After a final evening of service on Sunday, March 5, Buca di Beppo has closed its Milwaukee location at 1233 N. Van Buren St.
A statement released by the restaurant said, "Although it was a very difficult decision, our management team decided to cease operations at our Milwaukee restaurant. There are a variety of factors that go into this decision being made, however, our executive team made the decision to not renew the lease with its current terms being up. We are saddened that business reasons forced us to make this decision."
Calls to the local number Monday were forwarded to the chain’s Orlando, Florida, headquarters, where an employee verified that the Greendale location at Southridge Mall will remain open.
Buca di Beppo – which roughly translates to "Joe's Basement" – first opened in the basement level of a Minneapolis apartment building in 1993. Today, the chain is owned by Planet Hollywood International, Inc. that maintains locations in 26 states. The Van Buren location has been a fixture for more than a decade.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
.jpeg)
