Rooted Craft American Kitchen closes West Highland restaurant

Chef Nicholas Kaiser works in the kitchen at Rooted Craft Kitchen in Denver on May 23, 2023. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/Denver Post)

When Nicholas Kaiser was faced with the choice of closing or rebranding his West Highland restaurant, he decided to be fiscally responsible.

“Rebranding isn't free,” said the co-owner of Rooted Craft American Kitchen. “It costs $20,000 just to get an autograph.”

Rooted Craft American Kitchen, located at 3940 W. 32nd Ave., had its last day of business on April 28th. The original location, which opened in 2020 inside Boulder's Avanti Food and Beverage food hall, will remain open.

Chef Kaiser and business partner Scott Erickson opened the Rooted's Denver outpost in West Highlands last May. The two live in the neighborhood and after finding success in Boulder, they wanted to offer an approachable, family-friendly restaurant with farm-to-table cuisine.

“But unfortunately, looking at the restaurant landscape right now, I don't think that level of price point with all the necessary production and moving parts is a successful business in Colorado.” Kaiser said. “The casual concept of a privately run business doesn’t get across.”

Two months after opening, Kaiser and Erickson found themselves embroiled in a trademark dispute with the employee-owned Edible Beet Restaurant Group, which also owns Root Down and Vital Root. It was later resolved with an agreement to change the name of the West Highland store, located two miles from Route Down and one mile from Vital Route.