Here at In Good Taste Denver, we’ve often found that some of the best jewels of a restaurant can be found in a shopping center or strip mall. Writer Irene Middleman Thomas shows us how true that can be with Fortezza Ristorante in Niwot.
In Niwot, Fortezza Ristorante is a Destination in Itself
In a cozy little corner shopping center of Niwot, the popular restaurant Farow closed in 2025, after a very successful run. Happily, there is a new resident in its former space. Fortezza Ristorante, specializing in Northern Italian cuisine and wines, opened in August, 2025. Already, it has received two accolades from 5280 Magazine as one of the best Italian restaurants in the metro area and a “best restaurant that opened in 2025.”
Owner Adam Moore was general manager of Michelin-recommended Barolo Grill in Denver for ten years. He also worked at Guard and Grace, Quality Italian, and Edge Steakhouse/Four Seasons. Barolo Grill’s policy of bringing staffers to explore Northern Italy fostered Moore’s affinity for the region, which he visited repeatedly. Now, he is bringing the food, wine and ambiance of Northern Italy to Niwot.
“Italian food brings people together,” says Moore.
Fortezza is much more than the traditional Italian restaurant many of us knew as youngsters. Here, owners Moore and his wife, Natalie, as well as the executive chef, Egan Ma, have tour Italy extensively. They have relationships with producers, wineries and restaurants there and aim to provide the same approach to hospitality and culinary expertise that they experience when in Northern Italy.
The wine cellar was built into an old closet, and the flower-bedecked patio now is home to a chef’s vegetable and herb garden. Diners enjoy their meals surrounded by the garden, weather permitting.
Just about everything is made in-house, including fresh pasta, a 28-hour fermented focaccia, and a tantalizing Torta di Formaggio (Robiola cheesecake with blackberry gel and honey tuile.)
On a recent visit, I was astonished by the Bistecca di Manzo (hanger steak marinated in 12-year balsamic vinegar with eggplant “arrabiata,” adorned with celery and fennel salad.) I THOUGHT I didn’t like steak, but then I had a revelation at Fortezza! Fortezza takes special care with its meats and prepares them with Northern Italian methods.
Wines are a highlight at Fortezza, and in fact, the restaurant was recently recognized with a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence within its first year. Some 90 percent of the wines are from northern Italy. Rare and premium bottles are available by the glass using an innovative Coravin system which allows wine to be poured by the glass without pulling the cork, protecting the rest of the wine from oxidation. In addition, Fortezza holds a rare Colorado permit that allows customers to buy bottles from its cellar to take home.
Fortezza offers a true “happy hour” daily from 3:30-5pm with special pricing on beverages, starters and pasta. However, it is closed on Tuesdays. Mondays are Restaurant Service Industry Night with 25% off, with proof of employment, excluding bottles of wine.
Moore says Chef Egan Ma is “one of the most talented chefs I have ever worked with.” Indeed, Ma changes the menu every two months to work with the current seasons. The August menu, for example, included such items as Risotto al Gambari with confit shrimp, smoked butter, and kumquat agrodolce; Hudson Valley Duck with fermented cherry jus and a smoked parsnip puree and aged 14 days before serving; Lumache al Pesto with pistachio, lemon zest, and fiore sardo pecorino as well as Panissa e Parmigiano Reggiano chickpea fritter.
While Farow is missed, Fortezza continues its dedication to excellent, unique and ever more creative cuisine. Buon appetito!
Fortezza Ristorante is located at 7916 Niwot Road, in Niwot. Visit them on their website, here.
-Story and photos, except where noted, by Irene Middleman Thomas
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