Entry No. 29 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: haunted
Scileppi's at the Old Stone Church
Scileppi's is a family-owned Italian restaurant operating since 2018 inside an 1888 rhyolite-stone Catholic church — Castle Rock's first — where the bar sits over what was once the church cemetery and regulars report a ghost girl in white haunting the old choir loft upstairs. The combination of genuinely good pasta, stained-glass ambiance, religiously-themed menu sections (including a two-top dubbed "the Confessional"), and well-documented paranormal lore makes it one of the most atmospheric dining rooms on the Front Range.
The story
In 1887, Denver Bishop J.B. Machebeuf inspected the local pinkish-gray rhyolite stone quarried in Castle Rock for a new house of worship. By 1888, St. Francis of Assisi stood complete on Third Street as the town's very first Catholic church, featuring lancet windows, a rose window over the vestibule, and an elevated choir loft. For nearly eight decades, parishioners gathered beneath its timbered roof and buried their dead in the consecrated churchyard outside. When the parish relocated east to Highway 86 in 1966, the stone building sat vacant until 1975, when developers repurposed the church into a restaurant—paving over the original cemetery grounds to construct a barroom and parking lot.
In 2018, Sicilian-American restaurateur Lou Scileppi took over the landmark, bringing New York-style Italian dishes to the old sanctuary. But converting holy ground into a dining room didn't lay the local history entirely to rest. Kitchen staff and servers at Scileppi's regularly report disembodied voices after closing, deli containers launched off shelves by unseen hands, and a phantom woman in black lighting candles in empty rooms. The most famous spirit frequents the former choir loft on the second floor, where diners and staff describe seeing a little girl in white hovering near the stairs.
Whether you come for the red-sauce pasta or the paranormal history, the restaurant fully owns its uncanny setting. You can sit under original stained-glass windows, claim a table tucked into former devotional nooks, or order a drink at a bar operating directly above 19th-century burial soil. You didn't hear it from us, but if you pause by the staircase at the end of the evening, keep an eye on the mirror at the base of the choir loft steps before you head out.
What it's like
Approaching 210 Third Street, you are met by a heavy 1888 rhyolite stone chapel that looks far more like a historic parish house than a neighborhood pasta joint. The small private lot fills immediately, so skip the hassle and park in the free multi-level garage located directly behind the church. Inside, dim lighting and stained-glass windows bounce light off hand-hewn stone walls, creating an intimate, quiet atmosphere where chatter echoes into the rafters. To sit right in the ghost-sighting hotspot, reserve the communal 'Last Supper' table in the former choir loft upstairs, or request the cozy two-top known as 'the Confessional' for a date. Cap off the night with a nightcap at the bar—built right over the church's original 1880s cemetery.
The move: Make a reservation for the upstairs "Last Supper" table in the former choir loft — the most-reported ghost hotspot — then linger over pasta and a bottle of wine while daring each other to watch the mirror at the base of the staircase; close the night with a drink at the bar built directly over the old cemetery and see if anything moves.
📍 Before you go You will find it in downtown Castle Rock — the unmistakable 1888 stone church on Third Street, a short detour off I-25 about halfway between Denver and Colorado Springs. The lot is small, but there's a free multilevel parking garage behind the building; street parking downtown fills up on weekends, so leave a little buffer. Reservations are the smart move, especially if you want a specific room — note the upstairs "Last Supper" table in the choir loft is a communal group seating, while the cozy two-top "Confessional" is the better bet for two. Hours shift seasonally, so confirm ahead. Pair it with a wander through downtown Castle Rock and a look up at the lit Star on the bluff.
- 📍 Castle Rock
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 210 Third St, Castle Rock, CO 80104
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- B&B Cafe — Walk one block down Third Street to pair your church-ghost dinner with a diner that still sports two 1940s bullet holes in its tin ceiling.
- Provision — Head around the corner to Wilcox Street after dinner to trade sacred stained glass for craft cocktails hidden behind a secret bookcase door.
- Cantril School House — Stroll three blocks up the hill to compare churchyard hauntings with Castle Rock's 1897 stone schoolhouse and its own legendary ghost, Matilda.
- Cherokee Ranch & Castle — Drive seven miles north to compare Castle Rock's humble 1888 rhyolite church with an authentic 15th-century-style Scottish stone castle perched on the prairie.
Good to know
Is Scileppi's at the Old Stone Church actually reported to be haunted?
Yes. Staff and visitors have reported paranormal encounters for decades, including disembodied voices, flying kitchenware, a woman in black lighting candles, and a little girl in white spotted upstairs in the former choir loft.
What is the history of the building?
Built in 1888 from native rhyolite stone, it served as Castle Rock's first Catholic church, St. Francis of Assisi, until 1966. It opened as a restaurant in 1975 and was taken over by the Scileppi family in 2018.
Is the restaurant's bar really located over a former cemetery?
Yes. When the original St. Francis of Assisi church operated on the site, its parish cemetery occupied the adjacent ground. The bar and rear parking area were constructed directly over those original churchyard graves during the 1970s renovation.
Do I need reservations for specific seating areas?
Reservations are strongly advised, especially on weekends. Be sure to note if you want specific atmospheric spots like the communal 'Last Supper' table in the choir loft or the two-top 'Confessional' booth.
Where should I park if the on-site lot is full?
The restaurant lot is tiny, but a free public multi-level parking garage sits directly behind the building in downtown Castle Rock, alongside free street parking.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · hauntedplaces.org · castlerockco.com · castlepinesconnection.com
last checked: 2026-06-07