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Colfax motel announces coffee and bar concept

As part of the redevelopment of Colfax Avenue’s La Vista Motel, a coffee shop and cocktail bar is set to open by fall of this year.

The cafe and bar will be called El Piñon, owner and developer Nathan Beal announced.

El Piñon will be operated by the founder of Denver’s Ephemeral Rotating Taproom, Weston Scott, and will serve beans from local roastery Servant Coffee.

“Our vision for La Vista Motel is to celebrate the spirit of 1960s Colfax, and El Piñon helps bring that idea to life,” Beal said in a press release. “We want this to be both an amenity for guests and a neighborhood bar, coffee shop, and community meeting place.

The coffee shop and bar will be open to both motel guests and the public.

The developer began renovating the La Vista Motel last year after buying the property in 2022.

Some of East Colfax’s former motels have been transformed into homeless shelters but Beal hopes to revive the La Vista Motel harkening back to the golden era of Denver’s motels on the avenue.

Before La Vista Motel struggled with infestations, low ratings from guests and disrepair as it became a hotspot for criminal activity, according to Sopher Sparn Architects who led the redesign.

The redevelopment will turn it into a 23-room boutique with a 1960s-vintage feel.

Rooftop bar or underground lounge? New RiNo business says why not both

A swanky apartment complex in Denver’s River North Arts District will soon be home to a brand new cocktail bar and restaurant, both above and below its residences.

Rose & Thorn will open at The Penrose at 1740 36th Street.

The first half of the business “Rose” will open July 12 as a rooftop bar, offering views of the Rocky Mountains and Denver’s skyline and a reservation-only pool.

It’s counterpart “Thorn,” described by the owners as a “sultry” underground lounge, will open later in the summer in the building’s basement.

Rose will be a 4,000-square-foot space offering both food and drinks, indoors and outside. There will be VIP poolside seating offering top-shelf bottle service.

Once fully open, guests can take elevator down to Thorn where there will be live DJ sets, mood lighting and curated cocktail menu.

“We set out to create something Denver hasn’t seen: a luxurious, all-day destination that adapts to your mood,” said Ciaran O’Brien, managing partner of Rose & Thorn’s ownership group, Ósta Holdings, in a press release. “Rose & Thorn is a layered hospitality concept offering a refined atmosphere whether you are looking to relax in the sun or sink into something a little more intimate.

Downtown’s Milk Market welcomes four new places to eat

The food hall in Lower Downtown’s Dairy Block has several new additions this summer.

Milk Market announced it opened three new restaurants with one more set to open next month. The newly-opened additions are Konjo Ethiopian Food, Lucky Bird Fried Chicken and East3.

Asian street food YumCha Noodles & Dumplings, an offshoot of ChoLon Modern Asian, will open later in the summer.

Konjo Ethiopian Food will serve traditional Ethiopian cuisine such as injera flatbread and rice bowls with protein options such as beef, chicken, lamb and a vegan alternative. Lucky Bird specializes in handcrafted fried chicken and East 3’s menu specializes in bowls inspired by cuisines from Thailand, Japan and Philippines.