Japanese restaurant, Kumoya, opening in Tony P’s spot in LoHi

Tony P’s is out and Juan P is in.

Denver restaurateur Juan Padro is receiving prepared to open a new cafe in the previous Tony P’s place at 2400 W. 32nd Ave. in LoHi this 12 months.

“I think it’s arguably the greatest corner in the metropolis,” Padro stated.

Tony Pasquini told BusinessDen in January that he’s moving his pizzeria soon after 15 a long time on the identical corner into a more compact place far more suited for takeout, just two blocks south at 3000 Zuni St.

Padro bought the remaining five-yr lease from Pasquini final month for the 2,300-sq.-foot pizzeria and the adjacent 1,500-sq.-foot bar named Zio Romolo’s Alley Bar. Pasquini opened equally in 2007.

Padro and chef Corey Baker approach to open a Japanese restaurant referred to as Kumoya, which usually means “cloud store,” by the close of the yr.

Baker has labored with Japanese delicacies for the final 20 several years, and has frequented Japan 4 situations. He was beforehand executive chef and component proprietor of Sushi Ronin and Izakaya Ronin, labored at Sushi Den and assisted open up Sushi Hai in the Highlands.

“Opening a cafe and leaving it in anyone else’s palms feels like dropping your little ones off at daycare for good,” Baker mentioned. “I’ve been accomplishing cafe consulting for the previous two years, but I want to place my roots down much more permanently.”

Baker’s spouse Jana also worked for Padro’s restaurant team, Culinary Imaginative, for eight decades, which is how the two fashioned a friendship.

“This dude is as excellent as it gets, and we’ve been wanting to do something for a lengthy time,” Padro explained. “The core of who we are is our creatives, and the main of what we do is place them in a place to be profitable, which will make us different from a traditional restaurant group. But it allows us to hold placing out principles that are exclusive and problem norms.”

Kumoya will serve elevated sashimi dishes, specialized nigiri, a tiny assortment of sushi rolls, handmade dumplings and noodles, plus common Japanese dishes like katsu sando, a fried pork sandwich. Culinary Creative partner and Culinary Director Max Mackissock will be aiding Baker in the kitchen.

Kumoya will be developed all-around the sushi bar in the primary pizzeria room, and it will also have a classic bar in the old Zio Romolo’s area, wherever Baker options to serve late night foodstuff.