From hand-held burritos and morning coffee to art and music, the influence of Latino culture is all around us. From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is observed in Denver and across the country with celebrations and events.
Denver has a large Hispanic population, and while the majority are of Mexican heritage, years of migration have brought people from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and other countries. Together, they’ve opened businesses and community spaces that promote culture and history. Here are a few to visit in the area.
Cynthia Moreno-Romero and her husband, Jason Romero, are co-owners of Ollin Cafetzin on East Colfax. Together they have created a space for coffee, conversation, and community gatherings. Front Porch photo by Christie Gosch
Ollin Cafetzin
9529 E. Colfax Ave.
Open since November, this Indigenous- owned coffee shop offers typical coffee shop drinks (lattes, cappuccinos, matchas) alongside Mesoamerican-inspired drinks (like iskiate, a pre-Columbian lemonade with chia seeds), firme energy drinks, and light bites from their neighbors at El Paisa Panadería.
Co-owners Cynthia Moreno-Romero and Jason Romero have created a space that offers educational resources, workshops, and community connections.
“We all really think of Ollin as a space where we can create, where we have the freedom to bring ideas to life,” Moreno- Romero said.
They’ve built an ethnic studies library on-site for visitors to check out one of more than 2,000 books, and they host a bi-monthly Kids Kalpulli gathering featuring traditional crafts and storytime. Other events include book clubs, film screenings, language classes, and immigrant rights workshops.
La Plaza
15200 E. Colfax Ave.
La Plaza has been one of the largest Hispanic food halls and markets in the country since 2024, with dozens of shops and food kitchens. Macondo is a Colombian eatery serving arepas and Colombian-style burgers, as well as bandeja paisa. There are also Mexican eateries with dishes ranging from ceviche to birria and more.
El Matador, a bar serving handcrafted cocktails, hosts live bands and DJs on several nights. An on-site arcade and family movie nights also attract families.
Javi and Jennifer Pérez opened Cheluna Brewing Company when Stanley Marketplace first opened ten years ago. They not only serve brews but also host events for local organizations. Photo by Willy Wilson, Life Unstill
Cheluna
2501 N. Dallas St.
Ten years ago, owners Javi and Jennifer Pérez set out to create a welcoming Latin-inspired taproom and production brewery. With a menu that features brews with names like Lupita IPA and Lowrider Mexican Lager, Javi, who is Chicano, takes special care to feature beers that recognize Mexican culture.
Jennifer said they are also both heavily involved in supporting the local community, serving as hosts for groups like MSU Denver Mariachi and Academia de Ballet Folklorico Nezahualcoyotl, supporting their beer tender Carmen Duran’s weekly Zumba class, and promoting biannual Unity Runs co-hosted by several groups, including Latinos Run Denver
Chef Erasmo Casiano opened Create Cooking School as a place where people have fun while learning cooking techniques. He and his
partners also own Lucina in Park Hill and Xiquita Restaurante y Bar in Uptown. Front Porch file photo by Steve Larson 2019
Create Kitchen & Bar
2501 N. Dallas St.
Chef Erasmo Casiano opened Create Kitchen & Bar in November of 2018 after multiple back surgeries made him realize he could no longer work in restaurants in the same capacity. Opening a cooking school was a way to stay rooted in hospitality while helping people learn, connect, and cook with confidence.
Casiano, who is of Mexican descent and was also raised by a Bolivian stepfather, said his multicultural upbringing helped him understand that Latinidad is broad and diverse.
Because of this, Casiano intentionally includes Latin American cooking classes every month.
“Offering those classes helps our neighborhood connect with dishes like mole, empanadas, and ropa vieja,” he said. “When people cook these dishes with their own hands, they carry the culture with them.”
Lucina
2245 Kearney St.
Casiano also owns Lucina, the Park Hill restaurant he named after his mother, with the intent of reflecting the way she welcomed, fed, and made people feel cared for. He said the restaurant, which he co-owns with chefs Diego Coconati (who grew up in Argentina, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico) and Michelle Nguyen, is as much about Latin hospitality as it is about food. Guests can order dishes like pastel de cerdo and choclo con queso, reflecting the diversity of cuisine. Casiano explained the importance of supporting Latin-owned businesses.
“Many of our businesses are built from sacrifice, migration, and resilience,” he said. “When you support them, you help keep culture alive and strengthen the diversity that makes communities feel like home.”
Tom Ogunribido, owner of Somos Dance Studio.
Somos Dance Studio
12001 E. 33rd Ave.
Born in Chicago and raised in Nigeria, Tom “El Rasta Salsa” Ogunribido is not Latino, but his love of artists like Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaría and Nuyorican musical phenom Tito Puente has inspired him to spread his love of Afro-Latin music and dance. Ogunribido is the owner of Somos Dance Studio, where salsa, bachata, and mambo classes are held each week for dancers of all levels. But there’s an even greater knowledge exchange happening here.
“There’s a wide range of cultures dancing and teaching in the space, but we have a very clear understanding that these are Afro-Latin cultures we are dealing with,” Ogunribido said.
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