Pasta News

Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo files for bankruptcy in Dallas

Lasagne at Bica di Beppo.

www.bucadibeppo.com

Hurry and get you some lasagna: Italian restaurant concept Buca di Beppo has filed for bankruptcy in a Dallas court.

According to a release, the Orlando-based Italian chain voluntarily filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Their goal is to use the bankruptcy process to find a potential buyer, with a deadline of 75 days from the filing date to get a deal approved.

The bankruptcy filing follows the July 30 closure of 13 locations by their parent company Early Enterprises — locations which had been unable to recover from the pandemic. Among the closures was a location in Austin at 3612 Tudor Blvd. — their only location in Austin.

There are now 44 locations open, including four in Texas: three in DFW — Dallas, Frisco, and Southlake — and one in Houston. Those are not in peril, according to a spokesperson who said in an email that, "there is currently no definite plan to close further locations. The company will continue to evaluate the situation as they progress through the bankruptcy proceeding."

But hey, it's not all bad news: They're even in the process of opening a new location.

"This is a strategic step towards a strong future for Buca di Beppo," says president Rich Saultz in a statement. "While the restaurant industry has faced significant challenges, this move is the best next step for our brand. .. Buca di Beppo has been a beloved gathering place for celebrations and memorable meals for many years, and we are enthusiastic about entering this next phase of our brand's story."

Buca di Beppo restaurants embody the Italian traditions of food, friendship, fun, celebration, and hospitality. The menu features both Northern and Southern Italian favorites and cocktails, but is equally famous for its quirky decor and raucous atmosphere — an over-the-top experience with enormous portions served family-style, Dean Martin singing in the background, and deliberately tacky decor featuring framed family photos, gaudy wallpaper, Xmas lights, and a "Pope Room" — a group dining room honoring the Pope.

During the pandemic, the Dallas-area Buca di Beppo locations were among many that transformed into hubs for delivery-only virtual brands such as chicken-wing concept Wing Squad and Guy Fieri's Flavortown Kitchen, from Virtual Dining Concepts, an affiliate of Earl Enterprises.

William Snyder, Chief Restructuring Officer of Buca C, LLC, stated: "We believe this path will best allow us to continue to serve Buca's patrons and communities for many years to come. We are open for business in 44 locations, and we expect day-to-day operations to continue uninterrupted. We anticipate moving through this process as quickly and efficiently as possible to emerge as a stronger organization built for the future."

closings

Downtown News

Mom-and-pop Italian grocery in downtown Dallas closes after a year

Ari's

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A buzzy grocery store in downtown Dallas has closed: Ari’s Pantry, the small local chain specializing in Italian groceries and to-go foods, has closed its location in the heart of the Central Business District at 1800 Main St.#124.

A statement from the owners called it "a difficult decision." The closure is effective July 15.

"We are truly grateful for the welcome Ari's Pantry received from the downtown Dallas community. You have supported our business and shared in our passion for Italian food and hospitality. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our Downtown Dallas location effective today," their post said.

The closure comes a little over a year since they opened in May 2025.

Downtown was the third location for the small mom-and-pop market, which debuted in Winnetka Heights in December 2023 to fulfill owner Ari Lowenstein's passion for all things Italy, with pastas, gourmet goods, dried foods, produce, plus meals for dining in or to go.

They opened a second location in Trinity Groves in 2024, which is currently marked on their website as "closed for the summer," although it does not list a re-opening date. Lowenstein was unavailable for comment.

The downtown location was originally a joint venture between Lowenstein and Alan Kearney, a downtown enthusiast who owns businesses nearby such as The Crafty Irishman and Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub, as well as Cannon's Corner Irish Pub in Oak Cliff. However, Kearney withdrew from the store after it opened.

To accommodate the needs of downtown workers and residents, Lowenstein added a coffee shop and gelato stand. It was open for coffee at 7 am and until 9 pm, with a dining area where customers could have wine and cheese.

The location at 1800 Main St. seems to be in a favorable spot, surrounded by residential buildings and hotels such as the AC Hotel and Statler Dallas. Who has not spent a night in a hotel and longed for a market nearby with snacks and wine? It's also across the street from Neiman Marcus, whose imminent closure in September has provoked some pearl-clutching about the prosperity of downtown. But the downtown population does not always support local businesses.

Ari's was not the first to find the location challenging: It was previously occupied by the well-mounted Berkley's Market, which closed in 2024 after six years in the space.

The owners stated that they would "continue focusing on our locations in Coppell and Bishop Arts as we look ahead to the next chapters of Ari's Pantry," before thanking "every customer who stopped in for coffee, lunch or gelato, picked up dinner, discovered a new favorite ingredient."

downtown closings