Savannah Katz and Rachel Mali enjoy lunch at Karczma restaurant on
Feb. 12. Photo by Caroline Ourso
COURIER LIFE, FEBRUARY 19-25, 2021 3
BY JESSICA PARKS
Brooklyn restaurateurs
are breathing a sigh of relief
as they reopen their eateries
for indoor dining after a tumultuous
year of shutdowns
and fi nancial hardships.
“We are very excited about
it, I mean everybody is,” said
Randi Lee, owner of Leland
Eating and Drinking House.
“We are excited for life to be
back to normal. We are excited
to one day not have to
wear a mask and be able to
see people’s faces. We are excited
to mingle, this last year
has been very diffi cult on all
of us.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced
that city restaurants
can begin hosting patrons indoors
at 25 percent of their
normal capacity beginning
on Feb. 12, after a nearly twomonth
ban.
Lifting the ban is a lifeline
for many restaurant owners,
after the winter months has
scared away many people
from outdoor dining, according
to the food maestros, who
said indoor seating can bring
in more cash fl ow by offering
more seating and less susceptibility
to weather conditions.
“It is a great opportunity
for us right now,” said Malissa
Browne, owner of Negril BK.
“Especially with the weather
we have been having as of
late.”
Negril BK on Park Slope’s
Fifth Avenue saw its seating
capacity expand fi ve-fold with
the transition to indoor dining
— offering 30 tables in its 5,000
square foot space, compared
to just six tables across a few
parking spaces outside.
“We are quite fortunate
to have a larger space than
some restaurants in the area,”
Browne said.
Meanwhile, the expansion
facilitates an additional
22 seats at Prospect Heights’
Leland Eating and Drinking
House — although Lee suspects
indoor business to be
light until more city dwellers
are vaccinated.
“We could have 100 percent
capacity in here, but if people
don’t feel comfortable,” Lee
said, “if they haven’t gone out
and gotten their shots, been
vaccinated, they are probably
not going to come inside.”
Lee is focusing his reopening
strategy on ensuring his
staff is vaccinated, and will
support them in any way he
can to make sure they receive
that life-saving jab —
which restaurant workers became
eligible for earlier this
month.
“We are championing for
all of our staff to be vaccinated,”
Lee said. “We will
drive them out there, we will
set up appointments for them,
we want to make sure everyone
is safe.”
The increased capacity
will also allow many restaurateurs
to offer more shifts
and rehire staff that may
have been laid off or furloughed
during the statewide
shutdowns.
“I am happy we are able
to give our staff more shifts,”
Browne said. “It was very
limited. We had to furlough
some people, we had to reduce
scheduling…and now we are
able to get back on board and
get people working again.”
The previous two-month
indoor dining stint last year
left many restaurant owners
mostly prepared for the
transition to indoor dining,
and many hurried to get
their space in tip-top shape
by stocking up on sanitizer
and other supplies in high demand.
“All the restaurants are doing
the same thing,” Browne
said. “We have to make sure
we are stocking up on things
everyone is trying to get their
hands on.”
And now, as diners prepare
to be served indoors, Lee
pleas with all patrons to keep
supporting their local businesses
and in extension the
greater local economy.
“You are not only employing
the server, the chef, the
cook, you are actually employing
everyone in New York
who relies on us. Like the
fi shmonger, the butcher,” Lee
said. “So go out and support
your local restaurants.”
You may be seated!
Brooklyn eateries welcome patrons back indoors
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