Sun Valley: Denver food hall opens with subsidized vendor space

Denver residents in the Sun Valley neighborhood will have access to a new dining option later this year. Eats on the Platte is opening its doors, offering six local food vendors a subsidized physical space to operate.

The Denver Housing Authority owns the facility. Erin Clark, the agency's chief real estate investment officer, stated the project aims to give entrepreneurs a financial runway. She described the goal as providing a space where owners can share their culinary traditions while receiving business guidance.

Among the first operators is Enrique Socarras, who is launching Jama Miami Cuban. He plans to serve Miami-style sandwiches made with fresh bread and pastries. "Focusing on fresh bread and fresh pastries and what that felt like in Miami growing up," Socarras said.

Charleen Ramirez-Mares is operating La Brujola Cafe next door. Her approach prioritizes simplicity over complexity. "We're trying not to be pretentious about our coffee. It's just good coffee," Ramirez-Mares said.

The food hall is part of a larger redevelopment effort that began in 2019. At that time, the Denver Housing Authority started demolishing more than 300 homes. The plan includes constructing more than 900 new housing units in the area.

City officials are also developing the Sun Valley Riverfront Park nearby. Clark noted that the agency intends to connect the food hall directly to the park infrastructure. "We'll be able to roll up the garage doors here and have this amazing opportunity for you to be in the park, come here to eats on the Platte, grab a coffee, grab a beer, hang out with us outside," Clark said.