1914 House open for business

It’s been a long-time coming for Niwotians who have been waiting patiently for the 1914 House to open at the site of the former Rev Taylor’s Restaurant, which closed in 2000. After months of construction, that day has finally come.

Owner Nick Mastronardi officially opened the restaurant on Tuesday, March 22, at 121 Second Avenue in Niwot after having two soft openings over the previous weekend which saw more than 100 guests. “It went really well,” Mastronardi said of the soft openings. “People were impressed with the atmosphere, the food was great, the service was good. We’re only going to get better from here.”

For now the restaurant is open Tuesday-Sunday for dinner only, with doors opening at 4 p.m. and dinner beginning at 4:30 p.m. Mastronardi said they will introduce lunch in about a month, which will begin at 11 a.m., and will slowly open other areas of the restaurant.

Head Chef Dale Lamb has been working hard on the menu, which consists of American cuisine plates such as braised boneless short rib, pecan crusted ocean trout, eggplant parmesan, vegetable risotto, a gourmet burger, a plethora of salads and a soup of the day.

Lamb said the opening has gone well, and the food is delicious. But he’s really pleased with everyone he’s working with.

“I’ve got a great team,” he said of his kitchen staff. “We didn’t know each other a lot, but it’s working really well.”

Lamb explained the benefit of opening with dinner only has been to give them time to adjust to running a kitchen, and “take one step at a time.”

“It’s a lot in a start-up restaurant to take it all in one phase,” Lamb said of why they’re introducing the restaurant in phases.

Once lunch starts up, Mastronardi said they will open the upstairs eating area, which can hold around 50 people. It will be used to accommodate larger parties, private parties, and overflow dining, and can also be rented out for birthday parties, anniversaries, rehearsal dinners or other occasions.

Mastronardi said none of this would be possible without his great staff, especially his daughter Isabelle Mastronardi, the restaurant’s manager. She has been responsible for hiring and onboarding of the staff, designing the menu and layout of the restaurant, and training new staff members.

“It’s been a fun experience,” Isabelle, who’s been working with her dad since last August, said. “I enjoy learning new tasks and staying busy. It’s been a lot of work.”

Since she hired the front-of-the-house staff, including servers, hosts and bartenders, she’s now managing all the front-of-the-house employees. Isabelle said she plans to stick with her position as restaurant manager.

“It’s been a positive experience and we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback,” she said with joy and pride. “I’tm excited to finally be open.”

Another primary staff member to Mastronardi is his senior bartender, Matt Hemphill, who comes to the 1914 House after 11 years with Ocean Prime. Hemphill, who lives in Boulder, said he wanted a shorter commute and was “lucky to land a job here.”

“I like to interact with guests and getting to know them,” Hemphill said of what he enjoys about his job. “I like creating drinks on the fly or trying to make a drink that someone requests.”

It’s not just the laid-back and friendly employees that help make the restaurant thrive, but the relaxed atmosphere as well. With an industrial yet homey feel, the restaurant welcomes guests to dine together as a family.

The outdoor patio area will be open by summer where people can enjoy eating outside by the fire pit or playing bocce ball. Mastronardi said, “It’s all about creating a memorable experience for the guests, and a fun environment. To stand back, after all the construction, hiring and putting the restaurant together, and see it come to fruition—it’s like a parent seeing a child grow up in front of them.”

The 1914 House is located at 121 Second Avenue in Niwot, and can be reached at 303-588-5511.