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Joshua Pollack, owner of Bridge & Tunnel Restaurant Group (Rosenberg’s Bagels & Delicatessen, Famous Original J’s Pizza, and Lou’s Italian Specialties), is expanding his mini-empire of East Coast-style Jewish and Italian fare across the Front Range at a rapid pace.
First up, as of March 3, Rosenberg’s Bagels at Stanley Marketplace will transform into Rosenberg’s After Dark, a day-to-night endeavor with a full liquor license, serving Pollack’s beloved Jewish and Italian deli favorites—bagels with house-smoked fish, pizza from Famous Original J’s, subs from Lou’s Italian Specialties, and a killer bloody Mary program—until 11 p.m.
On March 10, sweet-toothed Denverites can stop mourning the loss of the Rolling Pin Bakeshop, formerly located next door to Rosenberg’s Five Points location on Welton Street, thanks to the opening of Sherry’s Soda Shoppe, Pollack’s homage to a 1950s creamery and soda fountain. Named for his late maternal grandmother Sherry Rosenberg, Pollack has planned a whimsical dessert destination with homemade vegan and dairy ice creams, shakes, sundaes, malts, phosphates, sodas, and more. Particularly exciting are the New York-style egg creams and tangy phosphates sodas, as well as the black-and-white cookie ice cream sandwiches.
Finally (for now), Boulderites, especially those living in or near University Hill (“the Hill”) on the west side of University of Colorado (CU) Boulder, will soon have a much shorter commute for Pollack’s food and drink: He has just announced the fall 2020 opening of Rosenberg’s Bagels & Delicatessen (and, as of 5 p.m., Rosenberg’s After Dark) around the corner from Rose Hill Wine & Spirits at 1262 College Avenue on the Hill. “This is where it all began for me,” Pollack says.
A Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder grad, Pollack loved his time living on the Hill. “I went to summer camp as a teenager in Boulder and had no doubt that I wanted to go to school there, and then live there when I grew up,” he says. “It’s such an active, happy place. But during school, I was always sad that there were no morning bagels or walk-up pizza. I always said, ‘I’m going to bring those East Coast staples to the Hill one day.’”
This fall, that dream will become a carby reality as Pollack and his team at Bridge & Tunnel transform the old Rose Hill movie theater—most recently, a bottle shop—into Rosenberg’s Bagels/After Dark. It will be the biggest location yet for the group at 4,000 square feet, and will follow the Stanley Marketplace model: Bagels and deli in the morning; a happy hour crossover menu; and at 5 p.m., After Dark comes alive, serving all of the above and Italian classics like subs and pizza. The bar there will be open from day to night.
“In Boulder, we’ve been able to plan and design the entire space [with the help of architect Michael Koch], including a full sit-down bar with televisions,” Pollack says. “It will definitely be the place to get ready for CU football. I want to bring the Hill back to its glory days—not the riots!—where students and locals get together and have a good time. Boulder is doing a lot of work to change the vibe of the Hill, studying what people want there and trying to change things at the city level. We are thrilled to be a part of that energy.”
There will be a big grand opening party for the Boulder location when it’s ready, but in the meantime, Front Rangers can satisfy their cravings for East Coast fare and soda fountain treats at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora and in Five Points on Welton Street. We’ll see you there.
Rosenberg’s After Dark opens at the Stanley Marketplace (2501 Dallas St., Aurora) on March 3. Sherry’s Soda Shoppe opens at 2716 Welton St. on March 10; hours will be Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Rosenberg’s in Boulder will be located at 1262 College Avenue come fall.
