If you lived anywhere near the Flatiron Marketplace over the last two decades, you knew the Pope Room. You knew the giant meatballs. And you definitely knew the feeling of walking into a place that looked like a garage sale at an Italian grandmother's house—in the best way possible. Honestly, for the longest time, Buca di Beppo Broomfield felt like an immovable object in the local dining scene.
It wasn't.
In late July 2024, the "permanently closed" signs went up, and just like that, the only Buca di Beppo in the entire state of Colorado vanished. It wasn't just a local thing, either. The parent company, Earl Enterprises, pulled the plug on 13 "underperforming" locations nationwide before filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. If you were planning a 20-person birthday dinner for 2026 at the 615 Flatiron Marketplace Drive location, I've got bad news: the building is empty, and the kitschy statues of Mary are long gone.
What Actually Happened to Buca di Beppo Broomfield?
People usually think a restaurant closes because the food gets bad or the service tanks. While reviews for the Broomfield spot had become a bit of a mixed bag toward the end, the real killer was the "casual dining squeeze."
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Basically, Buca di Beppo was built for a world that doesn't really exist anymore. It was the king of the 1990s and early 2000s—a time when we all wanted to sit at a table for three hours passing around massive bowls of Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. But between the rise of fast-casual spots and the post-pandemic shift in how people spend money, a massive, multi-room Italian joint became a liability.
The company admitted that many of its older locations struggled to recover after the 2020 lockdowns. When you rely on "The Home of Celebrations" as your tagline, and people stop having 30-person office parties in person, the math stops working.
The Pope Table and Other Things We’ll Sorta Miss
You can’t talk about Buca di Beppo Broomfield without mentioning the decor. It was aggressively Italian-American. We're talking floor-to-ceiling photos of celebrities eating spaghetti, red-and-white checkered tablecloths, and the infamous "Pope Room."
For those who never braved it, the Pope Room featured a circular table with a bust of the Pope in the center. It was weird. It was polarizing. It was exactly why people went there.
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- The Kitchen Table: You could literally eat in the kitchen. It was loud, hot, and felt like you were part of the chaos.
- The Proportions: Everything was family-style. If you ordered a "Large" Lasagna, you weren't eating a meal; you were accepting a challenge.
- The Meatballs: They were the size of softballs. Honestly, probably bigger.
Is There Anything Left for Buca Fans in Colorado?
Short answer: no.
When the Broomfield doors locked, it marked the end of the brand's presence in the Centennial State. If you’re truly craving that specific Buca flavor—that heavy, garlicky, Chicken Parmigiana—you’re looking at a serious road trip. As of early 2026, the nearest surviving locations are hundreds of miles away in places like Albuquerque, New Mexico, or Salt Lake City, Utah (though even Utah lost its Midvale and Salt Lake locations in the same 2024 purge).
Most locals have shifted their "large group" energy to places like Maggiano’s Little Italy in Denver or more modern Italian spots in Boulder. It’s just not the same as sitting under a plastic grape arbor, though.
Why This Matters for the Flatiron Marketplace
The closure of Buca di Beppo Broomfield isn't just about losing a place to get cheap wine in a jug. It’s part of a massive shift for the Flatiron Marketplace area. For years, this was the go-to corridor for big-box dining. Now, we’re seeing a total reimagining of these spaces.
Urban planners in Broomfield have been eyeing these "underperforming" retail and restaurant blocks for mixed-use redevelopment. It’s the same story you see across the country: less "giant parking lots for giant restaurants" and more "walkable apartments with tiny cafes."
What to Do If You Miss the Food
Since you can't go there anymore, your best bet is recreating the hits at home. Buca’s recipes aren't exactly state secrets—they rely on "more is more."
- Don't skimp on the garlic: If a recipe calls for two cloves, Buca would use ten.
- The Rosa Sauce: It’s basically just marinara mixed with heavy cream. If you’re trying to mimic the Spicy Chicken Rigatoni, add a heavy hand of crushed red pepper and some peas.
- Family Style is Key: The food tasted better because you were fighting your cousin for the last piece of garlic bread. Recreate that chaos at home.
The era of the "mega-restaurant" is fading, and the loss of Buca di Beppo Broomfield is a pretty loud exclamation point on that trend. It was a place for graduations, awkward first dates, and "I don't want to cook for 12 people" Thanksgiving backups. It was loud, it was tacky, and for a long time, it was exactly what Broomfield needed.
If you are looking for a new spot for a large group in the area, look toward 120th Avenue or the newer developments in Northlands. The days of the Pope Room are officially in the rearview mirror.
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Check Gift Cards: If you still have a Buca di Beppo gift card, you can still use it at surviving locations out of state or for online catering orders in cities where they still operate.
- Explore Local Alternatives: For family-style Italian in the North Metro area, check out Scalzotto Italian Grill in Broomfield or Gondolier Italian Eatery in Boulder.
- Monitor the Site: Keep an eye on the Flatiron Marketplace redevelopment plans through the Broomfield City Council updates, as that prime real estate won't stay empty forever.