3 Stack with Eggs
Pete's Kitchen
1962 E. Colfax Ave
Denver, Colorado

Ralph Kruse first opened a sandwich shop here in 1936. By 1940 he had sold the business to new owners and the restaurant became known as simply "The Kitchen". The lower part of the neon sign was added around then and originally read "The Kitchen". In 1955 the upper part of the sign was added, with a cartoon chef flipping an animated neon pancake onto a plate. For many years the diner was open 24 hours and a well-known late-night hangout. In 1988 the business was acquired by Pete Contos, who owned the Satire Lounge next door, and was renamed again. Pete's Restaurants group now owns six restaurants in the area. Pete Contos passed away in 2019 after 53 years in the restaurant business.