Before opening Misfit Snack Bar inside Charlie Thomas and Jareb Parker’s Middleman, Bo Porytko co-owned Rebel Restaurant — an eclectic dive with an experimental menu. As Rebel closed, the idea for an Eastern European concept blossomed within Bo’s brain.
Originally, Bo — whose grandparents emigrated to America from Ukraine — wanted to call the spot Baba Yaga, hoping the space would serve as a daytime market and nighttime eatery.
However, when, after eight years in business, Royce Oliveira and his wife Leanne Adamson closed their intimate To the Wind restaurant at 3333 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206, Bo’s plans quickly shifted.
Now, the restaurant owner is reworking the space to become Molotov Kitschen and Cocktails — a kitschy and cozy eatery with a culturally-inspired rotating menu and gaudy yet sentimental decorations. The restaurant design’s kitschy nature even inspired the unique spelling of its name.
The interior will include “tile around the kitchen with a design inspired by Ukrainian embroidery; a floral installation with sunflowers and wheat that evokes a vinok, a traditional Ukrainian headdress; photos of Porytko’s two grandmothers; and wheat-pasted posters with playful Eastern European propaganda.”
Middleman owners Thomas and Parker will serve as partners on the project, with Parker responsible for bringing Bo’s aesthetic vision for Molotov to life. Additionally, Molotov will reside just minutes from Middleman.
Bo suspects Molotov will debut after the New Year, with soft-opening events in the lead-up.
