If a pizza craving calls past midnight, try these Choice City pizzerias. Jacob Laxen
Nearly 60 new restaurants, bars and coffee shops opened in Fort Collins this year, an average of five per month, reinforcing Fort Collins' reputation as a city that enjoys its food and drink.
Fourteen eateries closed — three of which lasted less than a year: A Cut Above, The Loafing Shed and The Melt. But as one door closed, another restaurateur was waiting in the wings for coveted kitchen space.
Looking ahead to next year, nearly 20 restaurants have already announced they will open in 2018, some as early as January.
Who left?
The city mourned the closure of Panhandler's Pan Pizza, a decades-old gathering spot in Campus West, and Pateros Creek in Old Town. Both closed when their buildings were sold or slated for redevelopment.
Pateros said it could not afford the increased rent that would come with its renovated space. Panhandler's closed when the Campus West building it occupied was sold for a future student housing project and owner John Olson retired.
Panhandler's may be gone for now, but it is expected to return in the spring in a new location and under new ownership. Panhandler's recipes and trademark were purchased by Louann DeCoursey, one of its former managers, and will reopen this spring at 2721 S. College Ave.
DeCoursey co-owns Tortilla Marissa's with her husband, Mike Piotraschke, in Midtown Fort Collins. The two locations are nearly next door.
Here's a look at other notable restaurants that opened and closed:
The Loafing Shed at Jessup Farm. The shortlived eatery replaced Lovif Bakery, which also lasted less than a year, and closed several months later. Italian eatery Cacciatore at Heller's Kitchen quickly filled the spot and is open for lunch and dinner at 1939 Jessup Drive.
Salsa Brava at 230 S. College Ave. couldn't find its footing among Mexican restaurants and rebranded itself as Craft Tacos and Tequila.
Revolution Pops, which sold ice pops in Old Town, folded its business into Revolution Market when it opened in April at the corner of Mason and Olive streets.
A Cut Above, a breakfast eatery and deli, closed less than a year after opening and was replaced by Gold Leaf Collective, a vegan restaurant that suffered its own financial issues but remains open at 120 W. Laurel St.
Wabi Sabi, 223 Linden St., gave way to Sushi Zensai in Old Town.
Barbecue eateries had a rough time, with Souza's Smokin' BBQ and Nixon's Rocky Mountain Smokehouseshutting their doors. Serious Texas BBQ expanded its small chain of eateries to south Fort Collins, opening at 2001 S. Timberline Road.
The Melt at Foothills shopping center lasted a few months before its corporate office pulled the plug on its expansion plans in Colorado. The space remains vacant.
Fort Collins Brewery owners said goodbye to their restaurant and brewpub at the corner of Lincoln and Lemay avenues when it sold to Canadian brewer Red Truck Beer. The company plans to open The Truck Stop and brewery in mid-summer.
Pita Pit at 1232 W. Elizabeth St. closed in November. The franchise had operated in Fort Collins since 2005.
Restaurateur Steve Lauer launched two of three new concepts with Cabana Eats & Drinks, a Cuban-themed eatery and fish market at 2310 E. Harmony Road, and Mac'd Up, an all-things-macaroni-and-cheese theme at 2638 S. Timberline Road. His third concept, Simmer, a tapas bar, is expected to open in the spring.
More fast-food and sandwich shops joined Fort Collins' dining scene with the expansion of Arby's on North College Avenue and Subway at 601 Greenfields Court.
Potbelly sandwich shop opened its second location at Uncommon, a student-housing project on College Avenue in the heart of downtown.
Elevated Sandwiches opened in summer, giving north Fort Collins residents another dining option. It replaced Pizza Hut, 1612 N. College Ave., which closed its north store.
A handful of restaurants and coffee shops that opened this year were clustered on Harmony Road.
MidiCi Pizza, Famous Toastery, Harbinger Coffee, D.C. Oakes brewery, Tokyo Joe's and Potbelly sandwich shop debuted in summer and fall, anchoring Harmony Commons, which will include a fitness club and hotel.
The long-awaited Ginger and Bakeropened in November with a coffee bar, breakfast and lunch spot, and fine dining at The Cache at 359 Linden St.
