Denver’s explosion of dumpling restaurants wasn’t on anyone’s radar two years ago, and nixtamalized corn wasn’t on the bingo card for 2024. But both became notable trends in the restaurant industry locally. So what will 2025 bring? There’s no way to know, but here are a few predictions for what we’re seeing already and what might continue into the new year.
Value menus and happy hours
Restaurant prices are pushing people away. As much as we want to support local businesses, it’s hard to afford $20 burgers and burritos more than once a week (if that), not to mention $25 pad Thai and $40 pizzas. That’s why restaurants will be looking for creative ways to lower prices and fill seats. Maybe that comes in the form of happy hours on off days or pre-selected value menus and meals that allow kitchens to buy and serve in bulk. Or it could mean a focus on small (and less expensive plates) that will still bring people out for apps and a few glasses of wine.
Sharing space
Sharing space is nothing new. Atomic Cowboy has been doing it forever, running three concepts — a breakfast joint, a pizza place and a bar — in one so that the business can be open as many hours as possible. But the trend has picked up since the pandemic as small food and beverage businesses look for ways to share costs amid rising rent, the minimum wage increase and inflation. Sometimes the concepts have the same, or overlapping ownership, such as Gino Panino, a sandwich shop that opened inside South Broadway’s Rebel Bread. Others are complementary, like Outside Pizza, which will open inside Cerebral Brewing’s newest location in 2025; Little Arthur’s Hoagies, which has locations inside a bar and brewery; and Cul de Sac, a French concept from Ultreia owner Adam Branz that is located inside Dewey Brewing. But this may happen on the high-end side of things, too. Hop Alley, for instance, has a separate chef’s counter inside the restaurant with a different menu, and Hey Kiddo features a bar called Ok Yeah.
The return of old standbys
Denver’s dining scene is growing up and growing outward, building more respect, diversity and creativity each year. But, as a result of high prices and, perhaps, fatigue directed at downtown and its trendier neighborhoods, many people are turning back the clock, looking for old-school, populist restaurants that offer larger portions, classic menu items, lower prices and comfort. By now, a lot of those restaurants have closed, but we may see others stand tough, both in Denver and the suburbs. Examples include Aurora’s Pomodoro Pizza & Pasta (which just opened a second location in Denver), the Piper Inn, Poppies Restaurant & Lounge on South Colorado Boulevard, the Bull & Bush in Glendale, Butcher Block Cafe in Denver, Oliver’s Italian in Greenwood Village, and Bastien’s Restaurant and La Fiesta, both in Denver.
Intentional cross-cultural mashups
Who has the right to sell culture? What is the difference between appropriation and creativity? What is authentic food, and to whom? These questions and many more were front and center recently, whether it was criticism of recipe influencer (and Colorado resident) Tieghan Gerard or a discussion on authenticity and race led by Sap Sua chef and co-owner Ni Ngyuen. As if to upend the debate even more, though, chefs of all backgrounds are playing with their own traditions as well as those of others with mashups like Mexitalian Night, a one-night dinner that took place in November with local chefs Manny Barella and Eric Vollono, or an upcoming Mexican-Chinese dinner (Jan. 12, again featuring Barella) at Hop Alley that asks “is a taco a dumpling?” and “are egg rolls and chimichangas long lost cousins?” More buttons will be pushed in 2025.
Work-life balance
Maybe it’s the gentler influence of Gen Z, maybe it’s the burnout of “The Bear.” Maybe it’s the reevaluation of life after the pandemic, but chefs of all ages are beginning to do things a little differently. Restaurants are closing during the holidays or for staff parties or breaks – something that was rare a decade ago. Chefs are choosing not to expand so they can maintain quality control, along with their sanity and a version of a work-life balance. That discussion will continue in 2025 as younger restaurateurs come up with different goals and new approaches.
Michelin mayhem
The Michelin Guide swept into Colorado two years ago — on a magic carpet of money from tourism agencies — and began handing out recommendations and stars in what appeared to many chefs and restaurant owners to be a somewhat haphazard way. After all, based on the recognition they’ve doled out since 2023 — six Michelin stars and 40-plus recommendations — there are at least three times as many restaurants that deserve a place in the guide. Will they get it right in 2025? Michelin recognition has a huge influence on the businesses it touches. So, we hope so.
Colfax-ageddon
If Denver drivers, residents and businesses have learned anything, it’s that projects that are supposed to take three months last much, much, much longer. Which doesn’t bode well for the businesses along Colfax Avenue, which is getting a dedicated new bus rapid-transit lane, running from Broadway east to Yosemite. The $197 million effort is scheduled to take more than two years, but it is already having an effect as restaurants along America’s “Main Street” choose to close, to look around for other locations, or to hold off on expansion. Those effects are just beginning and they could take a terrible toll on Colfax restaurants and other businesses in 2025 and 2026.
Late-night dining culture
Denver has never had a strong late-night dining culture, and the pandemic made it worse. But we started to see that change a bit in 2024 and there is potential for more in 2025. Some new or newer late-night spots include Now Pho, 1195 S. Federal Blvd., which stays open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; Gaia Masala Burger, 609 Grant St., until 3 a.m.; Lil Coffea Shop, 300 E. 6th Ave., which is 24 hours; and Little India in the D.U. area, which also went 24 hours. Beyond that, the bar scene in Denver’s central neighborhoods are finding success with pop-up eateries like Caddywampus, which serves comfort foods like bibimbap and mac n cheese inside the Gold Point Bar, address, until 2 a.m.; and Samosa Shop, with its samosas, tacos and sandwiches inside Honor Farm, at 1526 Blake St.
Flavors galore
Hot honey, nduja, pandan, ube and pistachio were all big in 2024, and they could become even more widespread in 2025. But we’re also anticipating a continuing explosion of unusual ramen flavors, Japanese sandos, hand-pulled noodles (we hope) of both the Chinese and Italian kind (thanks “Chef’s Table“!), more savory cocktails and coffee, lemongrass, smoke and salsa macha.