Opening Alma Fonda Fina was a leap of faith for chef Johnny Curiel and his wife Kasie, who debuted the Denver restaurant last December. Both had long-established careers in the Colorado hospitality scene, and quit their jobs to pursue opening their own eatery, inspired by local neighborhood spots in Mexico. Curiel, who was born in California and raised in Guadalajara, paid his dues for years working for other chefs, including Richard Sandoval and Troy Guard. But he eventually realized that he had to embrace his own vision—an instinct that led to Alma Fonda Fina being awarded a Michelin star in their first year.

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“It’s all been worth it,” Curiel tells Observer. “All of those moments, both positive and painful, led to opening our own restaurant. And it’s not just about Michelin. It’s about working with my wife, and the team being happy, and the guests being happy and people coming in again and again and saying that what we have is special. It’s validating, and it was worth it. I would do it all again just to get here.”

Alma Fonda Fina, located in Denver’s hip Lower Highlands neighborhood, showcases authentic Mexican home cooking, drawn from Curiel’s many research trips back to his home country. The dishes are thoughtful, complexly layered and deeply flavorful, served with tortillas crafted with imported masa. It’s a casual, local spot and Curiel hopes to keep it as welcoming as possible, even with the newfound acclaim.

“I’ve made it really a point to talk about how nothing is changing,” he says. “So many people have reached out to me and said, ‘You need to raise the prices. Take opportunities.’ But we’re doing well and people are loving it as it is. Why would I change something? Alma is not changing. The menu obviously changes the same way we always do, but the concept, the prices, the happy hour—all of those things are staying the same.”

Since opening Alma Fonda Fina, Curiel and his team have unveiled........

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