Chew on this: Pig & Porter closes, Crisp on hiatus, plus a new sushi spot

The Pig & Porter

Three years after opening, NewBo restaurant The Pig & Porter has closed.

Owner Matt Melone told The Gazette that he was still, 'Weighing the options,” but was almost certain the business would not reopen. On July 2, the restaurant announced they were taking a break before posting on Facebook Tuesday that they would be closed for the foreseeable future.

'It's tough running a business, most restaurant owners know that,” Melone said. 'It's time to move on to the next phase of my life. I'm going to try to take care of myself, mentally, physically and emotionally. I want to take a step back and focus on my health and myself and focus on being a dad and a husband.”

The restaurant opened at 1028 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids in July 2016 and served up inventive dishes with international influence and craft cocktails.

Melone said he wanted to thank his staff and regular customers, many of whom have reached out with messages of support since the announcement.

'We had some really good people working for us and people who went out of their way to support us,” he said. 'It's important to me that I'm able to thank the city and thank the staff ... It just didn't work out. It wasn't in the cards.”

Crisp Cedar Rapids

NewBo City Market vendor Crisp Cedar Rapids, meanwhile, posted on Facebook on June 18 that they would be closed until further notice, with more updates to come in the future. Their booth at the market has been vacated.

The eatery, which opened last August, served an assortment of salads and sandwiches.

MIX Sushi & Kitchen

A new sushi spot is open in the food court of the Armstrong building, 210 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids.

MIX Sushi & Kitchen serves sushi along with other offerings, from Korean street toast to miso ramen to poke bowls. They are open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays, with morning offerings like a breakfast naan-Wich made with gluten-free flatbread.

Wine Spectator awards

Wine Spectator magazine has honored Iowa eateries on its 2019 list of restaurants around the world that offer the best wine selections.

Eastern Iowa honorees include Tuscan Moon Grill on Fifth in Kalona, Martini's Grill in Burlington, Rubaiyat in Decorah, Woodfire Grille at Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque and Montage in Cedar Falls. Several Des Moines-area restaurants also garnered nods, including 801 Chophouse, RoCA and Splash Seafood Bar & Grill in Des Moines, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in West Des Moines and Table 128 in Clive.

' Comments: (319) 398-8339; alison.gowans@thegazette.com