Downtown Cedar Rapids Just Lost One of Its Best Lunch Spots

Beloved Cedar Rapids Restaurant Confirms Closure

The closure of a beloved restaurant in Cedar Rapids has officially been confirmed by the owners.

Social Media Sparks Speculation

Earlier this month, a photo began circulating across the social media feeds of Cedar Rapids foodies. The picture showed the door of Gianna's Italian Beef, featuring a "SORRY, we're CLOSED" sign.

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At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary—just a typical sign indicating the restaurant was closed for the day.

However, scrawled in fading marker at the bottom was a heartbreaking message:

"[Sorry, we're closed] Forever. Thanks for the memories!"

Gianna's Italian Beef in Cedar Rapids Closes Abruptly

Loyal customers quickly began speculating about the photo.

Curious, I decided to check out the spot myself early one morning. However, after searching around, I couldn’t find the sign from the viral photo.

At first, I thought it might be a hoax—perhaps a bored local trying to stir up confusion among devoted customers.

But soon, the truth came out.

Official Announcement from Gianna’s

The photo first surfaced before Valentine’s Day, and just about a week later, the Gianna’s team officially confirmed the news.

On Thursday, February 20th, the restaurant’s Facebook page shared this statement:

"Gianna’s Italian Beef is officially closed. We would like to formally apologize for the delay in notifying the public, as this was a difficult decision to come to terms with."

A Dream That Couldn’t Expand

Gianna’s opened its Downtown Cedar Rapids location in October of 2018 with hopes of expanding throughout the Midwest.

The restaurant was named after the original owner’s daughter, who had passed away.

Why Did Gianna’s Close?

In their statement, the Gianna’s team explained that the restaurant never fully recovered from the impact of 2020:

"We kept pushing, hoping things would get back to normal in the downtown area and the overall economy. The major companies that Gianna’s was built around and depended on either moved out or reduced their office hours for staff. We soon realized we could only remain open for lunch."

Beyond the economic downturn, they also cited additional challenges, including:

- Homelessness
- Parking
- Staffing shortages

You can read their full statement on Facebook here!

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