Worthington Buca di Beppo closes after 23 years, to be demolished for Chick-fil-A

WORTHINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio Buca di Beppo restaurant has permanently closed after 23 years of business and will be demolished to make way for a Chick-fil-A.

The Italian restaurant at 60 E. Wilson Bridge shuttered in November of last year, according to Jackmont Hospitality, the management company that operates central Ohio's Buca di Beppo locations. The closure dwindles Buca di Beppo to three Ohio eateries: one in Downtown Columbus, another in Strongsville and a third near Cincinnati.

"After 23 incredible years of serving our valued guests and the Worthington community, Buca di Beppo has closed its doors at 60 E. Wilson Bridge Road," said Daniel Halpern, Jackmont Hospitality CEO. "We're excited to continue welcoming guests at our 343 N. Front St. location in Columbus, where we remain committed to delivering the same exceptional family-style dining experience and beloved Italian-inspired dishes that have defined us since 1993."

The shuttering comes after Chick-fil-A purchased the Worthington restaurant's property for $2.5 million in April of last year, Franklin County auditor's office records show. Buca di Beppo, who has called the Worthington site home since 2001, told NBC4 at the time it planned to continue operating through at least April of 2026, when the eatery's lease expires.

While Halpern didn't provide a reason for why they decided to close Worthington's restaurant earlier than expected, Chick-fil-A reaffirmed to NBC4 that the new drive-thru location will still be built on the site.

"It's our pleasure to confirm we will be opening a new Chick-fil-A restaurant," a spokesperson said. "We look forward to joining the community and serving all of our guests delicious food in an environment of genuine hospitality and care."

A proposal approved by the city of Worthington calls for Buca di Beppo to be bulldozed in 2026 to clear the site for construction of a 5,000-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant with a 2027 opening. Once finished, the building will sport an aesthetic matching the neighborhood with a dual-lane drive-thru covered by two canopies.

Based in Orlando, Florida, Buca di Beppo filed for bankruptcy in August of last year, with court documents showing that the company owed between $15 million to $50 million to at least 30 creditors. The move came after the chain abruptly closed more than a dozen locations, including eateries in Arizona, Michigan, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Worthington's Buca di Beppo is one of several central Ohio restaurants to be demolished to make way for a new Chick-fil-A. Mackenzie River near Polaris Fashion Place closed and auctioned off furniture in early 2024, before the building was demolished to build the area's new Chick-fil-A which opened in November.

Tee Jaye's Country Place at 4910 N. High St. closed in 2021 to make way for a Chick-fil-A, which opened in April of last year. Construction at this property included preserving the site's 20th-century sign that has received a facelift with Chick-fil-A branding.