A brand new restaurant is preparing to open soon here in Cedar Rapids! Let us introduce you to Bari Italian.

Bari Italian is located at 450 1st Street SW across from the McGrath Amphitheatre, right next to Quinton's Bar & Deli. According to the official website, the restaurant will offer "casual Italian food and craft cocktails." The Bari Italian Facebook page was just started a couple of weeks ago, but the people behind the new restaurant have already posted a ton of "behind-the-scenes" photos of their progress. There are also some pictures of dishes the restaurant will offer, as well as a full menu. You can check that out HERE.

The interior of the restaurant looks really cool, especially the lounge area! Here are some of the photos/videos from Facebook:

A consultant for the restaurant, Ryan Manka, filled me in on some details about the new place. According to Ryan, the owners of the building had been waiting for the right restaurant to come along, but then they decided to open one up themselves. They wanted an "authentic Italian restaurant that was a bit more modern with a slightly upscale feel." They advertised for a chef in several large cities, eventually choosing Marcello Florio. He was working in Chicago, but is originally from Pescara, Italy.

When Bari Italian opens, the hours of operation will be:

  • Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. (final seating 9:30 p.m.)
  • Friday & Saturday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. (final seating at 10 p.m.)

Sunday brunch will be added in the coming weeks as well, likely in early December. That will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bari Italian has not announced an official opening date just yet, but we do know the plan is to open early next week. In the meantime, you can follow the restaurant on Facebook HERE.

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