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Today’s Nibbles looks back at a wild year in Boulder County’s restaurant life with a host of cool openings, too many sad cafe closings, and coming culinary attractions. Peruse this roster to make a list of restaurants to visit in 2026.
Send comments and information about Boulder County restaurants, food classes, events, tastings and tours to nibbles@boulderreportinglab.org.
— John Lehndorff
I’m a veteran journalist, a sharp researcher, and I have developed good local sources. Honestly, that’s not the only way I curate the restaurant information in this annual year-end chronicle.
I bump into food places. As I drive around Boulder County, I glance up at some familiar address and say something to myself like:
“When did My Neighbor Felix close?” Or, I go up Broadway only to see Boil Daddy, a new Cajun/Creole takeout joint.
I stumbled on Panaderia Don Tono in Longmont when I turned into the wrong shopping center.
Raise your hand if you knew that a fantastic Vietnamese spot is now serving in Lafayette, and that an Italian steakhouse is open in Niwot?
For local chefs, 2025 was buffeted by economic uncertainty and a year-ending power outage nightmare, but an impressive roster of new eateries still launched.
By this time in 2026, Boulder County will be ramping up for the first Sundance Film Festival here in 2027. We can expect to see the opening of many more eateries, bars and gathering spots. In fact, one Spanish seafood restaurant is already creating a national buzz before it opens in February. Former Frasca Food & Wine Culinary Director Eduardo Valle Lobo and his wife, Chef Kelly Jeun, will debut Casa Juani in the former My Neighbor Felix space.
Boulder: Hello Mr. Oso, Goodbye Breadworks
In 2025, Boulder added some bright new flavors. Tomas Zatloukal opened Vinca, serving European, wine-paired fare ranging from schnitzel to venison ragout.
Pastry chefs Florian and Nali Tétart launched Maisonette, a traditional French bakery and café serving baguettes, croissants and macarons.
Bryan Dayton (of Oak at Fourteenth and Corrida fame) added C Burger serving regeneratively raised Colorado beef, tallow fries and soft-serve ice cream.
Edwin Zoe opened Pearl Poke in the former longtime location of his Zoe Ma Ma, after the latter eatery moved nearby on Pearl Street.
Foodies embraced another new arrival, Chef Mawa McQueen’s Crepe Therapy Café. The menu offers brightly hued red velvet, matcha green tea and buckwheat crepes (including vegan versions) with a multitude of fillings. McQueen was born in Côte d’Ivoire, grew up in Paris, and her Aspen eateries earned her a semifinalist nomination for the 2022 James Beard Award and Michelin Recommended status.
Hotel cafes and a Half Fast rebirth on the Hill
In 2025, the Hill welcomed two new hotel restaurants. Mister Oso, a Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded eatery, opened a location in the new Moxy Hotel.
Aspen’s legendary Ajax Tavern debuted across Broadway in the Limelight Boulder hotel on the CU-Boulder campus.
Also on The Hill: Scrooge Sul started serving Korean fusion fare and drinks, while The Kathi Klub began dishing Nepali fast food. After being shuttered for months after a fire in the building it occupies, a Hill icon since 1996 was reborn. Half Fast Subs reopened in September.
A series of culinary related replacements arrived
When Silk Road Grill and Market closed in 2025, it was replaced by Kabora Kebob. Yummy Duo Asian Bistro, 2835 28th St., opened in the former home of Jin Chan Zhan. Jing Ramen replaced Rakkan Ramen.
Skratch Labs Cafe closed on Pearl Street and reopened as Skratch Labs Table in North Boulder featuring a geared toward health-focused athletes.
Other Boulder 2025 openings included Yotsuba Sushi, Pho 559, Dang Tea and Neveria Michoacana La Jefa.
In memoriam: Breadworks, Sanitas, The Roadhouse and Farrow
Boulder fans bid a sad adieu to Breadworks Bakery & Cafe, which had baked bread and other baked goods and served meals since 1995. They also lifted a last pint of IPA when Sanitas Brewing Company closed their Boulder, Lafayette and Englewood locations.
The Roadhouse Boulder Depot closed after 10 years in business. The building built as Boulder’s downtown rail station was moved several times before becoming a restaurant in the Boulder Junction neighborhood.
One of Colorado’s most iconic roadside diners, Johnson’s Corner Restaurant and Bakery, closed at its location south of Loveland on I-25. It has been replaced by a chain eatery. The famous Johnson’s Corner cinnamon rolls are still available at the gas station onsite but are baked at a commercial bakery.
We’ll also miss High Country, Farrow (in Niwot), Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, Pizza 3.14, Myco Cafe and Khow Thai, which had served students and locals since 2002.