Three dining and drinking establishments opened in December in The Elizabeth Hotel. The Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Sunset Lounge and The Magic Rat (named after lyrics in Bruce Springsteen's "Jungleland") are open in the evenings.
What's coming?
The biggest cluster of new restaurants will debut in the spring when The Exchange opens in downtown Fort Collins in the 200 block of North College Avenue.
Developed by Brinkman Inc., the block will include new doughnut, pizza, tacos and burger restaurants along with CopperMuse Distillery. The Exchange consumes an entire block that once included three buildings separated by a parking lot. Construction is well underway to convert the former pawn shop, tattoo parlor and home decor shop on the north and former cidery and ceramics shop on the south into restaurants, office and retail space.
The shops — some in spruced up shipping containers placed along the College Avenue and alley sides of the block — will surround an open-air private plaza.
Tenants include Fort Collins Donut Company — or FoCo DoCo — a homegrown doughnut shop featuring miniature doughnuts made to order and served hot; Steamies Burger Bar, which uses steam as its primary custom cooking method; Vatos Tacos and Tequila, fast-food Mexican; The Pizza Press, a build-your-own-pizza model; and Churn, an ice cream concept from the creators of Little Man Ice Cream.
Vatos, owned by the folks at Blue Agave in Old Town, will offer fast-casual street tacos, grab-and-go breakfast burritos, tequila and margaritas.
Most are expected to be open in April.
Union, an homage to comfort food and old-fashioned diners, will open in mid-February at the corner of Jefferson and Linden streets, the home of the former Jefferson Park. Owners Ryan Houdek, Raffi Jergerian and Ty Fulcher also own or co-own Rodizio Grill, The Melting Pot and Social.
Restaurant recap
Here's a list of the restaurants that closed: The Loafing Shed, Souza's Smokin' BBQ, A Cut Above, Pateros Creek, Salsa Brava (rebranded), Fort Collins Brewery, Wabi Sabi, Blackbird Coffee Shop, Panhandler's Pizza, Uncle's Pizzeria, The Melt, Nixon's Rocky Mountain Smokehouse and Revolution Pops (shifted to Revolution Market), Tia's coffee shop, Pita Pit.
Here's a look at all the restaurants that opened: La Pompeii (food truck), Nothing Bundt Cakes, Peritus Coffee, Little Caesars, Gilded Goat, Linden Street Cafe (rebranded from Cafe Ardour), Wok & Roll, Wabi Sabi, Craft Tacos and Tequila, Butterfly Cafe, Cacciatore at Heller's Kitchen, Potbelly sandwiches (two locations), Revolution Market, City Park Gelato & Amore, Coneucopia (food truck), Gold Leaf Collective, RestauBar, Cabana, Crepetopia, D.C. Oakes & Brewery, Harbinger South, Justine's Pizza, Sazerac New Orleans Bistro, Serious Texas BBQ, Peace Love and Little Donuts, Elevated Sandwiches, Snack Attack, Tokyo Joe's, Sushi Zensai, MidiCi Pizza, Hop Grenade, Ono Hawaiian Grindz (food truck), Saigon Grill Asian Cafe (second location), Crafted, Toppers, Famous Toastery, Tikka Grill, Ginger and Baker (and The Cache), PizzaRev Taproom, Emporium Kitchen, Sunset Lounge, The Magic Rat, The Melt, Mac'D Up, Comet Chicken, Gotcha Kolache, Arby's, Subway, Wasted Space, JJ's Bar & Grill, Pinball Jones Barcade and Blazin Woodfired Pizza (food truck), Insomnia Cookies.
Here's a look at who is coming: Oregano's Pizza Bistro, The Truck Stop, Fort Collins Donut Company (or FoCo DoCo), Steamies Burger Bar, Vatos Tacos and Tequila, The Pizza Press, Churn Ice Cream, Urban Bricks, Union, Honolulu Poke, Ras-ka, Choice City Wings, Panhandler's, Simmer, Ramamama, La Piadina, la Madeleine, Suh Sushi & Korean BBQ.