Denver Restaurateur Celebrates 25 Years with Denver Restaurant Week

Frank Bonanno's Mizuna restaurant returns to the annual dining event after an 8-year hiatus.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Frank Bonanno, chef and co-owner of Bonanno Concepts, is bringing his first Colorado restaurant, Mizuna, back to Denver Restaurant Week to celebrate its 25th anniversary. After sitting out the event for the past 8 years due to the costs, Bonanno has transformed Mizuna's tasting menu into a small bites menu for the 10-day dining event featuring 12 plates of food per person.

Why it matters

Denver Restaurant Week is a long-running annual event that highlights the city's diverse and acclaimed culinary scene. Bonanno's return to the event with his landmark Mizuna restaurant underscores the importance of the event for the local restaurant community, especially as the industry continues to face challenges like rising costs and labor shortages.

The details

Bonanno and his wife, Jacqueline, opened Mizuna in 2001, and it was the first of what has since become 10 restaurants, 3 bars, a brewery, and a food hall operated under Bonanno Concepts. After the pandemic, Mizuna shifted to a tasting menu format, but for Denver Restaurant Week, Bonanno has transformed it into a small bites menu featuring 12 plates per person, including a brie tartlet, chawanmushi, pasta with truffle cream, and a choice of steak frites, Chilean salmon, or ratatouille, plus a birthday cake dessert.

  • Mizuna opened in 2001.
  • Denver Restaurant Week launched in 2005.
  • Mizuna has not participated in Denver Restaurant Week for the last 8 years.
  • Mizuna is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026.
  • Denver Restaurant Week will take place from March 6 - 15, 2026.

The players

Frank Bonanno

Chef and co-owner of Bonanno Concepts, which operates Mizuna and several other restaurants, bars, and a brewery in Denver.

Jacqueline Bonanno

Co-owner of Bonanno Concepts and Frank Bonanno's wife.

Mizuna

Bonanno's first Colorado restaurant, which he and his wife opened in 2001 and is now celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Bonanno Concepts

The restaurant group founded by Frank and Jacqueline Bonanno, which operates 10 restaurants, 3 bars, a brewery, and a food hall in Denver.

VISIT Denver

The organization hosting Denver Restaurant Week from March 6 - 15, 2026.

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What they’re saying

“We were, I think, one of the first few restaurants to sign up for Denver Restaurant Week when it came to Denver because we felt like it was really to build a community.”

— Frank Bonanno, Chef and co-owner of Bonanno Concepts (CBS News Colorado)

“After the pandemic, we decided we were going to lean into more of a tasting menu.”

— Frank Bonanno, Chef and co-owner of Bonanno Concepts (CBS News Colorado)

“Every person that sits down gets 12 plates of food, essentially, so you're talking about 700 - 800 plates coming out of the kitchen.”

— Frank Bonanno, Chef and co-owner of Bonanno Concepts (CBS News Colorado)

“We'll have a little treat. Birthday cake for everybody as a little pre-dessert because we think it's important for you to eat two desserts when you eat here.”

— Frank Bonanno, Chef and co-owner of Bonanno Concepts (CBS News Colorado)

“This is a difficult time for all restaurants, and to be able to share with what everyone is going through. This is the perfect time for us all to come together as a community and show Denver what we have.”

— Frank Bonanno, Chef and co-owner of Bonanno Concepts (CBS News Colorado)

What’s next

Denver Restaurant Week will take place from March 6 - 15, 2026, giving diners the opportunity to experience Mizuna's special small bites menu and celebrate the restaurant's 25th anniversary.

The takeaway

Frank Bonanno's decision to bring his landmark Mizuna restaurant back to Denver Restaurant Week after an 8-year hiatus underscores the event's importance in highlighting the city's thriving culinary scene, even as the industry faces ongoing challenges. Mizuna's transformation of its tasting menu into a small bites format for the event shows the restaurant's commitment to the local community and its willingness to adapt to changing times.