Nonnas Chicago Bistro closes after nearly two decades in Denver

It’s the end of the line for Nonna’s Chicago Bistro. The Northern Italian restaurant’s lease ended at the end of July and permanently closed its doors.

“Simple answer…No employees to work, increased food costs, and we negotiated with the landlord to no avail,” owner Brian Svenby wrote over email. “Denver minimum wages increased. There were homeless moving into the area sleeping on our doorstep. We had a lack of customers coming in to enjoy award-winning Italian fare.”

Svenby said he hopes to downsize the concept and find a space for a more casual, grab-n-go restaurant with Italian fare, and “no employees calling in sick, asking for month-long vacations.”

“It just was not fun anymore owning a restaurant and working our asses off 80 hours a week, making NO MONEY,” he wrote.

Nonna’s Chicago Bistro, located at 6603 Leetsdale Drive in the Washington Virginia Vale neighborhood,  opened in 2004. Dedria Catalano-Tudor, who owns Nonna’s Italian Bistro in Centennial, was the original owner before she sold it to Svenby and Nancy Mikelis in 2011.

Nonna’s Italian Bistro in Centennial will remain open.

The southeast Denver mainstay was known for its Chicago-inspired Italian comfort food and jazz on the weekends.

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