The Hotel Teatro's renovated ground floor will feature
The Nickel, a chef-driven restaurant that incorporates locally sourced ingredients into rustic Colorado fare. The restaurant is expected to open in July 2014.
Leading The Nickel is Chef Jake Linzinmeir, a culinary veteran with experience as a certified sommelier and executive chef. Coming from Telluride, Linzinmeir has worked with farmers, ranchers and foragers from around the state. He is returning to the kitchen after spending time in Italy's Michelin star-rated restaurant Le Calandre and most recently serving as Senior Vice President of restaurant development company Blau + Associates.
"The Nickel will be a combination of many inspiration points I've been collecting throughout my career," Linzinmeir says. "I've been fortunate enough to work at some of the finest restaurants in New York, Aspen, Los Angeles and Italy -- and the most memorable experiences for me have been those that were simple, classic and could be enjoyed at any time of the day."
The Nickel's beverage menu is designed to complement the food. Barrel-aged spirits will be accompanied by Colorado craft beers, a hand-selected wine collection and a coffee-roasting program.
"It's much more fun to eat at a bar than drink in a restaurant," Linzinmeir says. "That's what we are creating at The Nickel."
The restaurant's name pays homage to the hotel's history. With an original vault dating to the property's origins as Denver's Tramway Building in 1911, the space once was used to collect nickels from customers riding streetcars.
Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.
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