Obviously, the coronavirus is bad, but it could have been worse for area restaurants. Now comes the real test. Winter.
Two months into the pandemic’s shutdown, the weather got warm and restaurants were able to take advantage of the state’s revised protocols and open up for outdoor dining. That created scenes of sidewalk cafes and dining on decks and under festival tents.
But now we’re heading into December, and things are about to change.
Or will they?
Deck the roof at the Tides
Lisa Deveney, administrator of Tides, says the construction of a roof over the existing deck should create something of a three-season dining room.
“There will be ventilation and air flow, but also heating, so that should extend the season quite a bit,” Deveney said.
For those comfortable with indoor dining, Tides has also installed glass partitions between all of its booths and tables to create more secluded spaces for individual parties.
“Everybody kind of has their own area, so we feel like we’ve made indoor dining pretty safe as well,” Deveney said.
R.F. O’Sullivan’s keeps things comfortable
R.F. O’Sullivan’s may not have the benefit of outside seating but its takeout service, plus some of its signature burgers and meals, have kept things comfortable on the inside and allowed Lynn location to keep serving the community.
“I don’t want to say things have been great with all that’s going on,” owner Richard Sullivan said. “We’re above water and that’s how things are right now. There’s no complaints and you have to take things day by day.
“Things are on the up lately,” Sullivan said. “Takeout has been really solid. We offer different daily specials that are bringing people inside the restaurant and we offer takeout for people who don’t feel comfortable dining in.”
O’Sullivan’s has tried to go above and beyond guidelines when it comes to indoor dining, including six feet of social distancing.
“The whole thing is keeping things clean,” Sullivan said. “When people come in we want to make sure they feel comfortable. That’s a huge thing. We want to make sure we’re following all the guidelines and have extra caution.”
Staffing, like most other restaurants, has taken the biggest hit said Sullivan.
“We had to cut back on a majority,” Sullivan said about staffing. “We’re bringing everybody in part time and keeping what we can. Anytime we can help the employees that aren’t working at the moment, whether that’s when we come in and disinfect they end up doing that. We’re still keeping everyone involved the best that we can as owners.”
On a Mission in Swampscott
After an investment of about $100,000, Mission on the Bay is ready.
“I think we’ve done everything we can do,” said owner Michael Bloom. “I don’t know many people that have invested as much as we have.”
The updates include the addition of plastic dividers (at a cost of about $20,000) between tables to keep guests apart and new employee protocols. All employees are now temperature checked before work and told to stay home if they experience any symptoms.
Mission has enclosed and put heating in its outdoor deck so it can continue serving patrons there through the winter.
“It’s not been a normal year by any stretch, but we’re holding our own. We’re part of this community,” said Bloom. “People need a place to go.”
At Paradiso, tomorrow will be a better day
With both a tent and a patio, Paradiso Ristorante in Swampscott would seem to be poised to make it through this pandemic, but manager Concetta Carenza says it’s a challenge nonetheless.
“Our patio has new awnings and three heaters,” she said. “The tent has to be dried out when it rains. We’ve had to rethink everything — seating arrangements, supply chains, telephones, connectivity. It’s been a real challenge.
“We’re trying to bounce back, or, rather, bound forward, I guess, and see how we do,” she said.
The tent is due to come down Dec. 1, Carenza said.
“Hopefully, we can keep it up until then,” she said. “Every day we say we’re taking a day at a time. Every day, we say tomorrow’s going to be a better day.
“It’s hard, because you have people who don’t want to wear masks, and we have to be the mask police,” she said. “They don’t understand what’s involved. You have help going in and out of these areas all night. They’re working hard to make a living.”
Carenza says she wishes people wouldn’t turn health precautions like wearing a mask into something political.
“There’s no room for politics in a restaurant,” she said.
Happy Landing in Marblehead
At The Landing in Marblehead, there are times when no amount of precaution can protect you from the elements.
“There are unprotected elements that are tough to use,” said Robert Simonelli, manager.
Still, Simonelli is gearing up for the winter, even if he acknowledges that things have slowed down in the last month.
“It’s been tough for us,” he said. “We haven’t been able to have functions here because of the state regulations, and we’ve probably lost thousands and thousands of dollars in business.”
So, he focuses on what he can. There is a covered deck, and some outdoor eating capabilities. And he said the mild weather the region has enjoyed over the last few weekends hasn’t hurt either.
The 9:30 curfew imposed by Gov. Charlie Baker won’t affect much as other places because “we focus on food.”
Simonelli said the staff has taken diligent action on sanitizing, opening up windows for ventilation, using plexiglass dividers between tables.
“If you want to come here for dinner, we have plenty of space for you,” he said.
Under the big top at Temazcal
If Temazcal at MarketStreet Lynnfield is any indication, it may work out. The restaurant had expanded outdoor seating with umbrella tables when expanded outdoor dining was permitted. It added heating units when temperatures started to dip last month only to find that they were ineffective, delivering adequate heat in some areas, but no heat in others.
The solution? The installation of a large enclosed tent, that can be partially opened on one side to allow for air circulation. The tent is capable of accommodating more than 90 people at 19 tables, and they’re kept warm thanks to a diesel heater, which also pumps in fresh air. The tent also features plexiglass dividers between rows of tables.
“We are one of the few exceptions in our business, as we are doing really well and have actually had to hire additional staff, but I can honestly say that I have never, ever seen people sit outside and eat with winter coats on,” said manager Chris Lundsten. “We are lucky to be able to host a ton of parties on a regular basis, within the state guidelines, to meet the demand. With the tent and diesel heater, we know we can provide plenty of heat and still keep people safe and have them enjoy the experience.”
