Eve & Tony Rios
Owners, Royalty Bagels & More
Eva and Tony, the owners of Royalty Bagels, say that feeding their community means the world to them. “There is no greater feeling than seeing families smiling, enjoying the food we created and spending time together. Hearing customers compliment our food and seeing their satisfaction makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
Their family and friends are everything to them and are their biggest motivation. “We have always wanted to be strong role models for them and show them that even when times get difficult, you keep pushing forward and never give up without a fight.”
Their favorite recipes include hand-rolled bagels and New York-style pizza. “We love bringing that authentic New York flavor to Northern Colorado, especially traditional hand-rolled bagels, which are very hard to find.”
For Eva and Tony, success is not measured by numbers alone. “As long as we are happy, surrounded by the people we love and able to continue giving back and creating something meaningful, we consider ourselves successful.”
Being business owners has taught them to trust their decisions, take ownership of their future and appreciate the responsibility that comes with building something of their own. “It has strengthened our resilience and deepened our appreciation for our employees, our customers and our community.”
Allie Menard
Chef/Owner Sandos
“When my son, Seth, was growing up, he p
“When my son, Seth, was growing up, he played travel baseball, and in between games, we would go find a ‘sando,’ as it’s tasty and filling, travels well and can be eaten at your leisure.” Allie Menard, owner of Sandos, says of the story behind the name. “I named it that to hold on to a memory with my kiddo, my greatest motivation.”
As a kid, Allie always wanted her own restaurant and went to culinary school straight out of high school. Food has always made her curious. Allie grew up in a split family, with one parent in Virginia and one in Ohio. “My Virginia experiences had lots of gardens where I learned a fresh, ‘pick and eat’ mentality, which I lean into greatly now in my cooking style, but I still absolutely love a great casserole potluck with friends to remind me of my Midwest moments!”
When asked about inspiration, Allie replied, “I go about life with the mentality that everyone I meet knows something that I do not, so I love meeting people and learning.” She says her mentor, Anthony Bourdain, was someone who could transport her to different cultures through food and people. “He taught me to stay willing to appreciate learning from others.”
“This community is what feeds my soul. If you are open to wrapping your arms around it, it will absolutely do the same for you! The art, history, neighbors and food! We have so many fantastic options, and I wanted Sandos to add to the town, not compete, so my menu has items that aren’t going to be on my neighbors’ menus. I want us all to win!”
Jenna Shaffer
General Manager, Founding Family Member A.K.A Kitchen
A.K.A. Kitchen stands for “Also Known As,” a nod to the idea that its food, drinks and culture are its own take, or “also known as” version, of things you may already know and love.
Jenna Shaffer, General Manager & Founding Family Member, describes the ambience of the restaurant. She believes that, in a way, this space has always been “also known as” something else, evolving with each chapter while remaining a place where Loveland comes together over good food. Coincidentally, the building itself has always shared that same spirit. Before A.K.A. Kitchen, it was Adelita’s Mexican Restaurant, and before that, Santeramo’s Pizza House, which is still alive and well in Greeley. “We’re proud to be the latest chapter and to bring something uniquely our own to the community.”
A.K.A. Kitchen started as a passion project inspired by Jenna’s brother, a chef who had always dreamed of opening his own restaurant. Over the years, Jenna was involved in different ways but more recently stepped in full-time to help manage the day-to-day operations. “I found my own passion, and I’ve grown to deeply care about this industry and everything that comes with it, but especially our team, our guests and the community we’re lucky enough to serve.”
Her favorite quote is more of a catchphrase, but one she’s carried with her throughout her career: “Be the Buffalo.” Buffalo instinctively move toward a storm rather than running from it, knowing the fastest way through is to face it head-on. “I’ve always used that as motivation to keep moving forward, face it, move through it and come out stronger on the other side.”
As for patron favorites, Jenna says, “Our famous scratch-made Cinnamon Roll is definitely at the top of the list. It’s made fresh in-house every week with rotating flavors and has won Best in Loveland six years running!” A.K.A. Kitchen is also known for putting its own spin on the classics, including the unconventional Chicken Pot Pie, the Monkey Burger and its house margarita, an homage to Adelita’s original recipe with an A.K.A. twist. “Don’t sleep on our Prime Rib night either... best in town, and I stand by that.”
Andrew Simpich, Nick Swanson & Lindsey Beddard of Urban Field Pizza
“The name Urban Field came from my wife. Urban came from Keith Urban and our wedding song, and Field came from Topsfield, the town I am from in Massachusetts.”
Nick Swanson, Culinary Director & Co-Founder of Urban Field Pizza and Market, got into the restaurant business quite accidentally. “Dumb luck, really. I was working as a busboy in Boulder, and I was always curious about the chef’s recipes. One day, he asked me if I wanted to give it a try, and the rest is history.”
Urban Field Pizza and Market offers cultural twists on grandma’s classics, utilizing fresh, local ingredients. One of Nick’s favorite specialties at Urban Field, and a customer favorite, is the square Detroit-style pizza, especially the mushroom pie.
As for motivation, he remembers a quote from a high school basketball coach: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard!” Nick believes mistakes are going to happen; it’s all about how you handle them. You have to face things head-on rather than avoid them. Sometimes, you need to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.
His mother is his inspiration for working hard. A mother of five, she taught him to work hard and never throw in the towel. He believes achieving work-life balance is a constant work in progress and tries to spend as much time as possible with family or sneak in a round of golf.
Nick’s vision of success looks something like this: “Sitting on the couch with my wife and kids watching a movie, popcorn in their hands, maybe a whiskey in mine, the fireplace going, some snow falling outside, hopefully going skiing the next day, and my cell phone turned off!”
Nick lives by the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. When asked what “Feeding the Community” means to him, he replied, “Everyone should be able to have a nice meal and not worry about it. What these local food banks do on a day-to-day basis is life-changing, and it’s hard not to want to be a part of that.”
@urbanfieldpizza & @nicholasswanson
“This community is what feeds my soul. If you’re open to wrapping your arms around it, it will absolutely do the same for you. The art, the history, the neighbors, the food. I want us all to win.”
— Allie Menard, Sandos