Antonio Jarana has been offering his customers great-tasting burgers at Apres Burger Bistro on the mountain since 2020, but now the longtime restaurateur has brought his latest concept — the upscale 5th Street Kitchen in downtown Steamboat Springs.

“We will be offering a little higher-end atmosphere and food,” said Jarana who not only operates Apres Burger Bisto at 2500 Village Dr., but also recently added Antonio’s New York Style Pizza at the same address in a separate unit.

The 5th Street Kitchen, located at 435 Lincoln Ave., is Jarana’s chance to bring a hearty menu to new customers from 4-9 p.m. daily.

Instead of a long list of burgers or slices of pie, customers walking through the doors at 5th Street Kitchen will find more fine-dining options including Colorado lamb chops, Pecan crusted salmon and filet mignon.

They can select from a menu that includes ribs, lemon chicken, a poke bowl, and sea bass and chicken fried chicken. Those who show up craving a burger will also be happy to know the menu includes an Angus burger topped with Vermont cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and garlic aioli and is served with French fries and coleslaw.

The 5th Street Kitchen opened quietly following a lengthy renovation to the space that formerly housed Mahogany Ridge Brewery and Grill. Prior to that, the location had been the Steamboat Brewery and Tavern.  Earlier this year, Jarana teamed up with mentor, Kristi Brown to create a fresh look inside the vacant space of what is now the 5th Street Kitchen. Jarana introduced the concept to the public on July 14.

“(The) 5th Street Kitchen has got all-new finishes from the woodwork to the countertops to the tables,” Brown said. “All the booths have new fabrics, the lighting has been changed out and everything got painted and replaced.”

However, the changes go well beyond the atmosphere as Jarana, who has more than 30 years of experience in the kitchen, will bring his flavors to the new dining option.

“I really like the short ribs, the Colorado lamb chops and the sea bass,” Jarana said. “We will offer a hearty American menu.”

The iconic bar, backed by windows that look in on the fermentation vessels, will greet customers as they walk through the doors. Jarana said he will offer a summer happy hour from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day with half-priced appetizers, salads and soups.

The bar offers a selection of locally brewed beers from Storm Peak Brewing Company, cocktails and a wine list with selections from Italy, New Zealand, Sonoma, Argentina and the Napa Valley. Jarana is also working to get the brewing operation up and running.

“He really wanted to start by perfecting the food,” Brown said. “Hopefully (5th Street Kitchen will be) brewing by the winter — (Antonio’s) got somebody that’s going to come in and help with the brewing.”

The bar and dining room at 5th Street Kitchen offer 110 seats. That number grows in the summer with plenty of outdoor seating on the large and popular patio. Jarana said despite opening quietly, it’s been a busy first week in the downtown space that had been empty since March of 2024 when Mahogany Ridge closed its doors after serving the community for more than two decades.

“It is a big challenge (to expand to three restaurants)”, Jarana said. “Kristi, she’s my mentor, and she and her husband Jeff have run a lot of places, big places, in New Jersey and here in Steamboat. They are very good mentors and have helped me get started, and now to expand.”