After a last-minute stay of execution, The World Famous Dark Horse will be allowed to bow out properly in 2026 before the 50-year-old landmark is imploded. However, the deadline is still unclear for the other eateries in the nearby to-be-demolished Williams Village Shopping Center including Carelli’s of Boulder, Moe’s Original Bar B Que, Cosmo’s Pizza and Dairy Queen.
Adults cheer cozy new BoCo bars
Local cocktail culture got a boost in 2025 as the nautically themed Siren Cocktail Bar brought a menu of small plates to full caviar service to the Table Mesa Shopping Center.
Downtown Boulder added the classy C Bar, courtesy of Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality which operates Oak at Fourteenth, Corrida and C Burger.
Lyons Locale, a cocktail bar serving small plates and desserts, opened in Lyons next door to Moxie Bread Co.
Foxglove Bar and Hideout, hidden at 107½ S. Public Road in Lafayette, dishes charcuterie and snacks.
Dumplings, gumbo, seafood fill new Longmont menus
For some, Longmont’s biggest dining news in 2025 was the opening of In-N-Out Burger, 735 Harvest Moon Drive. For others it had to be the reopening … finally, of Longmont’s beloved Winchell’s Donuts, 502 Main St. (A few of us mourned the loss of Boulder County’s only Runza restaurant serving Nebraska-style cabbage burgers.)
For everyone else, the newest Longmont eateries run the gamut from Middle Eastern fare at Red Cedar Bistro and Cajun alligator nuggets at Back Alley Bayou (in the Parkway Food Hall), to Japanese tamago sandos at Kawaii Konbini.
Fresh Mexican cuisine options in Longmont now include seafood at Mariscos a Todo Mar; a fourth location of Teocalli Cocina; and goat birria soup, menudo and lamb shank at Birrieria Doña María.
Dumpling lovers got an extra helping of yum this year with the openings of Colorado Dumplings and a location of Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings.
A wide range of spots to grab coffee and a bite debuted in Longmont ranging from Spruce Cafe and Duets Bistro and Deli, to Bakewell and Pelo’s Deli and Provisions.
Other notable Longmont openings in the past 12 months include The Italian Twist, Longmont Brunch Club and the Valor Peak Distillery tasting room.
Louisville welcomed pickleball snacks, fresh pizza and craft cocktails
Back in 1985, the only place you found restaurant food courts was at indoor shopping malls. In 2025, Louisville’s newest food court is located next to pickleball courts in a former Sam’s Club. ArepasCO, Salt & Vinegar, Magic Food Bus, Sabor y Salsa, Soupsmith, Lenin’s Pizza and Aces all opened inside Relish Food Hall & Pickleball.
Another new Louisville food/sports option: the golf-focused Birdie Bar. A pop-up bar introduced Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse to local sippers. In 2026, a full-scale distilling, tasting room and venue will open crafting spirits from Bourbon to Single Malt Whiskey.
Lafayette: Serious Vietnamese fare and more
Local fans of authentic Vietnamese fare celebrated when Saigon District One opened. The owners previously operated New Saigon restaurant in Denver — for 40 years it was the local benchmark for Vietnamese cuisine.
Plus: Boulder’s Kalita Grill opened a second Middle Eastern eatery in Lafayette. Khao Soi introduced regional dishes from Thailand. All-you-can-eat Japanese fare became available at Hokkaido Sushi.
Meanwhile in nearby Niwot, Fortezza Ristorante, an Italian steakhouse, filled the space left by the closing of Farow Restaurant, a well-regarded farm-to-table eatery.
“Historically, a number of rare or newly experienced foods have been claimed to be aphrodisiacs. At one time this quality was even ascribed to the tomato. Reflect on that when you are next preparing the family salad.” – Food historian Jane Grigson
Want more Boulder bites?
Fortezza Ristorante opens in Niwot with seasonal Northern Italian cuisine
Adam and Natalie Moore, who grew up in Longmont, bring their love of Northern Italian food and wine to the former Farow space. Continue reading…
Boulder’s Pearl Street gets new European restaurant and wine bar, Vinca
It’s the fourth restaurant in that Pearl Street space in two years, following Ash K’ara, Sophomore and Colorado Club. Continue reading…
New Boulder cocktail bar Siren brings a nautical, East Coast tavern vibe to South Boulder
The team behind Jungle has opened a martini-forward neighborhood bar with tinned seafood, vintage-ship decor and a family-friendly feel. Continue reading…
Maisonette settles into downtown Boulder, a French bakery from a Michelin-trained chef
Serving handmade pastries, artisan breads and French-inspired lunches, Maisonette brings new life to a renovated space on Walnut Street. Continue reading…