While open-air dining initially grew out of pandemic-related necessity, it has become firmly entrenched in the city’s dining DNA.
Caitlin Carney, CEO and co-founder of restaurants Seafood Sally’s (which opened on Oak Street in May) and Marjie’s Grill, says the outdoor space was Seafood Sally’s biggest advantage: “The reason we are there is because of that building and the porch and beautiful front yard… It’s nice to have so much room so there is the opportunity to sit and get a drink where it doesn’t have to be turn-and-burn.” Carney estimates that 75 percent of customers now want to eat outside. “It’s very important to our concepts to relax, get messy and enjoy the atmosphere,” she said.
Uptown spot Nice Guys Bar & Grill transformed a parking area into a spacious dining patio to meet the needs of diners and to keep staff safe. “I think of my employees,” said co-owner Allison Charles. “I’m lucky to have them and don’t want them congested with overcrowding.” Charles calls the outdoor seating area “a second restaurant that has come in very handy for us,” with many customers preferring to sit outside no matter the weather. Another bonus? The patio makes the restaurant even more visible to passing traffic, so the owners have ordered a new sign and lighting to highlight their outdoor asset.
When Pizza Delicious owners Mike Friedman and Greg Augarten reopened onsite dining in June – after nearly a year of takeout-only service – they knew they needed more outdoor space. “We didn’t feel like we had a big enough space to say, ‘Hey, come to our patio that has five tables,” Friedman said. “If we were going to open back up, we had to have enough seats to make it worthwhile for everybody.” Their solution was to add about 60 percent more outdoor capacity, and the change has paid off. “However hot it’s been, people still come to eat outside… It will serve us well for the future.”
Seafood Sally’s
8400 Oak St.
766-8736
SeafoodSallys.com
@seafoodsallys
Marjie’s Grill
320 S. Broad St.
603-2234
MarjiesGrill.com
@marjiesgrill
Nice Guys Bar and Grill
7910 Earhardt Blvd.
302-2404
NiceGuysBarandGrillNola.com
@niceguysbarandgrill
Pizza Delicious
617 Piety St.
676-8482
PizzaDelicious.com
@pizzadelicious
