A long-promised restaurant and bar from Leven, the Denver deli group known for scratch-made sandwiches, is still not open in the ground-floor retail space it leased at Block 162, the 30-story office tower at 1520 California Street in the city's central business district. Leven Brands proprietor Anthony Lygizos has described the eventual spot, Leven Downtown, as a full-service restaurant and bar that will expand on the company's deli roots with a wider menu and a more traditional restaurant setting, but the opening date has moved repeatedly, and the latest word points to 2027.
A Timeline That Keeps Sliding
The project's expected opening has shifted several times across different reports. CBS News Colorado reported Leven Downtown was expected to open in late 2025, while Mile High CRE had earlier pegged the opening for summer 2025. By the time Naked Denver covered the project, the target had moved to spring 2026. Most recently, the Denver Post reported that Lygizos was not specifying when in 2026 the restaurant would open, and the Denver Post later reported in September that Leven's downtown plans were on hold entirely, because Block 162 itself was on the market, with the cafe's plans paused until a new owner stepped up.
Leven Downtown is planned to occupy a two-floor space inside Block 162, according to the Denver Post, with figures on the exact footprint varying between 6,600 and 7,000 square feet across different reports. The restaurant is designed for roughly 420 seats, according to CBS News Colorado, making it a significant full-service departure from Leven's existing counter-service delis. Block 162 is an office building situated between California and Welton streets. Mile High CRE reported that Leven's lease would leave roughly 3,500 square feet remaining in two other spots.
What's Planned for the Menu and Space
What's Planned for the Menu and Space CBS News Colorado reported that the menu will include sandwiches, salads, entrees, pizza and pasta. Leven has also said it plans to cater events, lunches and happy hours for Block 162's office tenants, per Mile High CRE.
Leven Downtown would be the company's third concept in Denver. Leven Deli is one of the company's existing counter-service delis. In January, the company opened Leven Supply in Washington Park.
Soft Numbers Behind a Stalled Build-Out
The delays come against a backdrop of mixed business signals for Leven. The Denver Post reported that after growing at a consistent 20% annual clip for its first six years, the company's growth slowed in 2025. Lygizos also told the paper that beef prices rose significantly in 2026, in some cases by as much as 30%. Even so, the Denver Post noted that Leven is currently operating at only 40% of its production capacity across Leven Supply, Leven Deli and its catering business, leaving room to grow once Downtown is built out.
Block 162's own performance may be part of the equation. Naked Denver reported that the tower, which delivered in 2021, has seen occupancy hover just above 60% despite improved leasing momentum in recent years, a slower stabilization than developers had expected for a building surrounded by other major projects. Naked Denver's report also noted a 673-foot observation tower proposed next door, a 39-story high-rise planned for California and 17th with 223 hotel rooms and 320 apartments, and a 700-unit office-to-residential conversion planned at the same corner, underscoring how much downtown redevelopment is clustered around the block Leven is banking on.
For now, the restaurant remains unbuilt, its timeline tied to the fate of the building itself.
