SAN FRANCISCO — As California begins to reopen this month, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday action to ensure that restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries continue to benefit from pandemic regulatory relief – including expanded outdoor dining and the sale of to-go alcoholic drinks – to support the recovery of businesses and protect public health.
“California’s restaurants help create the vibrant and diverse communities that make California the envy of the world. As the state turns to post-pandemic life, we’ll continue to adapt best practices that have helped businesses transform customer experience for the better,” said Gov. Newsom on Thursday while visiting Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco. “With new opportunities and support for businesses large and small, and the California can-do spirit that has carried us through the past year, we will come roaring back from this pandemic.”
On Thursday, the administration extended relief measures that permit restaurants and bars to continue to benefit from their investments to expand outdoor operations in areas such as sidewalks and parking lots, and to continue the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages with food deliveries, among other successful pandemic adaptations.
In addition, the administration is urging local governments to facilitate outdoor dining through local zoning and programs that support and promote expanded open-air, take-out and delivery options.
Building on regulatory relief announced throughout the pandemic by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the action announced on Thursday will also allow bars to continue to partner with food trucks, catering companies or restaurants in order to sell meals with their beverages, as required, and allow wineries and breweries to partner with restaurants to host virtual dinners with wine and beer pairings.
Local restaurateur Randy Smerik, who owns Solare Ristorante at Liberty Station, is applauding these moves announced Thursday.
"It's just a very heartwarming feeling and it makes me feel great," Smerik said. "Restaurants and bars and wineries and breweries are coming back, and to see that the government is saying, 'Hey, we can continue all these investments that were made, we can give these guys support and let them try to make up for what they lost over the last 14 months.'"
Smerik called the extension of permitting to-go alcohol through the rest of the year a "powerful addition" to what Solare and other restaurants are able to do.
"Not only the additional revenue, which is fantastic but it kind of allows us to provide a more similar experience to what people have when they come in," he told News 8.
Solare's owner also said that expanding its seating outside to two heated patios and a grassy area has also allowed for more socially distanced seating inside: something that he said will continue for a little while even after June 15 to make sure all his customers feel safe.
"And with our great weather here in San Diego, it is completely a game-changer that really allows me to make up for the seats that I don't have inside," he added.
The new notice of regulatory relief can be found here and the letter to local governments can be found here.
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