Buca di Beppo, a family-style Italian dining spot known for its large portions and kitschy décor, is preparing to open a restaurant in Dedham, where it will soon replace Vinny T’s at 233 Elm St.
The chain is expanding its reach east with four new restaurants in Massachusetts, including in Dedham, where Vinny T’s of Boston closed last month.
“For everyone who wants to chow down on some awesome Italian food the restaurants will be opening up by the end of September,” Buca said in a message on its Facebook page last Thursday. “Can’t wait to see you there!”
“We have been looking for opportunities to expand Buca di Beppo into Massachusetts and the timing is perfect,” said Tom Avallone, the president and CEO of Buca, Inc., in a press release.
Buca is opening restaurants in Dedham, Lexington, Seekonk and Shrewsbury, and hiring for restaurant management positions in those four locales and for a fifth new restaurant in Pennsylvania. The four Bay State spots were former Vinny T’s locations, according to the Boston Restaurant Talk blog.
Buca, Inc. owned what was then called Vinny Testa’s until 2006, when it sold the chain to Bertucci’s Corp., according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Buca, Inc. was itself acquired by Planet Hollywood International Inc. in September 2008, and says that its ensuing revitalization led to its new Massachusetts restaurants, which will employ more than 275 people.
Buca trumpeted its economic performance the past 60 weeks, saying that the chain’s average unit volume, guest counts and comp sales have increased year-over-year – “all business performance trends that are nearly unheard of in the Great Recession.”
“We have successfully re-energized the Buca di Beppo brand in the face of some of the toughest economic challenges in recent history,” said Robert Earl, the chairman and CEO of Planet Hollywood International Inc. “We knew that Buca di Beppo held great potential, and we have succeeded in improving operational efficiencies, overall food quality and regularly expanded the menu with great new items.”
Buca di Beppo says its menu is inspired by “dishes enjoyed for generations in villages throughout Italy,” and includes marinara and meat sauces, made in-house each day, which are served over Rummo spaghetti imported from Italy. Food is served in two portions: the “Buca Small” feeds up to three, and “Buca Large feeds an average-size country,” the website jokes. The furnishings pay homage to Italian icons, as with “the Pope’s table.”
The first Buca opened in the basement of a Minneapolis apartment building in 1993 and there are currently 83 restaurants across the country, none closer than Albany, New York.
