Hot chicken spot, coffee shop open on Fort Collins restaurant scene in September
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the address of Fort Collins' forthcoming Wingstop location. It will be located at 4631 S. Mason St.
In need of some hot coffee or hot chicken?
The Fort Collins food scene is here to help with recent September additions of a Midtown cafe and nearby hot chicken spot, which is expanding its reach from Los Angeles to Northern Colorado.
Meanwhile, a popular Laporte pie shop is growing with the recent opening of a new location and baking hub in Loveland.
Here's everything that opened, closed or announced it was coming to the Fort Collins-area restaurant scene in September.
What opened?
Happy Trails Coffee Co., 120 W. Stuart St., Suite B, opened Sept. 14. The coffee shop had been in the works since earlier this year, when Lauren and Shawn Storeby — owners of neighboring Snack Attack Specialty Sandwiches & Brews — set their sights on the vacant retail space. Happy Trails Coffee Co. serves coffee made from locally roasted Wander Coffee beans as well as grab-and-go eats like mini quiches, breakfast sandwiches and burritos, chia pudding, dragon pitaya bowls and banana split parfaits. The café is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, with happy hour every day from 4 p.m. to close.
Dave's Hot Chicken, 1700 S. College Ave., has fired up its fryers in Fort Collins. The Los Angeles-born hot chicken chain opened its first Choice City location Sept. 15, bringing new life to a recently renovated business strip at the entrance of Midtown. It boasts a simple menu of fried hot chicken tenders and sliders with various heat levels, fries, kale slaw, mac and cheese and milkshakes. The Fort Collins location also has a bar, serving up beer and a trio of frozen cocktails. Dave's Hot Chicken is open 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10:30 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday.
Me Oh My has branched out from Laporte. The popular Laporte pie and coffee shop opened a second location and baking hub at 280 E. 29th St. in Loveland on Sept. 10. The new location gives Me Oh My additional production space, serving up a limited menu daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What closed
Howlers & Growlers, 1246 Automation Drive, Windsor, shuttered Sept. 6, according to co-owner Amy Lowther, who attributed the closure to the restaurant's delayed opening, staffing issues and a summer of nearby road closures. The eatery had been in business for nearly a year and boasted a menu of appetizers, entrees and brunch items as well as a 26-tap self-pour beer wall.
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What's coming?
Wingstop will open a second Fort Collins location this fall. The Texas-born wing chain, which serves traditional and boneless wings, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches and sides, is set to take over 4631 S. Mason St., Suite B3 in south Fort Collins. Its opening date will likely be in October, according to the company. The shop joins Fort Collins' existing Wingstop, which is located at 244 N. College Ave. near Old Town's The Exchange.
Newk's Eatery, 1700 S. College Ave., is thiiis close to opening. The Southern cafe chain is eyeing an Oct. 2 opening in the recently renovated business strip it shares with Dave's Hot Chicken.
Catching up
Buttermilk Bakery & Pie Shop is putting down roots. The Loveland-born bakery and pie shop moved its operations to its permanent home at 5748 S. College Ave., Suite D, in Fort Collins on July 1, according to its Facebook page. The shop serves up seasonal and year-round pies, cakes, cupcakes, cake balls, cookies, cheesecakes, tortes, strudels, scones, pot pies and more.
Pulcinella Pizzeria shuttered its south location, 2550 E. Harmony Road, after nearly 15 years. The closure was precipitated by a Feb. 1 flood that left Pulcinella's Harmony Road shop swimming in more than two feet of standing water after its building's fire riser broke, according to the pizzeria's owner, Mary Race. Given the time and money it would take to fix the space — combined with the fact that Pulcinella was nearing the end of its 15-year lease there — led Race to cut her losses around May, pay out her lease and decide not to reopen, she told the Coloradoan in mid-September. Pulcinella's flagship location, 1119 W. Drake Road, remains open.
Other food news
A handful of Colorado restaurants received Michelin stars in September, becoming the first to do so as the influential French-born culinary guide recently expanded its reach into the Rocky Mountains. Only restaurants in Boulder, Denver, Aspen, Vail, Snowmass and Beaver Creek were eligible for stars, so you won't see any Northern Colorado eateries on the list. Here are the five recently-recognized restaurants.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: These Fort Collins area restaurants opened, closed in September
