Italian restaurant Baraonda, which has been a fixture in Midtown for more than 20 years, has closed its doors, with plans to relocate to Sandy Springs in the coming months.

Costanzo Astarita and Mario Maccarrone opened the eatery in late 2000 at 710 Peachtree St. NE. It quickly became a neighborhood go-to and a popular stop for theatergoers at nearby Fox Theater. The owners also own Publik Draft House down the street, which will remain open.

The restaurant offers traditional Italian dishes on its lunch and dinner menus, including pizzas, pastas, salads and appetizers including calamari and vongole, as well as a full bar.

Baraonda will reopen by early 2022 at 6075 Roswell Road in the Adley City Springs apartment complex with the same menu, management and staff.

Alin Cruceanu, who served as manager at the Midtown location, will come on as a partner at the Sandy Springs location.

The restaurant addressed the closure in a letter to its customers:

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Baraonda event planner Lamia Maccarrone said the decision to move was in large part due to the desire to downsize.

“We had a great run for 21 years,” she said. “It was a joyful ride, but it was time for a change. This was a great opportunity.”

The Midtown space will be converted to “an upscale restaurant and lounge,” according to Steve Josovitz of the Schumacher Group, who represented the seller in the transaction.

Mexican restaurant Escorpion, which was located less than a block from Baraonda, closed earlier this year.

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