DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aspen One and Continuum Partners announced today that Ajax Downtown is now open for dining in Denver’s Union Station neighborhood. A sister restaurant to the beloved Ajax Tavern in Aspen, this brand-new concept from Aspen One introduces an unparalleled combination of culinary innovation and unforgettable ambience to the Mile High City. Ajax Downtown serves modern American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week for locals, travelers, and guests of Limelight Denver, adjacent to the restaurant.
“Centered around the art of live fire cooking, Ajax Downtown is a true American restaurant drawing from influences from around the country,” said Ajax Downtown’s Executive Chef Jared Becker. “Most items have touched the live ember grills – from salads to desserts – and our team prides itself on responsibly sourcing Rocky Mountain raised meats, fresh seasonal vegetables from local farms and making every dish in-house.”
Executive Chef Jared Becker takes an earnestly personal approach to cooking—whether it’s in the live-fire kitchen featuring Josper Grills or adjacent state-of-the-art dry-aging room. For his signature dry-aging program, Becker sources only the finest locally raised beef, pork and lamb, slowly maturing each to exacting specifications—controlling time, temperature, and humidity—for incredible depths of flavor. Ingredients are thoughtfully and responsibly sourced from local purveyors, including Esoterra Farms, Infinite Harvest and Full Circle Farms.
Ajax Downtown’s menu features uniquely curated shareable items and thoughtfully refined entrees. The cooking process begins with a primal approach to charring each ingredient over live coals, juxtaposed with the elegant and flavorful plated result. Signature dinner items include Coal Oven Baked Sourdough with a specialty local Dry Storage grain, Mesquite Smoked Chicken cooked to perfection in the specialized Josper grill, Ember Roasted Beets served over flamed humble fog goat cheese and a shareable 100 Day Dry Aged Ribeye. Lunch is geared towards the working professional with offers such as a House Made English Muffin BLT, Smoked Pork Sandwich, Steak Frites and Farm Fresh Crudité. During breakfast and brunch service, guests experience savory and sweet options through a variety of menu items such as Lemon Poppyseed French Toast and Duck Hash. Becker is joined by in-house Pastry Chef Gaby Navas, who offers a Baked Alaska with Prickly Pear and Calamansi Sorbet, Rum and Black Sesame Feuilletine, along with a Chocolate Espresso Entremets kissed by smoke.
Matt Gotlin-Sheehan, Ajax Downtown’s lead bartender, introduces an expansive, inventive and dynamic cocktail menu, featuring Douglas fir Eau de vie and lemon cordial made from charring spent lemon husks. The bar team is a group of highly skilled, experienced mixologists and creatives and it shows through the restaurant’s bold offerings. Signature cocktails include the Beast of Bourbon incorporating a bourbon wash with dry aged ribeye fat and BIG FEELINGS melding Jamaican rum, peach, cinnamon and lime for a live fire experience. Ajax Downtown serves as a lively local hangout—drawing from the high-energy social atmosphere of Aspen—over smoke-infused cocktails, hand-selected wines, and the best local, small production craft beers on tap, including Aspen Brewing Company’s Ajax Pilsner. Behind the bar you'll find local options from Family Jones, Laws Whiskey and Leopold Bros Distillery to New Image Brewing, Ratio Beerworks and Station 26 Brewing.
Nina Gotlieb, founder of Otherworld Creative, served as the interior designer of the project. Details in the space pay subtle homage to the original Ajax Tavern design and recognizable elements such as the iconic red banquettes. Ajax Downtown’s palette leans heavily into saturated color with more delicate, subtle detailing found in its custom dining chairs, textures and patterns.
“We worked hard to ensure that Ajax Downtown’s interior is like nothing else in Denver,” said Gotlieb. “The space is cozy but experiential, meant to envelop the guest with hidden details to be discovered, making them feel like they’ve escaped for a brief hour or two.”
Ajax Downtown serves guests of Limelight Denver, where the restaurant finds its home on the ground floor, for all in-room dining and private events. The Ajax Downtown experience is sophisticated yet comfortable, just like Limelight Denver, to appeal to local urbanites, tourist families, and the corporate traveler guest alike. In 2023, Aspen One entered a joint venture with Continuum Partners, transitioning the property to Limelight Denver and now Ajax Downtown.
Ajax Downtown is open weekdays for breakfast from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dinner is available Sunday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Weekend brunch will be available Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. To make a reservation at Ajax Downtown visit www.ajaxrestaurant.com or call 303-323-0017.
ABOUT AJAX DOWNTOWN
Ajax Downtown is the newest dining concept from Aspen One and the only urban restaurant in its portfolio. Located in the heart of Denver’s Union Station neighborhood, Ajax Downtown serves modern American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner that is Chef-driven and responsibly sourced from local purveyors. Led by Executive Chef Becker, the team at Ajax Downtown utilizes coal-fired cooking techniques on a Josper Grill, combined with its unique dry-aging room, to ignite the senses with its fire-inspired food and drink items. Ajax Downtown serves as a lively local hangout—drawing from the lively social atmosphere from Aspen—over smoke-infused cocktails, hand-selected wines, and the best local, small production craft beers on tap. Ajax Downtown is located at 1899 16th St. Denver, CO 80202. To make a reservation at Ajax Downtown visit www.ajaxrestaurant.com or call 303-323-0017.
ABOUT ASPEN ONE
Aspen One is the parent company of Aspen Skiing Company, Aspen Hospitality and ASPENX. The mountain division, Aspen Skiing Company owns and operates four mountains—Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk—creating premium, sustainable and transformative experiences in recreation, culture, and nature. Aspen Hospitality owns and operates a portfolio of hotels and residences including the Five-Star, Five-Diamond The Little Nell, and its affiliated Residences at The Little Nell, both at the base of Aspen Mountain; as well as the Limelight Hotel Aspen and Limelight Hotel Snowmass in Colorado; the Limelight Hotel Ketchum, Idaho and the Limelight Denver. Currently in development are two additional Limelight Hotels in Mammoth, California, and Boulder, Colorado. ASPENX is a contemporary retail and experience brand that features the first performance product line designed by a ski resort. Aspen One leverages its influence across all its business units to advance climate action, community engagement and racial justice. For more information on Aspen One visit www.aspen.com.
ABOUT CONTINUUM PARTNERS
Continuum Partners, LLC is a progressive development firm specializing in building urban mixed-use developments that create successful pedestrian environments and integrate effectively with the surrounding urban fabric. Founded in Denver, Colorado, in 1997 with a deliberate mission to create sustainable human habitats of extraordinary character and enduring value, Continuum Partners has established itself as a national leader in urban, mixed-use, large-scale projects including Belmar and the Union Station Transit Hub, both of which won the ULI Global Award of Excellence, as well as 9+CO, Market Station, Bradburn Village, 16 Market Square and Produce LA in Los Angeles, among others. Learn more at www.continuumpartners.com.
