Six months, two chefs with formidable fine-dining credentials and one mysterious blue cheese-tinged Basque cheesecake later, Casa Juani has evolved from a fresh arrival on Pearl Street to Colorado’s sole representative on Bon Appétit’s 2026 list of the 19 Best New Restaurants in America.
Read more PHOTOS: Denver Public Schools welcomes back students for 2026-27 school year
The Spanish restaurant, which husband-and-wife chefs Eduardo Valle Lobo and Kelly Jeun opened on Feb. 26 at 901 Pearl St., earned its spot on the national list that was published Monday after months of nationwide scouting by the magazine’s editors.
Each year, Bon Appétit travels the country evaluating complete dining experiences, weighing food and drinks alongside service standards. Editor-in-chief Jamila Robinson noted that this year’s selections needed to deliver complete flavor and technique from the opening cocktail through dessert, while giving diners a compelling reason to return.
Bon Appétit’s write-up for Casa Juani focused on the kitchen’s execution of understated Spanish staples, singling out dishes like the potato-and-egg tortilla alongside the arroz con setas, a wild mushroom rice dish prized for its crispy, caramelized bottom layer.
The magazine also highlighted the tarta de queso, a Basque-style cheesecake made with a hint of Valdeón, a Spanish blue cheese, calling the dessert “equal parts funky and mysterious.”
Bon Appétit also praised Valle Lobo and Jeun’s hospitality, ultimately calling the pair “the lifeblood of a restaurant that is all heart.”
Named after Valle Lobo’s 98-year-old mother, Juanita, the restaurant draws heavily from the Madrid home cooking of his youth, while expanding across regional traditions with a marisquería seafood bar, tapas, rice dishes and roasted meats.
Read more Thornton youth pastor gets 13 years to life in prison for child sex assault
Long before their first tapas hit a table in Boulder, the pair had already cooked their way through some prominent kitchens. Both previously served as co-executive chefs at Frasca Food and Wine, where Valle Lobo later became culinary director, following assignments at Eleven Madison Park and Del Posto in New York.
Monday’s recognition is the second time Bon Appétit has singled out Casa Juani. Months before the restaurant served its first dinner, the magazine included it among seven openings nationwide it was most anticipating for winter 2025-26, citing Valle Lobo and Jeun’s years of experience together, the restaurant’s Spanish roots and its seafood-driven menu.
“It’s a dream come true to be recognized by Bon Appétit Magazine for something that’s so personal to us,” Valle Lobo said in a statement provided Monday. “We’re grateful for the chance to bring more national attention to Boulder’s incredible hospitality community.”
For Boulder diners newly interested in Casa Juani, reservations can be made through the restaurant’s website or OpenTable.
Dinner is à la carte, with snacks and smaller plates ranging from $4 gildas to $40 tableside jamón Ibérico, rice dishes from $25 to $38 and larger fish and meat dishes from $26 to $86. The tortilla española praised by Bon Appétit is $18, while the blue-cheese-laced tarta de queso is $16. Casa Juani is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, with happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., when the menu includes $3 croquetas and drinks starting at $7.
Read more 85-year-old Longmont cyclist hit, killed in Diagonal Highway crash
