Fort Collins sandwich shop & bakery reopen, 2 food trucks go brick-and-mortar
A new grab-and-go sandwich spot opened its doors, a trio of established eateries reopened and two other locally-grown food trailers put down brick-and-mortar roots last month in Northern Colorado.
March was also marked by one temporary closure in Fort Collins, as a Rigden Farm coffee and wine bar shuttered with plans to reopen under new ownership this spring.
Here's the full rundown of what happened on the Northern Colorado food and drink scene last month.
What opened (or reopened)
B&B Pickle Barrel Deli is back, baby. After a monthslong closure that started last summer, the storied campus-area sandwich shop, 122 W. Laurel St., reopened under new ownership earlier this month. Its new ownership group has reorganized its kitchen and upgraded its operating system, offering new options like mobile ordering. Pickle Barrel's once lengthy sandwich menu has also seen some changes, with the reopened shop offering a pared-down menu of 17 regular sandwiches — down from its former 41.
Explorado Market is officially in Old Town. The gluten-free bakery took over Little Bird Bakeshop's former home at 11 Old Town Square, reopening there March 27 with an expanded array of diabetic-friendly goods, gluten-free and dairy-free treats and a "dirty soda" bar. Explorado Market is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Floridarado has ditched its wheels for a permanent spot. The former food trailer — which opened its Colorado-Florida-fusion concept in Larimer County in 2021 and largely traveled around Fort Collins and Loveland — opened in a brick-and-mortar spot in Evans on March 21. The new restaurant space, 2903 37th St., boasts the same food offerings as its food trailer days, with the addition of wings, salads and house-made sausages using a secret family recipe for German bratwurst, according to owner Elizabeth McIntosh.
Little Bird Bakeshop reopened in a new home on March 20. The Fort Collins bakery and cafe moved from its longtime space in Old Town Square to the former Canino's restaurant at 613 S. College Ave. The new location affords Little Bird Bakeshop roughly 50% more seating and kitchen preparation space, owner Amy Corliss told the Coloradoan Wednesday. The building — a stately American Foursquare-style home built along South College Avenue in 1905 and 1906 — also exudes the kind of character and charm Corliss said Little Bird was hoping to retain after years in Old Town. Little Bird Bakeshop is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Nick's Sandwich Shop is geared up for your grab-and-go needs. The new takeout-focused sandwich shop is an offshoot of Nick's Restaurant & Bar, 1100 S. College Ave., and operates out of a door on the south side of the Italian eatery. Nick's Sandwich Shop offers a range of takeout sandwiches from hot options like a Cubano sandwich or meatball sub to cold options like Italian, caprese, beef carpaccio sandwiches and more. Nick's Sandwich Shop is open for walk-up and online orders 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To peruse the menu or place an online order ahead of time, visit nicksfcsandwiches.com.
Santa Elena's has gone brick-and-mortar. The Fort Collins-born food trailer expanded into Equinox Brewing, 133 Remington St., March 17, taking over the brewery's small kitchen space and serving up its unique, wood-smoked Mexican dishes. Chef Rodrigo Quijano opened Santa Elena's in 2021, melding Mexican dishes with a wood-smoked twist inspired by Colorado cooking. Santa Elena's will be open inside Equinox Brewing from 3-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday with potential brunch hours in the works for Sunday.
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What closed
Genoa Coffee & Wine, 2614 S. Timberline Road, has temporarily closed with plans to reopen under new ownership, according to a March 19 post on its Facebook page and a sign posted in the coffee and wine bar's window. The shop — which served coffee by day and wine and beer by night in Rigden Farm Plaza North — had been quietly on the market for months, with owners Katherine and Dave Townsend ready to ease out of the day-to-day demands of the shop, Katherine told the Coloradoan in February. Genoa Coffee & Wine's new owners are set to reopen it May 15.
Other food news
Our 2023 March Madness food competition is complete. This year's bracket centered on sandwiches, with Coloradoan readers casting their votes to whittle the initial field of 32 sandwiches to the last sandwich standing: Cheba Hut's White Widow sub.
Taste of Fort Collins unveiled its headliners earlier this month. The All-American Rejects will headline the food and music festival on Saturday, June 10, while Lil Jon will headline it Sunday, June 11, according to organizer Townsquare Media.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins restaurants: What opened, reopened and closed in March
