Celebrated Denver chef Dana Rodriguez has decided to close one of her restaurants.
Cantina Loca, at 2890 Zuni St., opened in January 2022 and was billed as Rodriguez’s first solo restaurant project. It specialized in tacos, tequila and mezcal. As of Thursday, it is closed. Cantina Loca is for sale with the intent to transfer the lease to the buyer, per a spokesperson.
In a statement to The Denver Post, Rodriguez cited the challenging post-pandemic climate as the reason for the closure.
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“While we started out strong, our guest numbers decreased over the past two years while food expenses and labor costs skyrocketed. Cantina Loca, like dozens of other Denver restaurants, is an unfortunate casualty of conditions that were out of our control,” she said.
“We appreciate the support of our loyal guests very much and look forward to serving them at our other restaurant concepts,” she added.
The statement suggests that her other eateries – Work & Class and Super Mega Bien – remain open. Rodriguez has been nominated for several James Beard Awards related to those restaurants.
Rodriguez also remains the chef at Casa Bonita in Lakewood, which she helped revitalize.