SACRAMENTO, Calif. — More than a dozen California counties are getting the greenlight to reopen restaurants for some dine-in eating, but it's still takeout only in Sacramento.
Even when Sacramento gets the OK from state public health officials to reopen, dining at restaurants won't be the way we remember it. But Sacramento city leaders have an idea.
Their solution? Farm-to-fork Al Fresco.
"Farm-to-Fork Al Fresco represents hope, and it's a peak into our very near term future," said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
Steinberg says the plan is a work in progress and are contingent on county and state health orders.
So what is Farm-to-Fork Al Fresco? Put simply — eating outside.
The city is building the framework now to fast track street closures and permits for restaurants to use public and private spaces to extend the city's vibrant food scene beyond each restaurant's four walls.
Eating outside in our region's mild weather can help bring back some sense of normalcy, or at least that's what city officials hope.
Kimio Bazett, the owner of Golden Bear in Midtown Sacramento, said she thinks the plan is "brilliant." Golden Bear, a bar and restaurant on 24th and K streets, has front patio with seating.
"It's definitely appreciated, and it's exactly the kind of the outside the box thinking we need at a time like this," Bazett said.
Follow the conversation on Facebook with Van Tieu.
READ MORE:
- Here's a list of California counties cleared to begin reopening sooner
- California cracks down on rogue bars
- California releases new guidelines to reopen dine-in restaurant services
- Could outdoor dining help Sacramento restaurants amid pandemic?
- Restaurateurs call on Sacramento to implement temporary cap on third-party delivery fees
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