Chef-driven 12,220-sf food hall focused on culinary variety and innovation prepares for early-October grand opening in centrally located urban hub
After an unexpected pause due to … well, you know … Junction Food & Drink is back on track to bring an unrivaled culinary experience to Colorado Center in early October.
Located at 2000 S. Colorado Blvd., the one-of-a-kind, chef-driven food hall will feature an eclectic collection of 10 artisanal food stalls in addition to Denver-based Sonder Coffee and Tea and its signature, 40-foot, indoor/outdoor Junction Bar.
As guests explore the 12,220-square-foot food hall, they will have the opportunity to select from a wide array of inspired creations from some of today’s most cutting-edge local and national chefs, including:
- Big Wave Taco Shop – Denver-based TAG Restaurant Group, founded by Chef Troy Guard, is bringing nachos, quesadillas, tacos and more to Junction.
- Bird on a Wire Southern Chick’n – The Garner Brothers are bringing Southern favorites like their Nashville Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Tenders and Southern Smoked Wings with tasty sides like Mac & Cheese, Fried Pickles, Waffle Fries and Coleslaw.
- Ebisu Ramen and Sushi – Chef Soon Choi, head chef at Sushi Den, will showcase sushi rolls, sushi bowls, ramen and a selection of innovative small plates.
- Grind and Grill Burger – Restaurateur Dave Garner and his sons will serve up fresh, made-to-order burgers – with unique twists – hand-cut fries and extraordinary shakes at their family-owned stall.
- Lazo Empanadas – François Saber’s Lazo Empanadas are traditional Argentinian, farm-fresh pockets of perfection, created to bring out the empanada fanatic in everyone!
- Miner’s Meat and Cheese – Chase and Melissa Devitt’s stall will offer beautifully cured meats and fine cheeses in addition to salads, sandwiches and a variety of shareables.
- Paciugo Gelato – Rob Prange still makes his gelati and sorbetti the traditional Italian way, with the freshest fruits and all-natural ingredients. The result is a light, unbelievably smooth frozen dessert with 70% less fat than ice cream.
- Pete’s-A-Pie of Denver– Longtime DC pizza operator Joel Mehr will introduce Denverites to his chef-driven New Haven-style pizza – by the slice and whole.
- Shawarma Shack – Guests will have a front-row seat to unique food theater with Chef Yaser Khalaf’s mesmerizing slow-cooked meats roasting on spits in the window. Sure to be an instant favorite among vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free guests.
- Smok Barbeque – Bill Espiricueta and the Smok team focus on classic barbecue from across the country with special notes from Kansas City and Austin, Texas. The house-smoked meats, shared plates, creative sides and sauces are both nuanced and forthright in flavor, color and texture.
But the international array of food isn’t Junction’s only calling card. The eye-catching Junction Bar will quickly become a local hot spot for happy hours, impromptu meetings and other social get-togethers, as guests spread out along its 40-foot indoor-outdoor span. Junction Bar is the unique link between the food hall and a vast 4,000-square-foot outdoor patio, perfect for socially distanced gatherings. Once virus-related restrictions are lifted, the patio will hold up to 160 guests, and the combined indoor and outdoor seating will accommodate over 400 guests.
In addition to dine-in service, Junction will offer curbside pickup and delivery through DoorDash and Grubhub. Guests can also easily order online directly from Junction Food and Drink, park in the designated spaces and have their food safely brought out curbside to their car.
Of course, the safety and well-being of its guests and team members are paramount at Junction Food & Drink. In addition to adhering to all federal, state and local guidelines, Junction has implemented enhanced sanitization measures to ensure that recommended standards are exceeded. Some of its current procedures include:
- Team members are required to wear masks at all times.
- Guests are required to wear masks when they are not eating or drinking.
- Cleaning staff size has been doubled from original plans. These team members are dedicated to diligently cleaning all surfaces from the doors to the sink faucets and everything in between.
- Guests can order using a QR code at their table to limit contact with servers and receive a text when their food is ready to be picked up.
In addition to giving the surrounding neighborhoods their very own chef-driven food hall, Junction is bringing more than 125 new jobs to the local community. For more information about Junction and to apply for a position at Denver’s most innovative new food hall, visit junctionfoodanddrink.com.
Opening in October 2020 in Denver’s Colorado Center, Junction Food & Drink will feature 12,220-square-feet of space dedicated to serving an eclectic array of artisanal dishes from its 10 chef-driven food stalls, along with a full-service coffee and tea shop and a wide variety of libations served from the signature, 40-foot Junction Bar. For more information, visit junctionfoodanddrink.com.
