The restaurant: The Velvet Cellar, 1500 Wynkoop, Denver
About: Friends Reilly Chunn, 38, and Chris Dominey, 39, have known each other since they were 15, and the duo has wanted to open a wine and cocktail lounge for years. The idea for the Velvet Cellar was born over a couple of drinks. Dominey, a sommelier, is working toward his Level 4 Diploma in Wines and wanted a platform to share his education, while Chunn has a background in business.
The Velvet Cellar is taking over the former Chow Morso Osteria space downtown, which closed in November 2020 after two years, and it was previously home to the Squeaky Bean for five years before that. It will be an upscale, yet approachable, wine and cocktail lounge with a chef-driven menu.
“The landlord has purposely left the space vacant for so long because he’s been fortunate enough to be selective on the lease,” Chunn said. “Luckily, he was willing to take a chance on us.”
Who’s cooking: Chef Todd Bobrovicz has worked his way through the Denver food scene over the past two decades, from opening The Corner Office to his time at City O’ City. Most recently, after working for Denver restaurateur Frank Bonanno as head chef at Osteria Marco, Bobrovicz was a consultant for new local restaurants.
“I’m a country boy from Oklahoma, and Reilly and Chris both are both Southern boys from Alabama, so it was love at first sight,” Bobrovicz said.
What’s on the menu: Everything on The Velvet Cellar’s menu will be made from scratch, even its cheeses, like ricotta, mozzarella and burrata, and cured meats. Bobrovicz wanted the food to pair well with the wine program, which will boast between 300 and 400 different labels.
For a pre-dinner snack, try the restaurant’s take on a Scotch egg: a fried Scotch olive stuffed with homemade ricotta, wrapped in dry-aged beef and Spanish gourd and served with a smoked tomato cream sauce and Calabrian chile honey, which pairs well with a martini or dry white wine. If you’re looking for a full meal, dig into Bobrovicz’s version of steak and frites: a tender Coulotte steak served with a side of Peking duck fries, which are cooked in duck fat, tossed in an eight-spice mix and topped with duck cracklings.
And as an homage to the chef and owners’ Southern upbringing, there will be a take on shrimp n’ grits with red corn heirloom cheddar grits, sauteed shrimp and pepper-infused country gravy.
“Downtown Denver could use a fresh kick-in-the-pants like us right now,” Bobrovicz said.
More: The Velvet Cellar is taking advantage of the historic building it inhabits, using the existing exposed brick and wooden support beams in its design. There’s also a nod to the name with velvet banquette seating throughout and thousands of wine bottles on display.
Opening: Chunn and Dominey are aiming for a mid-November opening. Updates to come.
Note: This story previously stated that the space has been vacant since the Squeaky Bean closure in 2016 and has since been updated.
