Chef Matthew Koury couldn’t be happier to be back manning the burners, this time at his new 2020 Food & Wine Bar in Longmont’s Prospect neighborhood. Koury, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Sara, was a star chef for 18 years in Chicago, most notably as the executive chef at Rivers Restaurant where he earned nods from many prestigious organizations, including the James Beard Foundation. When his family began to grow, Koury took a hiatus from the demands of the high-end culinary scene to work as a district sales manager with a food distribution company. That experience eventually brought him to the Denver metro area. And it was here, surrounded by our burgeoning restaurant scene, that Koury got the itch to return to the kitchen.

When the old Your Place or Vine location came available, the Kourys jumped at the chance to open an eatery. 2020 strikes the balance of upscale yet casual with a clean, simple menu that meets the needs of the neighborhood. Koury tapped his love of boutique wines—particularly ones that come from small, biodynamic producers—and centered the wine-friendly menu on carefully matched small plates, charcuterie and cheeses platters, a few salads and desserts, and an ever-changing array of artisanal pizza.

“It’s important to me that our guests know we strive for a classic sensibility. We are not looking to fill them up with a big meal. We are here to give them a place to spend time with the people they care about, [it’s a place] where they can slow down and be casual with the people they cherish the most,” Koury says.

Tip: Don’t miss the beautifully charred arugula pizza (pictured) with soft folds of prosciutto, fresh ricotta, shaved Parmesan, and handfuls of farm-fresh, well seasoned arugula.

2020 Ionosphere St., Longmont, 720-491-3578