Conducting two hearings on Thursday, the City of Boston’s Licensing Board in concert with an interdepartmental team discussed details related to outdoor dining. Following the Walsh administration’s decision to extend outdoor dining until at least December 1st in an effort to offer continued relief for the restaurant industry in the wake of the COVID-19 publish Read More…
At-Large City Councilor Julia Mejia offered a proposal to the City Council during their Wednesday meeting to consider offering residential kitchen permits in the City of Boston. A residential kitchen, also known as cottage food operations, is a kitchen located in a private home. There are two types of residential kitchen permits: retail and wholesale. Read More…
During the City Council meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Councilor Kenzie Bok (District 8) offered a proposal targeted at assisting the restaurant industry by promoting pedestrian traffic through various City-sponsored markets. With the threat of colder weather approaching, many restaurants who have come to depend on the City’s outdoor dining program are in danger of seeing Read More…
Kathleen Joyce, Chairwoman of the Licensing Board, provided updates on COVID-19 guidelines for restaurants’ outdoor dining areas to the North End/ Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) during their July 2020 meeting. “I just wanted to reassure everyone on the call tonight, the North End is doing a good job,” started off Chairwoman Joyce. Following multiple complaints Read More…
Following an emergency hearing with the Boston Licensing Board, North End restaurants will now be subjected to random inspections after the board received dozens of complaints about the recent “Cafe Zones” throughout the neighborhood. The hearing was mandatory for all North End restaurants to address concerns regarding adherence to the board’s regulations and public safety Read More…
Governor Charlie Baker announced that restaurants can begin opening their indoor dining rooms on Monday, June 22nd as Massachusetts enters Step 2 in Phase II of the state’s reopening plan. Offices can also increase their capacity to 50% and retail dressing rooms can be visited by appointment. Close-contact personal services such as nail salons and Read More…
Outdoor dining began last week across the state as part of phase 2 of Massachusetts’ reopening plan following the COVID-19 shutdown. The city of Boston has permitted cafe-zones to allow restaurants to set up outdoor seating, as indoor has not yet resumed. (Indoor dining is set to begin as the second part of phase 2, Read More…
Downtown JournalAn occasional column about city life Tentatively stepping back into what life used to be, we shake off the shackles of the lockdown and look around at the changed world. It’s not really new, of course, but our perceptions of it are altered. We see things in a new light as the opening of Read More…
Even longtime North Enders who have “seen it all” have been watching in wonderment the overnight transformation of the North End’s streets and squares into European-style cafes and piazzas, complete with umbrellas, plants and even music. After just one weekend, it is clear to even a casual observer that swapping parked cars for dining tables Read More…
NEWRA MEETING VIDEO Click/tap here to view the video of Mayor Mayor Marty Walsh and State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, as well as the entire North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) meeting. Use the password: 7Z!+uG8. (including the period) Following a brief COVID-19 update, Boston Mayor Walsh and State Representative Aaron Michlewitz weighed in on Read More…
City officials have installed “Cafe Zone Starting June 11” signs in front of many restaurants in the North End and downtown Boston neighborhoods this week. Over 500 restaurants filed applications citywide and 200 have been approved so far to place tables in the parking and street areas. Outdoor dining started on June 8th with existing Read More…
Outdoor dining on existing patios, retail stores, childcare facilities and hotels are some of the businesses allowed to reopen as Phase II of Massachusett’s reopening plan begins June 8th. City officials emailed restaurant owners that temporary extended sidewalks/street tables are still under consideration, but have not provided additional guidance. The move is sure to be Read More…