MIAMI (WSVN) - Restaurants in several municipalities across Miami-Dade County, including the cities of Miami and Miami Beach, are set to make a culinary comeback in less than 24 hours.
To-go orders may have hardly kept these eateries afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, but come Wednesday, they’ll be able to seat guests once again.
At The Lincoln Eatery in Miami Beach, restaurant staff are working around the clock to make sure their spaces are ready to go for the reopening.
“Everything is more super, super difficult,” said Emmanuel Arrebot, who manages Le Petit Bistrot.
“I think now is a time for the local community to most certainly come out and support us more than ever,” said Tyler Dabestani, who owns Necessary Purveyor.
But there are several restrictions in place that these businesses must follow in order to stay open.
Occupancies will be cut in half, utensils will be disposable, and outdoor seating will increase considerably.
In Coconut Grove, restaurant owners said they are eager to open their dining rooms again, but they may need more space.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming people to sit outside,” said Abigael Mahony, executive director of the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District.
City of Miami Commissioner Ken Russell said he’s hopeful that closing down a couple of streets will allow for more social distancing.
“We put an application in to the county to close two of the streets within the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District so restaurants can spread out even further,” he said.
“If people continue to use masks, to protect themselves, to social distance, then we should be fine,” said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
At Brickell City Centre, employees at Pubbelly Sushi are making sure their customers feel as comfortable as possible.
“We will have hand sanitizer available for each and every guest placed on the table when they sit down,” said David Arbital, front of house operations manager for Pubbelly Sushi.
But for some restaurant owners, it will be a brand-new adventure. Albert Cabrera and his team will be opening Marabu at Brickell City Centre in the middle of the pandemic.
“We’ve been working on this project for two years,” said Cabrera.
The entrepreneur said they’ll be waiting a little longer to open up their dining room, but they hope people will come out and support them when they do.
“Just keep your head up high and know there’s going to be better days coming ahead,” said Cabrera.
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