Mid-century modern style has taken over Denver, and the latest comes from owner Steven Waters, who launches FiNO this Wednesday, March 18, in the East Colfax neighborhood. But getting to this point wasn’t easy, and it took 10 years to bring into fruition.
“It’s a miracle it’s happening,” said Waters, who also runs Run for the Roses in Denver and Take Care Brands Hospitality. “It came with a ton of support from neighbors and the city, and without them it wouldn’t have happened.”
Located inside the soon-to-open The All Inn Hotel, FiNO brings a casual restaurant to the area with the idea of creating a neighborhood hot spot. It’s meant, said Waters, to be a stop-in when you want a laid back meal, or snacks before going to dinner, or even after. The menu features an assortment of small plates built for sharing, created under the guidance of chef Sheamus Feeley, who helped open Pony Up in Downtown Denver, and now lives and runs a restaurant in Oklahoma.
“We are trying to make something that is fun and playful, while trying to make people think of traditional things,” explained Waters, who added the team realized they didn’t want an Italian restaurant or a trattoria, they wanted a looser definition. “We are more inspired by the idea of traveling through these [coastal] regions and popping into different restaurants and having little bites.”
Mixing Past and Pleasure
These changes to the decor and menu are a far cry from the origins of landmarked property. When it opened in 1959, the building housed The Fountain Inn. Eventually, it changed to The All-Inn, and the downstairs restaurant became the dive Rockbar, which operated in the space last, closing in 2012.