When Mitch Yellen and his wife moved to Colorado Springs nearly a quarter-century ago, the entrepreneur was not impressed with the city’s dining choices. Fast forward to 2025 and Yellen has certainly done his part to elevate the local food scene. As majority owner of eight well-respected establishments under the umbrella of Altitude Hospitality Group (AHG), the businessman continues to raise the bar.
“We have a reputation because my wife and I didn’t get in this business for the money,” he says. “The real joy of hospitality is creating memorable experiences. I knew my work was cut out for me, but I do other things. I am an entrepreneur more than a restaurateur.”
Yellen’s first hospitality concept was the Pinery which he relocated in 2013, shifting from the northside of town to 775 W. Bijou St. After renovations, he opened the wedding venue and called it the Pinery at the Hill.
He followed with Garden of the Gods Catering & Events; Pinery North at 9633 Prominent Pt.; Trainwreck at 812 S. Sierra Madre St.; and Garden of the Gods Market & Café, Till, and Vine & Wheel, all located at 616 S. Tejon St.
Dad’s Donuts is the most recent addition, added last June at 29 E. Moreno Ave. The 109-layer European-style hybrid croissant-donuts have been a hit, and AHG plans to take advantage of their popularity with a shop opening in Buena Vista in 2025. The group is also searching for a location in Castle Rock.
The Homestead Brings New Life to Building on Northeast Side of Town
Dad’s Donuts will open a second Colorado Springs location at Yellen’s newest concept — The Homestead Collective, a culinary center planned for the Pinery North building at 9633 Prominent Point.
The 19,000-square-foot building, which Yellen constructed in 2015 to fulfill a lifelong vision, originally housed his award-winning, Napa-style restaurant, Till.
Yellen closed Till on Jan. 1 2020, moving it downtown to make way for Northside Social which featured pickleball courts under a bubble, arcade games and a sports bar. It was open exactly 31 days before the pandemic closed it for good.
“We were just too early,” he says. “The last ten years have seen extraordinary growth up north and we want to be here to serve the community.”
In late 2024, Yellen saw the opportunity to redeem his vision from a decade prior. He is proud of the building with its open space, natural light and amazing views.
“Dad’s Donuts is going to anchor the north end, including our central bakery to increase our daily production substantially and provide what we need to open more stores around the state,” he says. “And we designed the interior to feature a large glass wall enabling guests to see the entire bakery operation live.”
The commissary kitchen will help foster the expansion of Dad’s Donuts, and The Homestead will also serve the community as a go-to destination for residents on the north side of town.
New concepts in the building will include a full-service bar, The Roost Coffee Shop, Campfire Pizza, The Mercantile and the return of the original Till. Michelin-trained Chef Joseph Bonavita has joined the Homestead as executive chef to oversee all culinary offerings. Bonavita brings an impressive resume from iconic restaurants such as New York’s Per Se, Le Bernadin and Chicago’s Alinea. The Homestead will also house a second location for Garden of the Gods Gourmet and become the permanent home for Garden of the Gods Catering.
This newest adaptation of the building will open with Dad’s Donuts as phase one in March, Yellen says, with plans to be fully operational by summer of 2025.
Yellen acknowledges the challenges with operating restaurants in a time of high costs and staffing shortages.
“I’m not doing this alone,” he says. “I have a phenomenal team working with me; they are very special. And you need both: great food and great people. I know it’s tough out there — many people didn’t recover fully from the pandemic and we saw lots of restaurants close their doors in 2024. But I think Colorado Springs is ready for this.”
In total, AHG boasts more than 66,000 square feet of event and venue space in Colorado Springs, with capital and building investments totaling $65 million. By the time The Homestead opens, AHG will have about 200 local employees and the company plans to turn its attention to the national expansion of Dad’s Donuts.
