Acclaimed Japanese restaurant Uchi is seeking city approval for an expansion project at its RiNo restaurant. According to Naked Denver, the eatery is proposing to add a new intimate dining area on the second level of the property, located at 2500 Lawrence St.
A change of use application was submitted to transform a section of the rooftop greenhouse space, renovating it to accommodate a small omakase counter, a private dining room, and a food prep zone. The changes will encompass between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet of the roughly 8,000-square-foot greenhouse. No exterior changes are needed.
The Denver restaurant is part of the Hai Hospitality portfolio, founded by Tyson Cole, a James Beard Award–winning chef. It opened in Denver’s River North Art District in 2018 and has since become one of the city’s most prominent sushi destinations. The chain also operates locations in Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, Scottsdale, Philadelphia, and West Hollywood, its website shows.
Hai Hospitality has a growing footprint in Colorado. In 2023, What Now Denver announced Uchiko, a sister concept to Uchi, would be coming to Cherry Creek. That venue is expected to open soon, with recent updates teasing that the development is nearing completion.
