The Commons Food Hall is adding two new restaurants to its menu this month, expanding downtown dining possibilities with an Italian option called Pasta Bar, a new sandwich place called Sup Wich U, and a soon-to-be named burger joint expected to open this summer.

“Ultimately, our intent with this place is to allow people to try and prove their concepts,” said Justin Keys, who has managed The Commons Food Hall since November and owns The Barley Tap as well as The Common Bar. “Maybe (owners of restaurants in The Commons) like the model where you, as a business owner, manage a little less stuff because so much of it comes with being part of The Commons. Things like marketing, building repairs and maintenance.”

Keys said The Commons, located downtown at 56 Seventh St., is in a bit of a transition after Yampa Yield left earlier this spring to instead offer food at the two Mythology Distillery locations in Steamboat. Keys said established outlets like Poke the Bear, La Cocina, Clyde’s Pies and The Common Bar will continue to anchor the food hall. Omar Bautista, owner of La Cocina at The Commons, has purchased and will run Poke the Bear.

“I’m happy for the people that helped us start, and I’m happy for a little bit of a switch-up,” Keys said. “I think our guests are going to be excited at the new stuff that we’ve got going on alongside our staples that are still cranking it out.”

Geoff Kuhnhausen is opening Sup Wich U with his brother Ben Kuhnhausen and his fiancee Bree ‘Aunna Turman.

“We’re really trying to get open in the next 10 days or so,” Geoff Kuhnhausen said. “We are doing soup, sandwiches and charcuterie.”

The other new option is Pasta Bar, being opened by Marko Pavlovic and his partner. The restaurant will offer traditional sauces including pesto, marinara, Bolognese, as well as meatballs. There will also be macaroni and cheese carbonara.

Keys said he is excited to have a full lineup of six food vendors serving customers at The Commons Food Bar. He said The Commons plans to host a couple of late-night parties with DJs, and the Commons Bar will be running specials seven days a week.    

“We’ll have six food vendors plus the bar, seven days a week for the first time,” Keys said. “I’m really excited about that, and I think we got a lot of good, exciting stuff going on right now.”