The 13,500-sf bakery will be at 5580 Havana St., just off Interstate 70. The bakery will supply a wide variety of handmade, hearth-baked breads for its three Colorado Il Fornaio restaurants in the Denver area. The restaurants at in the FlatIron Crossing Mall in Broomfield; 8000 E. Belleview Ave., in the Denver Technological Center; and 1631 Wazee St. in Denver's Lower Downtown.

The bakery will feature Italian and European-style breads, pastries and simple desserts. The popular venue also plans to target new wholesale customers such as high-end grocery stores, coffee retailers, hotels and restaurants other than its own. Its client list already includes the Spicy Pickle, Jax Fish House and Tony's Meats and Specialty Foods.

The first Il Fornaio bakery had opened in 1983. California customers include Diedrich Coffee, Safeway, Trader Joe's and Starwood Hotels and Resorts, says Anne Goldberg, vice president of production. Il Fornaio owns and operates 25 full-service Italian restaurants across the US.