June 5 may go down in Santa Clara County history as Alfresco Friday.
After nearly three months, this county — site of the nation’s first COVID-19 death — eased the restrictions ordered to help contain the spread of the virus, allowing restaurants to offer outside dining so long as strict health, safety and social distancing guidelines are followed.
Residents took ample advantage of the opportunity. From Mountain View to Morgan Hill, people eager for a meal that they didn’t cook themselves or have delivered to the front door packed restaurant patios.
Soon, others in the Bay Area will be doing the same, with Contra Costa County officials on Friday afternoon declaring a Friday night start, and San Mateo County opening up Saturday.
“It’s been a wicked 12 weeks,” said Ernesto Moreno of Moreno & Associates, who was lunching at Palermo in San Jose with employees from his building services and janitorial company — an essential business during the health crisis — who have worked under the same roof with careful protocols and plenty of disinfectants. Daughter Kyleigh Moreno, director of sales, called the occasion “a team-building lunch that we haven’t been able to have for a long time.”
They were among the first groups at this restaurant in San Jose’s historic cannery district, where three years ago Renato and Diane Cusimano took over the old Paradiso Deli — and then started transforming the parking lot and other property along Los Gatos Creek into outdoor dining rooms.
“It’s the best thing we ever did — even before COVID. People love to dine outside,” Diane said, ticking off the options. “We have the front patio, the front deck, the side patio, the garden room patio and the back, back patio.”
Even with tables spaced six feet apart, there is room for about 200 customers. By midday, they had notched 186 reservations for Friday dinner.
“It’s the largest outdoor dining space in the city,” proclaimed a knowledgeable customer, land-use consultant Erik Schoennauer, who was eating with his father, Gary Schoennauer, the city’s director of planning for 17 years. “It’s perfect for the situation we face right now.”
A trio from Los Gatos — Carol Musser and Tim and Carolyn DuClos — sat at a table spaced more than a dozen feet away from the Schoennauer family. “It feels good to be socializing,” Musser said.
Even restaurants whose interiors have never been open to the public are setting up outdoor dining.
Scott’s Seafood, which just reopened for takeout and delivery in its new downtown San Jose digs, on Friday welcomed diners to try out their new sidewalk and paseo tables.
In Aptos, the restaurant Mentone — the newest enterprise from noted Los Gatos chef David Kinch — will open its patio for the first time Saturday and will remain open for weekends in June, according to general manager Chris Sullivan.
Campbell’s downtown, which just days ago looked eerily quiet, again was bustling with business with virtually every restaurant on Campbell Avenue setting up the sidewalk tables they had stowed for months.
“We need this,” said Russ Fukushima, co-owner of the nearby Water Tower Kitchen. “The takeout business was a bridge to get us to this point.”
San Jose resident Brandt Chacon, who sat on the patio with his contractor buddies, said he’s been waiting too — for a chance to get out and for an end to what he called “the greatest hoax in American history.”
“You feel good. You feel healthy outside,” he said.
Across the patio sat San Carlos roommates Ali Palermo and Kelly McDonald, who wanted badly to get out in the sunshine. “We’re from San Mateo (County). We heard that Santa Clara County was open,” McDonald said.
And on Saturday, when their county opens up, they’ll be outside again.
OUTDOOR DINING RULES FOR CUSTOMERS, RESTAURANTS
Among the rules set by Santa Clara County health officials:
“All tables must be separated to ensure that at least six-feet social distance (more is better) can easily be maintained between all members of separate households or living units at all times. … Limit tables to no more than six people at any table.”
Face coverings must be worn by personnel at all times and by customers “while waiting in line, going to or from their table, while ordering their meals, while inside the food facility, and at other times food facilities may require to keep personnel and patrons safe.”
Dining is limited to outdoor areas. “Patrons dining at the facility may only enter indoor areas of the facility to use the restroom or hand-washing stations, to order and pick up food from a quick-service operation, or to access outdoor seating areas.”
For details, go to sccgov.org.
