Tommy Lee’s Quick, Comforting Ramen Spot is Coming to the Denver International Airport

Uncle will open at the Denver International Airport (8500 Peña Blvd, Denver, CO 80249) come spring 2023, according to founder Tommy Lee. 

Lee started Uncle in 2012 on West 32nd Avenue with the hopes of serving up “[his] take on a traditional Japanese staple.” While Uncle uses tradition and authenticity as its food foundation, Lee implemented a few changes to make Uncle’s dishes individually delicious. For instance, Uncle’s ramens are devoid of MSG — an enhancer widely used in Asian cooking. Uncle also uses “responsibly raised meat, fish and eggs, seasonal produce, and long-simmered broths.” What’s more, the menu at Uncle rotates frequently making for fresh and eclectic offerings. 

With the rise of ramen’s popularity and Lee’s growing celeb-chef status, What Now Denver felt it only right to catch up with the three-time restaurant owner (Lee has two Uncle locations and a Chinese kitchen called Hop Alley “[n]amed after the Chinatown that was part of Denver in the 1870s”).

Here’s what Lee had to say about his incoming airport establishment:

WND: Will you truncate or change the menu to meet the demands of the airport environment?

Lee: Right now, we don’t have a finalized layout for the space or the kitchen, and I’ve only had one design meeting so far, so I won’t know exactly what the menu is going to look like until that part is figured out. We’ll probably have to make some adjustments just based on it being the airport – like implementing breakfast items – and we’ll likely accommodate more dietary restrictions. Honestly, though, I’m not sure yet. 

WND: How will you work breakfast into a ramen spot?

Lee: I think we’ll just have a couple of items that are breakfast-centric. But also, in Japan, ramen is eaten for breakfast. Part of me just wants to sell a really good egg sandwich and a really good breakfast burrito with our spin on it. But, again, it kind of depends on what the kitchen design and layout are because that might restrict what we can accomplish.

WND: Will you serve alcohol?

Lee: Yes, it’s likely. We’ll be located by The Bindery and Maria Empanada, and we’ll have a pretty small set-up — I’d say, like, a maximum of 30 seats. We want it to be more [remniscent] of a traditional ramen shop, so we’ll keep the menu pretty focused and tight, both in terms of food and alcohol. You can sit down, eat some ramen, and grab a cold beer in the 20 minutes before you have to catch your flight.