Nosu Ramen in Golden is closed.
Courtesy of Nosu Ramen
It was a slow yet impactful week of comings and goings in the Denver dining landscape.
The biggest news to report: Nosu Ramen is closing in Golden after six years.
“After six years in the Golden restaurant community, we have made the difficult decision to close Nosu Ramen,” owner Brandon Bortles says in a statement to Westword. “Opening in February 2020 meant we were facing an uphill climb almost from the beginning. What followed were years of extraordinary challenges for independent restaurants, and, ultimately, a combination of rising operating costs, changing economic conditions and financial pressures made continuing operations and signing a lease extension unsustainable.”
Nosu opened during the pandemic and was soon hit with mandatory closures. Along the way was no shortage of maintenance issues, which continue to this day, according to Bortles.
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Bortles also owns the high-end Abejas, one of Westword’s best new restaurants when it opened in 2015. However, Abejas also temporarily closed recently to deal with a “building issue.”
“Abejas is currently dealing with some extended building-related issues,” Bortles says. “There are financial, insurance and legal matters associated with the situation, so I’m not able to discuss those details at this time.”
In other ramen news, Sakura Bowl in Centennial also closed after 15 years, with ownership citing “personal reasons.”
Looking for ramen alternatives? Our list of Best Ramen in Denver offers some options.
The baked oysters at Tequilería Alteño were a table favorite.
Tequilería Alteño goes from pop-up to plopping down
When Tequilería Alteño replaced Mar Bella Wine Bar in Cherry Creek’s Clayton Hotel & Member’s Club, it did so as a “summer pop-up” to test the waters and neighborhood demand before committing to it as a permanent replacement.
Well, it seems Johnny Curiel got his answer. The chef/owner announced this week plans to make Tequilería Alteño the official replacement for the Spanish wine bar. As part of that process, the group is temporarily closing the restaurant to convert it to the new theme. The team is hoping for a spring/summer 2027 reopening after the remodel.
“After a really rewarding summer, it feels right to permanently change Mar Bella Wine Bar into Tequilería Alteño,” says Curiel. “Thank you for all the support and understanding! More to come soon.”
The other high-profile pop-up in the Clayton, Id Est’s Sheep, also recently extended its residency through the end of the year.
Slice House opens in Longmont after delay
Well, we thought that Slice House had opened its Longmont location in September, which would have been good timing to coincide with the city’s Colorado Pizza Fest over Labor Day weekend. But the restaurant delayed its planned Sept. 12 opening due to a need for the ever-elusive “finishing touches” and to train up staff.
Slice House is the fast-casual chain from pizza champion Tony Gemignani, which first came to Colorado last year in Loveland. It’s since expanded to Boulder, with a total of seven locations planned for the state.
Perhaps Gemignani’s biggest claim to fame is winning the World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy, in 2007, becoming not only the first American, but the first non-Neapolitan ever to win the title. He’s also authored several books on pizza making, including the humbly titled “The Pizza Bible.”
Better late than never
We also learned this week that Craig Caldwell, the man who brought us the much-beloved-but-long-closed White Fence Farm in Lakewood, has opened a new restaurant called Becker’s. Located in an old Piccolo’s on Monaco Street Parkway, Becker’s is angling to serve as a neighborhood spot with classic Colorado pub fare, like burgers, burritos, pizzas and even a stab at lo mein.
Caldwell is a veteran of the Denver dining scene. In addition to White Fence Farm, he also brought the city eateries such as Crimson & Gold and Brooklyn’s.
Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened or closed this week*:
Openings
85°C Bakery Cafe, 6830 S. University Blvd., Centennial
Becker’s, 3563 S. Monaco St. Pkwy.
Garden Cafe, 2590 Walnut St.
Slice House, 725 Harvest Moon Drive, Longmont
Closures
Nosu Ramen, 700 12th St., Golden
Sakura Bowl, 7555 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial
Temporarily Closed
Eternal Flavors Bakery, 5600 W. Dartmouth Ave.
Tequilería Alteño, 233 Clayton St.
*Or earlier and not previously reported.
Know of something we missed? Email editorial@westword.com.
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