Lundsten said that, while the tent rental will carry the business through the end of November, the restaurant is entertaining plans to construct a permanent enclosed patio area with a roof (similar to Legal C Bar), that will have a retractable side that can be opened in good weather.
One-stop shopping at Nightshade Noodle
Nightshade Noodle Bar in Lynn is trying something different this COVID winter season.
The Vietnamese-American restaurant and cocktail bar has plans to open up a small grocery store — called Sin City Superette — next to the popular takeout spot’s Exchange Street location.
Owner Rachel Miller said the mini market’s aim is to not only help offset sales the restaurant is losing thanks to the coronavirus, but to also offer affordable, vegetable-heavy meals to the downtown Lynn community.
Cheap grab-and-go breakfasts, grocery staples, hygienic products, and more will all be available at the store starting mid-November, and Miller said she also plans to offer free delivery to seniors and disabled residents throughout the winter.
“We’re just trying to offer something more wholesome and healthy and affordable all at the same time,” Miller said. “That’s pretty much our main objective right now.”
Takeout and delivery will still be available from noon to 9 p.m., but unlike many other restaurants, Miller said outdoor dining just hasn’t been a big pull for her customers.
Although she currently has a permit to operate her outdoor dining area through Dec. 31 and plans to extend it through the next year, Miller said her focus right now is primarily on opening the Sin City Superette.
“We’ll be doing different things over there, like sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits and homemade croissants, and we also have a chef coming to do sushi,” she said. “It’s just (going to be) a really eclectic little grocery store that’s super affordable for everyone and offers a little bit of everything.
“We’re just trying to take care of everyone.”
Winter? What winter?
Victor Molle of the Wharf in Revere isn’t afraid of winter. He’ll happily seat you in the dead of winter at the restaurant’s spacious outdoor deck.
“Just bring a shovel,” he suggested.
With its big dining room and outdoor space for 100 diners, Molle said he feels fortunate to have plenty of dining space, even with COVID-19 restrictions, and a panoramic view of the Pines River and Rumney Marsh.
“We’re just really fortunate,” he said.
In the beginning of the pandemic, Molle offered takeout meals but closed down the restaurant after meals-to-go didn’t catch on with customers.
He reopened with a full menu on Mother’s Day and customers were eating outdoors overlooking the river and marina on June 8.
“We’ve always had outdoor seating, so this was the first time something terrible worked in our favor,” Molle said.
Loyal customers keep Continental going
The Continental in Saugus might be the granddaddy of all restaurants in this area. The Route 1 fixture has been in business since 1952, and with its loyal customer base, COVID-19 hasn’t been able to hurt it very much.
“It’s pretty much business as usual,” said Manager Roger Patience. “It’s not what we did before the pandemic, but we are seeing a lot of loyal customers coming back, especially now that it’s getting too cold to eat outside. We are starting to see reservations for Thanksgiving, and we’ve had no cancellations of Christmas parties so far.
“I don’t know what will happen if there is an uptick. We just have to wait and see.”
The floor plan has been tweaked with all tables at least six feet apart along with reduced booth usage. Staff temperature checks are conducted prior to every shift to ensure safety and enhanced cleaning and sanitization is applied multiple times every day.
Things picking up at Charlie’s
Charlie’s Seafood in Lynn had some closures at the beginning of the pandemic due to a lack of available employees, said owner Susan Panagakis.
“But we managed,” she said. “There was a time we closed for four days because I didn’t have enough help. But in those four days we stripped the floor, sanitized everything, I didn’t lay dormant. Then we opened up again.”
Charlie’s, which has been in business for 50 years, mostly relies on takeout and delivery, so it has rebounded nicely since the summer began.
“For us it was also good because we have parking,” Panagakis said. “There was a time we could only do curbside. We had a menu on the door, people would take pictures of it, they’d call and we’d tell them the wait could be an hour. They didn’t care. Where were they going to go?
“People came from all over, got food and took a ride to the beach,”
Heading into the winter Panagakis doesn’t expect much to change.
“It’s now starting to come back down,” Panagakis. “Mainly a lot of
people don’t have money. But they’re still coming.”
Some good, some not-so-good at Capone’s
At Capone’s in Peabody, owner Chris Pescione says things are so-so.
“Things are not bad but they’re not good compared to normal,” Pescione said. “We are doing a good takeout business and are grateful to have so many loyal customers to help keep us going.”
Pescione said that Capone’s never had a chance to entertain outdoor dining as, prior to the onset of the pandemic, it had already planned to close down for a minimum of a month for renovations. The restaurant also had parking-lot concerns as it shares space with other on-site businesses and also considering the summer was Capone’s slowest season.
The staff has been reduced from 30 to about 12, give or take a few depending on the day, but the restaurant will continue to push takeout and indoor dining through the winter months.
Pescione said one of the best selling items of late has been its take-out pizza during October’s National Pizza Month.
“We’ve been pushing that, and it’s really been a top seller,” he said. “We’re lucky to have a great customer base of regulars who continue to support us and help things keep going.
Busy Halloween propeled Turner’s
At Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall in the heart of downtown Salem, business boomed while the Halloween season is in full swing.
Paula Beck, one of the managers, said the establishment was as “busy as we’ve ever been.”
Going forward, she said, “we’ve been doing our best to accommodate everyone with choices in both indoor and outdoor dining.”
Turner’s recently opened up its indoor dining room with social-distancing measures in place and tables spaced six feet apart. For those who prefer the open air, Turner’s is continuing to offer outdoor dining options for as long as it can.
“We’re going to be offering the outdoor dining option for as long as people are willing to sit out there,” said Beck. “We’ve got heaters out there and we’re going to do our very best to keep all of our customers happy and comfortable, no matter where they decide to sit.”