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Iberia Tavern & Restaurant, a mainstay Portuguese restaurant in Newark’s Ironbound section, closed last week after nearly 50 years.
The restaurant’s owners announced the closing on Facebook last Friday, two days before it served its last meal, saying the decision came with “the most heavy heart.”
“We cannot thank you enough for all the love and support you showed us during our 49 years in businesses,” they wrote in the message, in both English and Portuguese.
The restaurant at 80 Ferry St., named for the peninsula that includes Portugal and Spain, was known for its rodizio, an all-you-can-eat service with skewers of meat coming to the table until diners finally say they’ve had enough. Its extensive menu also featured authentic dishes from the region like paella, grilled octopus and garlic shrimp.
The distinctive brick building was the site of countless birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations over the years.
Patrons took to Facebook to mourn the shuttering of the restaurant, thanking the owners for nearly five decades of special meals and memories.
“Thank you for the wonderful years of great food and fun environment. My family was introduced to the Ironbound area through you all first and will always hold a special place in our hearts,” a customer wrote.
The owners, Ilda Loureiro and Jorge Fernandes, said in an interview with TapInto Newark, they were ready to retire and inflation and hiring difficulties had made the business challenging.
Loureiro bought the 5-acre property in 1974 with her husband Joao, who died in 2020. Since his death, she had been running the eatery with Fernandez, her business partner.
The property was sold to a developer, who plans to build a 2,500-unit mixed-use apartment complex on the site and several nearby parcels, roi-nj.com reported this week.
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