A classic Chicago Italian restaurant that closed two years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic will soon return to the South Loop under new ownership. Cafe Bionda, a nearly two-decade-old favorite among neighborhood residents at 1924 South State Street, is set to reopen Thursday, September 15 with some cosmetic updates and the same Sunday red sauce that made the original restaurant a hit.

Regulars and fans were heartbroken after the restaurant shut down in 2020 amid ever-changing public health mitigations, with some even composing direct appeals to the owners online, begging them to reopen the spacious dining room. Despite tough odds, however, Cafe Bionda’s many adherents are getting their wish thanks to 8 Hospitality, the group behind late-night party spots including Hubbard Inn and Joy District.