For eight years, diners have sidled up to the counter at RiNo’s Dio Mio to order some of Denver’s most affordable handmade pasta and other fine-without-the-fuss Italian eats. Approachability is a mission to which chef-owners Alex Figura and Spencer White are still faithful, but after a month of renovations in early 2024, the industrial-chic restaurant reopened to reveal a fresh menu and an aesthetic face-lift—courtesy of Regular Architecture’s Kevin Nguyen, who has designed hot spots such as Brutø and Point Easy—that added 15 seats and expanded the bar section.

For a taste of the transformation, ask for the Italian gin and tonic spiked with yuzu curaçao. Then dive into the upgraded small plates lineup, which includes options such as crispy-onion-topped charred cabbage and butter-marinated artichoke hearts. Longtime devotees need not fret, however; Figura and White have preserved beloved entrées such as the cacio e pepe. And if you were a fan of the blistered focaccia before? Make your reunion with it even more special by choosing one of the new bread accompaniments: citrus-infused black butter, balsamic-drizzled prosciutto, or house stracciatella with warm Castelvetrano olives and breadcrumb gremolata.

5280 May 2024
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This article was originally published in 5280 May 2024.
Ethan Pan
Ethan Pan
Ethan Pan is 5280’s former associate food editor. Follow his dining/cooking Instagram @ethans_pan.