beginning to find its place in the city as a dining destination. We took a risk with a fresh approach to sushi, inviting diners to experience Japanese cuisine through a playful, accessible lens,” shared Osaka in a press release. “To the community that gathered around our conveyor belt, shared countless meals, and embraced our vision, thank you. To the staff made that vision come to life, we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Go now to experience Sushi-Rama one last time. Since it’s my son’s favorite restaurant, I know we will. Though I’m not sure how to break the news to him as the city mourns another great loss.
RiNo also lost another hot spot, this time Blue Moon Brewing Company decided to close its large tap room. The reason, said the chef at a recent event, came down to the huge rent hike. He added the team is looking for a new spot, but so far nothing has been decided.
On the Menu
In new menu items news, on April 1 chef Erasmo Casiano will launch a new happy hour dubbed Xiquita Taqueria at his Uptown spot Xiquita. From 4 to 6 p.m. every Tuesday through Friday, join the chef as he celebrates Mexico City’s taqueria culture with masa-based dishes ranging from taco de hongo y rajas con crema, tostada de atun, and taco de lengua. To drink, dive into the specialized agave flights, each meant to honor women distillers, mezcaleras, and Mexico’s pechuga-distilling culture.
Events
Urban Farmer Denver has just announced its 2025 Tasting Menu Dinner Series, a chef-curated tasting event held at the downtown restaurant once a quarter. Expect a rotating lineup of Colorado farms and local purveyors. The first event is the Beast & Bourbon Dinner on Tuesday, April 1. For the feats, executive chef Ryan Rau created a five-course menu showcasing American bison from Rock River Ranches in Hudson. The meal will be paired with Laws Whiskey House, which uses locally sourced grains to make amazing whiskies. The dinner starts at 7 p.m., and runs $195 per person. For more information and to make reservations, go here.
Book a seat at the Sottimano Wine Dinner with Claudia Sottimano at Barolo Grill on Thursday, April 3. The exclusive wine dinner will go over the winery’s organic and sustainable farming, which results in incredible expressions of Barbaresco. Guests will taste through a progression of the red wines, including some from Barolo’s cellar, alongside a delicious four course meal. The reception starts at 6 p.m., dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $250 per person, all-inclusive and available here.
Chef Troy Guard and celebrity chef Robert Irvine join together for Dine with a Cause at Guard and Grace on Thursday, April 3. The five-course event benefits the Robert Irvine Foundation, which supports service members, veterans, and first responders. The event runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets for the one-up dinner are $250 per person, reservations can be made here.
Looking for things do on Opening Day this Friday, April 4? We have a great list to check out, and yes, a lot of it involves booze and the color purple.
News is that on Saturday, April 5, Hops & Pie is hosting a special 3 Floyds Brewing pouring. Starting at noon, folks can head to the Berkeley pizza and craft beer joint and sample the brewery’s Dark Lord, Handjee, Gumball Head, Age of Otters, Dreadnought, and Zombie Dust.
The Pro Roe Bake Sale is back on Sunday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., or when everything sells out. Some of the city’s most loved chefs and bakers have joined the fundraiser, which supports Planned Parenthood. The family-friendly event is run by volunteers, and overseen by Katie Knoch, Liliana Myers, and Sarah Abell.
This year the event will take place at Dry Clean Only Events // Hot Shot Coffee at 3358 York St. in Denver. Attendees purchase $5 tickets to exchange for baked goods and beverages, and all proceeds go to Planned Parenthood. Some of the many participants include Send Flours Baking Co., The Bindery, Lucky’s Bakehouse, Rioja, Butter Punk Cookies, Bistro Vendome, Tavernetta, Madi Made Bakes, Good Bread, Clayton Members Club, Rebel Bread, Black Rabbit Bakery, and so many more. See the current list on social, @proroedenver.
