Since opening in April 2018, Brighton Boulevard food hall Zeppelin Station has undergone several fairly dramatic overhauls. Most recently the whole place was under the direction of FAM Hospitality, with the group departing in July after a busted water heater prompted a hasty exit. Since August, the stalls have been gradually filling up. Six new food concepts and a coffee joint are now fully operational. The spot hosted its Sorta Kinda Grand Reopening on Saturday, October 8.
“The inherent nature of food halls is motion, change and activity,” said COO of Zeppelin Development Adam Larkey, noting that the new concepts were set to incubate for at least six months. “That activity and turnover is sort of part of the model.”
Larkey says roughly three dozen concepts tried out, with him and leasing manager Nick Yockey hand-selecting the current roster. The goal has been to create an environment centered on fun. He feels that the latest iteration has been doing a good job of getting the place back to the spirit of the neighborhood. “Sometimes these food halls get overly curated and stuffy. The curation was not curating it,” he grinned.
Of the six new food concepts, there is a Purisima, a Mexican joint, Pesto doing classic Italian, Rock N Lobster holding down the seafood, Gyros King serving Greek classics, We Poke delivering healthy bowls and Soi Kowboi anchoring the place with its distinct blend of high and low brow. Most of the concepts are local, with Pesto having originally opened in Miami.
Zeppelin Station is entering a new era, one that Larkey hopes will be defined by casual quality. Soi Kowboi’s Blake Blacksberg has already been helping to shape the new ethos by serving locally-sourced wagyu burgers and making sure that the bar is well stocked with Fernet and Malort. “Our goal here is to breath new life into Zeppelin Station,” grinned the globe-trotting chef. While Larkey says the tenants were selected based on quality rather than any geographical incentive, the current lineup certainly has something for everyone.
Zeppelin Station has already been putting its money where its mouth is with regards to its community presence. It hosted Red Rocks shuttles throughout the summer and plans to continue the service into next season. Weekly specials — including Pasta Monday, Taco Tuesday and Game Days — feature discounts on both food and drink. The team will be partnering with AEG for Mission Ballroom pre-parties and ticket giveaways, beginning with Matt Maeson on October 19. The upstairs bar will host a Halloween pop-up from now through the end of the month, with the idea to transform the space into a Christmas-themed venue as the holidays hit.
Zeppelin Station is located at 3501 Wazee St. Suite #100, Denver. All the stalls are open every day from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
All photography by Adrienne Thomas.