Liberal city loses two more iconic restaurants for good as downtown spiral continues

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

Two beloved Denver spots — Cap City Tavern and Denver Sweet — served their last customers July 27.
They closed within hours of each other amid mounting challenges in the Mile High City.
Owners blamed inflation, rising food costs, higher minimum wages, and what they called a 'crushing' load of local taxes and fees.
'Sadly, we are not alone, as the community of independently owned restaurants in Denver is literally going extinct,' Cap City Tavern wrote on social media.
Denver Sweet, a six‑year‑old LGBTQ+ bar that won the 2025 Colorado Drag & Variety Award for Best Queer Bar, cited similar pressures.
'Creating and running Denver Sweet has been a dream come true for us — and saying goodbye is heartbreaking,' co‑owners Randy Minten and Ken Maglasang wrote.
'We've done everything we could to push forward — including personally funding operations — but the current climate simply isn't viable for us anymore.'
The twin closures come as Denver grapples with a wave of restaurant failures.
Last year, 82 percent of Colorado's restaurant shutdowns were in Denver, with Colorado Springs also seeing a decline.
Cap City Tavern had been a family‑run institution for 18 years, remembered by loyal customers as a 'home away from home.' The McTaggart family also own the Bannock Street Garage Bar.
Heartbroken customers remembered meeting partners there or celebrating special events.
'What an incredible loss. A home away from home full of years of memories. Sending so much love,' an Instagrammer wrote.
'Such a Denver staple. I'm just so sorry to hear this. Sending your family so much love right now. That floor is sure going to miss those jump splits!,' another fan responded.
Unlike the tavern, Denver Sweet had only been operating for about six years.
'I loved going in and getting my pickle shots, playing pool with family, getting sloshed of AMFs during Pride. I made so many memories and had the best times of my life at Sweet,' an Instagrammer revealed.
'Y'all have shown me since the literal day I turned 21 that even though (ACTUALLY ESPECIALLY) since I'm a trans man, I am loved, accepted, and hold a rightful place in the gay male community,' another person wrote.
Owners of the Cap City Tavern and Denver Sweet expressed their sadness over the closures on social media
Cap City Tavern fans looked back on memories like meeting friends and supporting the Minnesota Vikings
Social media users insisted the LGBTQ+ friendly Denver Sweet was a loving and accepting place
The Denver hotspots join a nationwide trend that has seen long‑standing eateries shutter.
Hector's Café and Diner closed earlier this month after 76 years of business.
The owner of the struggling diner once frequented by Law & Order crew members revealed a major reason behind the closure was to make room for an expansion of the Whitney museum.
The closure happened a month after Moro's Dining closed after 45 years.
It's unclear how much money Moro's was making annually as the primary reason behind the shutter was the owner's interest in retiring.
Operators of the Las Cuatro Milpas restaurant in California are also looking to retire, which is why they've decided close their 92-year-old restaurant for good.
However, unlike the others, Cole's French Dip is closing after 117 years of operation due to a business decline resulting from crime in Los Angeles.