Although Downtown Golden may be known more for rustic western charm than Italian style, it’s about to get a big dose of the latter in the form of an elegant and intimate new Italian restaurant. Golden restaurateurs Aimee and Dean Valdez are preparing to open Bella Colibri inside the historic brick building at 812 12th Street that once served as the Centennial State’s territorial capitol before Colorado became a state.

That building, which was built in 1863, also houses the Old Capitol Grill & Smokehouse, the iconic Golden restaurant and bar that the Aimee and Dean purchased and reinvented in 2017. Located in another building on the same block is the Miner’s Saloon, a Gold Rush-inspired saloon the couple opened in 2016.