Protein Bar opens third Colorado restaurant

The Protein Bar is celebrating the grand opening of its third Colorado location by giving away $500 gift cards to the first 100 people in line June 21 at its restaurant at 1390 Colorado Blvd.

The Protein Bar is a quick casual restaurant concept serving healthy dishes such as salads, quinoa bowls and Bar-Ritos made from fresh and organic ingredients wrapped in whole-grain tortillas. The restaurants also serve breakfast, including Greek yogurt bowls and steel-cut oatmeal topped with fruit, raw juices and smoothies.

"It's so important to have high protein when you're active," says Kyra Tarasoff, Sales and Marketing Manager for Protein Bar in Colorado. "It really helps with muscle recovery."

The first Protein Bar in Colorado opened in April on 29th Street in Boulder. The second opened at Union Station in early May.

The concept started in Chicago in 2009 when Matt Matros, a then 29-year-old who lost more than 60 pounds by changing his lifestyle, eating fresh fruits and vegetables and more protein, was struggling to find places to eat when he was at work or on the go. He opened the first Protein Bar across from the Sears Tower in Chicago. Since then, Protein Bar has grown to 11 locations in Chicago, five in Washington, D.C., and three in Colorado.

Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.