When Tony P’s Bar and Pizzeria moved from its original LoHi location to a smaller store at 3000 Zuni St., this meant that not only would the neighborhood retain a culinary staple, but earn a new contributor to the food scene. Kumoya is the new tenant scheduled to arrive at 2400 W. 32nd Ave. — a Japanese restaurant led by noted native Denver chef Corey Baker and incubated by Juan Padró’s Culinary Creative restaurant group. The partners will combine their years of travel and food industry experience to “blend Japanese hospitality with a very Denver vibe,” Baker told What Now Denver.
“Being a Denver born local and personally opening 15 restaurants, experience and community go hand in hand,” Baker said. “We will continue to push boundaries of what hospitality should be and how employment can be. That all will transfer to the guest with passion, love, and attention to detail.”
Per Geek Culture, the word ‘kumoya’ is a combination of the Japanese characters “kumo” — cloud — and “ya” — house or shop. Kumoya then, is a nod to a light setting with heavenly food. Baker will aspire to achieve this lofty goal with “Kappo” style cooking — a blend of traditional Japanese cooking styles. For Baker, that means melding “very detailed and elaborate ‘Kaiseki’ dishes with sushi ‘Edomae’ style dishes.” In this spirit, Kumoya will bring together the food traditionally expected by Americans at a Japanese restaurant while introducing eaters to new things.
“Going this direction in comparison to other sushi bars will continue to elevate and educate guests on more advanced palate flavors all while making them comfortable with fresh plays on fan favorite dishes,” Baker said.
To drink, Kumoya will have a full bar featuring a wide selection of Japanese whiskey and traditional spirits. The restaurant’s bar program “will be led and curated by the one and only Nicole Lebedevitch.” The “fully transformed” 4,000 square-foot stylish space will also feature a lounge with live DJ’s and bands.
There is no set date for opening, but Baker and the Culinary Creative team are aiming for a late summer opening.
