Whiskey bar coming to former Café Brazil space in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood

After Caf Brazil ended its -year run in December chef Tony Zarlenga hinted something might take its place While the Caf Brazil you know and love may not continue in the same form the spirit of this space and its story may yet live on in a new chapter he wrote in a Facebook post Next month Jonathan Odde and Clarke Boyer will open a whiskey bar at Lowell Blvd and make good on those tea leaves Big shoes to fill And that s why we longed to do something here declared Odde who owns and operates The Burns Pub in Broomfield If Tony s not going to be here then we want to do something really cool Little Wolf which is set to open in mid-May will feature a menu of about American single malt whiskies to start along with rum and agave spirits It will also have food including charcuterie a Brazilian-styled burger and Oaxacan shrimp Boyer stated the bites will revolve around flavors from across the globe with Asian and Latin twists on American staples Eventually they want the menu to list specific cocktails that pair well with its entrees and appetizers We don t want to just come in and open a bar and say Hey we re a whiskey bar Come drink disclosed Boyer who lately worked for Colorado spirits brand Arta Tequilia I think what this neighborhood wants is somewhere that they can go eat and get fed and enjoy particular wonderful food that pairs nicely with our bar venture Little Wolf will also host classes and events in the -square-foot space like an agave spirits sommelier program Specific distilleries like Denver-based Stranahan s will be showcased during brand-specific nights Boyer was a former ambassador for whiskey companies and Odde has judged numerous local and national spirits competitions Each month the two also meet with a small group for rare-whisky tastings as part of an ultra-exclusive club they joked We were going to try to take over Cafe Brazil but it just didn t work out that way Boyer revealed So we re doing this different concept which to be honest is a little bit more in our wheelhouse because we re both hardcore whiskey fans Because the space already had a kitchen they didn t have to do much with the back-of-house But the two requested more bar seats so they demolished a wall to add a half dozen and to have a more separated area for the educational side The decor will be more mid-century modern the pair revealed with tiki and Latin influences throughout In the bigger dining room there will also be several couch-filled nooks with tables scattered about They explained the buildout cost If you want to lounge you can kick back and relax a little bit But if you want to sit at a table have specific dinner you can do that too Odde commented And we ll have plenty of bar areas as well Odde and Boyer signed a three-to-four-year lease which they explained is complicated That s because their landlord who bought the corner of th and Lowell for million in plans to develop an L-shaped mixed-use expansion there The Little Wolf building and two others on the parcel will be knocked down to make way for the project Related Articles Split Lip closes at Number but the same chefs have designed a creative new menu Spatchcock a chicken for an easy and inexpensive meal for Means to Turn a Can of Tuna Into Lunch or Even Dinner This Spicy Clam Chowder Is St Augustine s Best-Kept Secret What Makes Korea s Favorite Noodle Dish So Good We are coming into this particular space for a limited time and then we ll have a new space here once the new building goes up Boyer mentioned At that point in time once we get closer to the end of the lease we ll figure out Do we move this business somewhere else and then come in here with something different Or do we just wait It would suck to shut down for months and lose the momentum Though there is uncertainty down the line both are optimistic the new space will be a boon to the neighborhood and restaurant We really considered in his vision for everything If it weren t for that we wouldn t be doing this here Odde mentioned of the property owner John Horvat They re putting in something that s going to be cool and contribute to the neighborhood Story via BusinessDen Subscribe to our new food newsletter Stuffed to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox