Buca di Beppo Quietly Closes its Lexington Location

The oversized mealtime options just got a little smaller around Lexington Center.

, the restaurant chain that specializes in family-style Italian offerings, has cloased Lexington Center location.

Service stopped yesterday, Jan. 17, according to Steffani Kuplast, sales manager for Buca's Dedham location, which is taking forwarded calls from the erstwhile Lexington eatery.

News of Buca di Beppo's Lexington closure could come as a surprise to some. Even recently Buca reps were engaged in talks with locals about business, tourism and the town center.

"It just wasn't a good fit right now for Buca at that location," Kuplast said just before lunchtime on Wednesday, adding that Buca will provide more informaiton as it becomes available.

In the meantime, Kuplast said Buca is in the process of reaching out to local groups to inform them of the closure and is tracking down individuals and groups with events planned at the Lexington location to try and accomodate them at another Buca location in Dedham, Shrewsbury or Seekonk.

, inhabiting the space at 20 Waltham St. vacated that May by Vinny T's of Boston.

While its closure came quietly, Buca di Beppo's opening was as oversized as its meals. In October 2010, NBA legend and to help the restaurant donate 2,400 pounds of pasta to the Greater Boston Food Bank on world pasta day.