Featuring Southern-inspired fare and programming designed to foster connection, The Caldwell aims to bring together students, locals and visitors
The Caldwell, a new bar and restaurant located within Fort Collins’ newest hospitality destination, The Buxton Hotel, announced their grand opening, bringing a fresh food and beverage destination to Fort Collins rooted in hospitality and connection. Located directly across from Colorado State University inside The Buxton Hotel, The Caldwell serves breakfast, happy hour, dinner and weekend brunch, offering hotel guests and locals alike a place to gather throughout the day.
“The Caldwell is really about creating the kind of place people don’t want to leave,” says Ashley Stiles, owner of The Buxton Hotel. “Some of my favorite memories were made around a table with family and friends, sharing stories over a meal or a drink. We wanted to create a space that captures that feeling: a place that’s warm, welcoming and full of life.”
The Caldwell’s culinary program is led by Chef Sol Shenker, a New York native and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America whose career has spanned neighborhood restaurants, destination ski resorts, luxury hospitality brands and his own restaurant ventures. Drawing on that diverse experience, Chef Sol has crafted a menu that balances Southern-inspired comfort food with elevated technique and thoughtful execution. Guests can enjoy dishes such as the Caldwell Oven-Roasted Chicken Biscuit with hot honey butter, Ashley’s Open-Faced Brisket Melt with sweet tea slaw and the Whiskey Lacquer Half Chicken, alongside house-made baked goods, fresh salads and shareable plates, like dry-rubbed brisket sliders and whipped pimento cheese.
The beverage program highlights Colorado’s strong craft beverage tradition, with every beer on draft sourced from a Colorado brewery and local distributors. A curated cocktail menu and rotating local offerings further reinforce the restaurant’s connection to the region.
Rather than functioning solely as a hotel restaurant, The Caldwell was intentionally designed to become a neighborhood gathering place and social anchor for travelers and Fort Collins residents. The space will also serve as a hub for students, faculty and the broader campus community. Through a partnership with Mishawaka Presents, The Caldwell will draw on one of the region’s most established live-music programmers to bring thoughtfully curated performances to the space throughout the year, alongside open mic nights and collaborations with CSU’s music and arts programs that give students a stage of their own.
“We never envisioned The Caldwell as just a hotel bar,” Stiles says. “Being across from CSU creates an incredible opportunity to bring together students, locals, visitors, artists and musicians in one space. We’re beyond excited to be part of the Mishawaka program, and we want The Caldwell to be a place where people gather and feel like they’re part of the Fort Collins community.”
Named after James “Jim” Caldwell Davis, The Caldwell pays tribute to Stiles’ grandfather, a beloved Oklahoma cowboy whose warmth, humor and generosity left a lasting impression on everyone he met. That spirit serves as the foundation for The Caldwell, which combines Southern-inspired comfort food with a welcoming atmosphere designed to encourage guests to linger and enjoy one another’s company. Through The Caldwell, Stiles hopes to carry forward the same sense of hospitality and belonging that defined her grandfather’s life.
With seating for 98 guests and capacity for up to 120 when combined with the adjacent pool terrace, The Caldwell also serves as the centerpiece of The Buxton’s private event program, accommodating celebrations, corporate gatherings, receptions and community events.
The Caldwell is now open daily for breakfast, happy hour and dinner, with weekend brunch service available Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, visit thebuxtonhotel.com.
