Another Texarkana Italian Restaurant Closes it’s Doors For Good

Texarkana may be growing, but sometimes it feels like our choices for local restaurants are shrinking.

Roma Italian Restaurant, located on I-30 in Texarkana, has announced it is permanently closing its doors. The restaurant opened in May 2024, which means it wasn't around very long. That's disappointing because I remember how excited people were when it first opened, and from my experience, the food was good. It makes me wonder: what went wrong?

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Two Italian Restaurants Gone in a Month

Roma's closure comes less than a month after another local Italian restaurant shut down. Chappos on Stateline announced on Facebook that it had closed on July 6.

So, can Texarkana simply not support more than a couple of Italian restaurants at the same time? We still have Joe's Italian Bistro and Verona's Restaurant and Wine Bar. Of course, there's also Olive Garden, but when I think about our local restaurant scene, I tend to focus more on locally owned businesses than national chains.

READ MORE: Beloved Texarkana Restaurant Chappos Closes Permanently 

Was it The Location or The Times?

I can't help but wonder if Roma's location played a role in its struggles. It was a little difficult to get to. I wondered if location with Chappos could've been a factor too, but the owners said the restaurant never fully recovered from the challenges brought on by COVID. Times have changed, and going out to eat can get expensive, especially for a family of 4 or more.

When I was a kid, it was a rare occurrence to go out to eat. Are we slowly going back to that way of life instead of going out to eat weekly or multiple times a week?

Whatever the reason, it's always tough to see a locally owned business close. The amount of time, money, and effort that goes into building and maintaining a successful restaurant is something many people never see.

What Would You Like to See Next?

What do you think? Was the location the problem, or was something else at play? And what kind of restaurant or business would you like to see move into the former Roma location on I-30?