Rio Burritos moving

String of departures leaves one restaurant left in Rapid Foods cloud kitchen

Jan. 10, 2023 5:30 am

Tacos Barbacoa at Rio Burritos in the Rapid Foods ghost kitchen, 4444 First Ave. NE, in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, August 18, 2022. Owner Phoebe Rios soon plans to move the restaurant to a different location. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Rio Burritos leaves Rapid Foods

CEDAR RAPIDS — After seven months as a cloud kitchen in Rapid Foods, Rio Burritos is moving again.

The restaurant announced Jan. 5 plans to leave its current location at 4444 First Ave. NE. Its last day open there will be Jan. 29.

Restaurant owner Phoebe Rios is in the process of securing a new location, which has so far not been specified. She hopes to announce a new location for the street-style Mexican concept soon.

“Please know our small family business thanks you for all your kindness, the support and even the grace you have shown us when we have made mistakes,” she said in a social media post. “You are all appreciated!”

Rio Burritos started as a food truck. Rapid Foods was the first time it moved into a physical location, after a long closure because of truck damage from the 2020 derecho.

Rios opened her first brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2002 with Rios in Marion, and later owned Salsa del Rio in downtown Cedar Rapids from 2010 to 2012. Rio Burritos operated out of a food truck from 2015 until 2020.

Rio Burritos’ departure from Rapid Foods follows a string of several others over the past year, including Tasty Crepe’s closure in December. After Rio Burritos leaves, the only restaurant left will be Double Up Coffee.

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