Chew on This

A longtime a fixture in the local LGBTQ community, Belle’s Basix at 3916 First Ave. NE in Cedar Rapids will close on Feb. 1 unless someone else buys it to keep it open, the owner says.

Six months after BurgerFiend closed its second location in northeast Cedar Rapids, owner Omar Igram is planning to open the Breakfast Barn and Lunch House.

See the most popular food stories of 2021 — a year that couldn’t stop dozens of new openings in the Corridor, despite myriad challenges.

The Pink Umbrella Bakery opened its first store front in Coralville. Heather Sitzmore started the business by serving her grandmother’s family recipes under a pink umbrella at farmers markets and upgrading to a food truck in 2015.

Owners Lesley Rish and Veronica Tessler close shop in Iowa City after seven years in business, citing numerous pandemic-related challenges.

Hospoda, a new craft beer and pizza restaurant at 62 16th Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids, opened its doors with a soft opening on Dec. 15. The restaurant’s name is the Czech word for “pub.”

The Cedar Rapids opening will be Dunn Brothers Coffee’s sixth location in Iowa.

The Asian restaurant, which opened in July 2019, will be moving into the former location of Urban Pie.

Michelle Madden, author of Mad About Food for The Gazette, opened up Da Munchie Plug’s first physical location on Nov. 18. She has offered desserts through her business since mid-2020 and catering through Tastefully Made Creations since 2015.

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Mamacita’s Taco Pub and La Casita Breakfast Cafe will open next door to each other in the 800 block of First Avenue NE in Cedar Rapids.

Izumi, at 221 Second Ave. SE in downtown Cedar Rapids, opened quietly on Nov. 15, replacing what used to be Wasabi.

Eight months after it was announced, Barrrel House has opened its Marion expansion. Its downtown Cedar Rapids location is on track to open early next year.

Morning Story offers a variety of breakfast classics, as well as a bacon menu, Southwest dishes and several eggs Benedict options.

The Southern chicken finger chain will open in early 2022.