This story was updated to include comments from Mateo’s owner, Matthew Jansen.
Boulder Reporting Lab’s monthly food and drink roundup for June 2024 features secret donuts in Niwot, a new pool and tiki bar in an old hotel, a new taco spot on the bricks, new restaurants in Longmont and several high-profile closures. In other words, there’s a lot happening as we kick off summer.
Want us to cover what’s happening at your local restaurant? Maybe you’ve heard some rumblings on openings and closings, or perhaps you simply have a question. Send us your food and drink news and insider tips at food@boulderreportinglab.org.
Odds and ends
Alpine Modern: CEO Jon Baker announced on X that he has recently acquired 100% ownership of the café from founders Lon and Lauren McGowan. There are two locations in Boulder, on College Ave and 29th Street Mall, and he writes they’re positioned to expand. Known for their toasts with fresh toppings, they also have bowls, sandwiches and a selection of hot and cold drinks.
Donut News: There’s a not-so-secret stash of Donut Haus’ fresh donuts and pastries at the Niwot Market Deli. Not to start a debate about the best donuts in the area, but fans of Donut Haus know that the original Estes Park location was a favorite local and tourist destination, with lines out the door until they sold out, often as early as 8 a.m.
Lois Marth, the second owner of the Estes Park bakery, opened a Loveland bakery in 2003 and kept the name. She sold the Estes Park shop in 2008, but it also retains the same name and now sells from the Tiny Town Sinclair gas station after closing the small corner store on Moraine when road construction forced its closure.
The Loveland Donut Haus makes the three-decade-old recipes created by German baker Dieter D’Alquen and delivers to shops in the region. If you know, you know, and now you can save yourself a long drive and visit Niwot for your sweet breakfast treats. They’re in the display case next to a selection of Moe’s bagels, offering convenient access for East Boulderites.
History Lesson: Check out John Lehndorff’s history of natural foods in Boulder, “Tofu, Tea and Truth, Boulder’s natural foods history is longer than you think,” in Boulder Weekly. He shares examples going back to 1896 and discusses the impact of healthy product development through the years.
Boulder Swim Club, a restaurant and bar featured in March in Boulder Reporting Lab, just opened its pool and tiki bar on May 27, and welcomed the post BolderBOULDER 10k race crowd. The new Swim Club, an all-ages clubhouse style restaurant, bar and game lounge, is located in the historic Boulder Broker Inn in South Boulder.
Happy 20th Anniversary to Ziggi’s Coffee! The coffee shop started on the corner of 4th and Main in Longmont in 2004 and has grown to 85 locations in 30 states.
Go here: Now (or soon) open!
Teocalli Cocina’s new Longmont location opened on Tuesday, May 28. This is the third spot for the Lafayette-based Mexican restaurant, including their Arvada location. They’re known among the gluten-free diners as a go-to spot, and have won numerous awards for their tacos and margaritas. Find them at 460 Main Street.
Pedro’s Taco & Tequila Bar quietly opened on May 11. They’re on the bricks at 1125 Pearl Street (between 11th and Broadway), serving three generations of family recipes from Mexico. The restaurant appears to be part of a chain that has several locations, including in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, though the owners said it’s family-run. Local artists are invited to contact the restaurant to showcase artwork on their walls, with details available on Pedro’s Facebook page.
The Den on Eleventh, a new restaurant in Longmont’s Loomiller neighborhood, will open on June 10. Owned by local brothers Taylor and Beau Raffensperger, it will offer classic dishes “from land and sea,” along with handcrafted cocktails. The restaurant aims to provide a cozy, nostalgic atmosphere inspired by the Raffenspergers’ childhood home. “Having been born and raised here, we are committed to creating a dining destination that celebrates the vibrant spirit of our city while offering a truly memorable experience for our guests,” the brothers wrote. “We hope The Den on Eleventh will be your new home away from home.”
But, sadly, you can’t go here…
Masas & Agaves, a fine-dining restaurant that served Oaxacan cuisine on 9th and Walnut Streets, is closed as of May 30. Open less than a year, the restaurant announced its closure on Instagram, with a note that the space will soon be taken over by Chef Johnny Curiel, of Alma Fonda Fina in Denver. Manuel Gandara, Masas & Agaves’ general manager, told Boulder Reporting the week it launched that the restaurant aimed to fill a gap in Boulder’s Mexican food scene with its authentic cooking. “I hope when people leave, we transport them to — I’m not going to say Oaxaca, because a lot of people haven’t been to Oaxaca — the last place they were in Mexico,” Gandara said. “I would feel like I didn’t do my job if they said, ‘This restaurant is the same as the last Mexican restaurant I went to in the United States.’”
Mateo in downtown Boulder closed permanently in late April after a previous temporary closure in March that was reportedly for nonpayment of taxes. In 2010, the restaurant was closed for four days after being caught in a police sting operation for serving alcohol to under age 21. Boulder Reddit is rife with allegations from former staff about mismanagement of funds, including wage issues.
Matthew Jansen, who opened Mateo in 2001, said in an email to Boulder Reporting Lab that “the closure was a result of real estate redevelopment plans for the entire corner, not due to lack of success.” He said, “Mateo promptly resolved any tax issues with the Colorado Department of Revenue,” adding that it “boasts a nearly quarter-century history of serving the Boulder community” and was “not only a culinary gem but also the only Black-owned business in its vicinity.”
95a Bistro, a popular family-owned restaurant in Lafayette, closed April 9. The Kukura family explained its decision on its website, stating, “As you all know 95a is a massive restaurant, and while initially something we were excited for, it also posed significant challenges. Managing such a space requires a ton of resources, in terms of labor, overhead costs and notably, maintenance. Despite our best efforts, we found it increasingly difficult to sustain operating 95a with rising expenses and the current economic landscape in the hospitality industry.
“Despite our best efforts,” the family added, “we found it increasingly difficult to sustain operating 95a with rising expenses and the current economic landscape in the hospitality industry. In particular, the escalating costs of labor and food have been significant factors in our decision. The constant battle against inflation, especially in terms of food costs, placed immense pressure on our margins. It has always been our commitment to providing quality food, beverage, and service at reasonable prices, and unfortunately, we reached a tipping point where the numbers no longer added up to meet that commitment.”
Boulder Wine Bar/R Gallery Art Bar closed in May. Owner Rob Lantz cited high rent and an unsustainable art-buying market in Boulder as reasons for the closure in a story that ran on Boulder Reporting Lab last month. The gallery, which Open Studios had taken over, also closed. Lantz, who opened the bar in July 2021, highlighted the challenges posed by Covid-19 and decreased tourism that still hasn’t come back. “We tried to save this thing that we loved,” he said.
Man I wish The Med would come on back now ya hear! 🤠
So sorry to hear about 95A! Loved their food and drink, as well as the structure. Sad.
Donuts? Try the apple-cider version from Ya-Ya Farm east of Lyons, north of Hygiene.
The Aristocrat is the first diner that I’d resurrect; the seven egg Nick’s Special omelette (or four egg ‘Half’ serving) would fuel several of us before a day’s skinny skiing flail along the Divide or Rocky Mountain National Park. Fred’s Steakhouse on Pearl alas would not be possible without Fred, strumming favorites from his songbook of American standards, sometimes accompanied by a high school aged waitress, Gretchen Peters, who’s now in the Country Music Songwriter Hall of Fame.