Focusing on takeout, setting up igloos, shutting down for the season — and trying to hang on
Written content from Devra First via Boston Globe
When restaurants reopened for outdoor dining on June 8, Buttermilk & Bourbon was one of the first back in business. By lunchtime, the patio at the Back Bay spot was already booked solid.
“At this point, I would never open a restaurant without a patio,” says chef Jason Santos, who also operates the nearby Citrus & Salt and Abby Lane in the Theatre District. “It’s a game changer.” Buttermilk & Bourbon, which has 75 outdoor seats, has been busier than ever these past few months, Santos says. “The curb appeal and energy draw people in.”
But fall is arriving, and the outdoor dining season is coming to an end. Patios have been tenuous lifelines for some restaurants since the outbreak of coronavirus; for others, not at all. Many are struggling, and more than 30 local food businesses have closed. As winter approaches, how are restaurateurs preparing for what is certain to be a challenging period for the industry?
“Like everybody, we are looking to extend the season as much as possible, because we know people want to sit outside,” says chef Sarah Wade of Stillwater, which just marked its first year in business. “We are trying to find this balance of ‘yes, we’re in the middle of COVID, but we’re also trying to have some sort of normal restaurant life.’” That means you’ll still find beer and sausages for Oktoberfest, even if you’re enjoying them on the patio.
Wade is looking into outdoor heaters for that space, along with ways to obtain them without spending too much; one possibility might be striking a deal with a purveyor, where the company would purchase the heaters in exchange for a commitment to buy a certain amount of its product.
Branded blankets are another idea, good for keeping customers warm, and for getting the word out about the restaurant. “Maybe you can sell them at cost to guests. It would be really cute, and another touch point for marketing: ‘I love your blanket. Where did you get it?,’” Wade says. (It fits in, too, with the restaurant’s tagline: “Serving warm & fuzzies since 2019.”)
In the Seaport, the Envoy Hotel has suspended many of its usual offerings: indoor dining, room service, coffee in the lobby. But its Lookout Rooftop is ideally situated to weather this time. For now, tables are placed at an appropriate distance, and in the hour between lunch and dinner, operations shut down so staff can deep-clean and sanitize the space.
As temperatures drop, Lookout has access to an unusual amenity: the groovy-looking rooftop igloos it has set up the last few winters. Seating will work a little differently this year, says chef Tatiana Rosana, limited to six people per structure, all of whom must be from the same party. “The igloos are heavy-duty plastic. There are chairs and tables in each one, and a heater, so it’s nice and cozy. They close via Velcro so none of the wind gets in,” she says. Half of the cocktail list will be devoted to hot drinks, and the menu will include dishes like clam chowder and poutine — “things that are warming and good for the soul.” The plan is to close for a few weeks to get set up, then open the igloos in early November.
Other operators are doing what they can to extend outdoor dining while facing the realities of New England in the winter. Read more from Boston Globe
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