Café Madro to Bring a Fresh Dining Concept
to Downtown Colorado Springs
A creative local culinary team blends familiar favorites, global flavors and seasonal ingredients at Plaza of the Rockies.
Café Madro is bringing a fresh dining concept to 121 S. Tejon Street, Suite 121, in downtown Colorado Springs. Planned for a prominent Plaza of the Rockies space that has sat vacant for nearly a decade, the restaurant will pair familiar American favorites with global flavors and a welcoming, chef-driven experience.
The restaurant brings together a team with deep roots in business and hospitality:
- Lynn Schlemeyer, owner and founder, has spent decades building businesses, cultivating relationships, and optimizing organizations for success. Her previous local venture, Garden of the Gods Gourmet, became a beloved Colorado Springs institution known for its commitment to quality and hospitality.
- Chef Larissa Vendola, executive chef, brings extensive culinary training and years of leadership in professional kitchens, pairing classical European techniques with a passion for creating memorable dining experiences. As Executive Chef, she leads the restaurant's culinary vision and menu development.
- Chef Amy Fairbanks, associate executive chef, built her culinary foundation at Hawaii's acclaimed Merriman's Restaurant, one of the pioneers of the farm-to-table movement. Since making Colorado Springs home, she has continued to share her passion for ingredient-driven cuisine and warm hospitality, bringing a unique perspective to Café Madro’s
- Laura Cookson, front of the house manager, contributes a wealth of experience in hospitality, wine, spirits and guest service. Her passion for creating welcoming guest experiences helps shape the atmosphere that defines Café Madro, ensuring every visit feels both elevated and approachable.
Café Madro’s origins can be traced back to a strong bond and shared history between its principles, Lynn Schlemeyer, Larissa Vendola and Amy Fairbanks, developed while working together in the early 2010s. They reunited in 2025 and began exploring options to once again join forces. Together with Front of the House Manager, Laura Cookson, they bring a wealth of hospitality experience to downtown Colorado Springs, offering scratch-made food, coffee service and reenvisioned American favorites in a welcoming setting.
Guests can expect creative, chef-driven interpretations of comfort food, including a Hot Colorado Beef sandwich with local beef sourced from PBJ Cattle in Divide, braised until fall-apart tender, then piled into a locally baked baguette and toasted with provolone and a Pueblo green chile giardiniera. Or savor the Rocky Mountain Trout dish with Pacific Rim flavors, broiled with a soy aioli to a caramelized finish, and served with rice and an Okinawan sweet potato and vegetable medley.
Along with their culinary focus, the team very intentionally chose their name. The name Madro (pronounced MAH-dro) brings together the Danish words mad, meaning food, and ro, meaning peace or calm. Together, these ideas capture the spirit behind the restaurant: a place where thoughtful food, genuine hospitality and a relaxed atmosphere invite guests to slow down, connect and enjoy time around the table. Whether stopping in for a morning coffee, gathering with friends for lunch or settling in for dinner, guests will find a welcoming space designed to make everyday moments feel a little more special.
“Our team spent many months researching options, exploring ideas and honing our vision for Café Madro. The word “Madro” captures the essence of our vision perfectly – warm hospitality, scratch kitchen cuisine, to be shared with community in a peaceful, restorative setting,” said Lynn Schlemeyer, owner and founder of Café Madro, “When we settled on our location in downtown at Plaza of the Rockies, we knew we had found the right spot and partner to live out our vision and pursue our culinary dreams.”
“After we met with the Café Madro team, we felt a great synergy between their vision and our goals for providing excellence in hospitality and cuisine to our tenants and residents in downtown Colorado Springs.” said Chris Jenkins, CEO, Norwood Development Group, “We believe they will be an important player in the culinary scene downtown, and we are eager to support them in this reimagined popular dining location.”
Throughout the summer, Café Madro has welcomed guests to the Plaza of the Rockies with its coffee service. As the restaurant opens, guests can continue to enjoy their favorite coffee and pastry offerings alongside a creative menu featuring seasonal ingredients, globally influenced dishes and approachable classics.
Café Madro will begin a soft launch the week of November 2nd with limited restaurant hours. Full service begins Monday, November 9 with the following hours:
Coffee Bar Service
Monday through Friday | 8am to close
Saturday | 11am to close
Sunday | Closed
Restaurant Service
Monday through Tuesday | 11am to 6pm (lunch and happy hour*)
Wednesday through Saturday | 11am to 9pm (lunch, happy hour* and dinner*)
Sunday | Closed
* happy hour along with dinner service begins the week of November 9
Visit CafeMadro.com for regular hours and menu details. To make downtown dining even more convenient, Café Madro will offer validated parking in the Plaza of the Rockies underground parking garage only for guests while dining at the restaurant. Validation must be done at the restaurant.
Café Madro is a restaurant coming to 121 S. Tejon Street, Suite 121, in downtown Colorado Springs. The menu blends familiar favorites, global flavors and seasonal ingredients with lunch, dinner, coffee and happy hour. For more information, visit cafemadro.com or follow @cafemadro on Facebook and Instagram.
What to Expect
- Comfortable seating
- Friendly staff
- Bright atmosphere
- Fresh scratch-made food