Outdoor Dining Begins in Boston, But Not in The North End
Outdoor dining begins in Boston today, May 1. But not in one historic Boston neighborhood. The battle for outdoor dining in the North End has been ongoing and now, the…
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS- APRIL 04: A pedestrian passes a closed Modern Pastry in the North End neighborhood on April 04, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. A “stay at home” order was put into effect by Governor Charlie Baker through May 4th in an attempt to slow the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)Outdoor dining begins in Boston today, May 1. But not in one historic Boston neighborhood. The battle for outdoor dining in the North End has been ongoing and now, the restaurant owners are doing something about it.
Outdoor dining not allowed in the North End
This is the second year in a row that Mayor Wu will not approve permits for on street outdoor dining in the North End neighborhood. Reasons given for the denial of permits: foot traffic, narrow streets, high density of restaurants just to name a few. Since the denial was announced, there has been numerous acts of protest by area restauranteurs and employees. A lawsuit has been filed against the city claiming "unequal, unfair, and discriminatory treatment" against the North End neighborhood.
Banners protesting the outdoor dining ban have been hung in the North End
If you are headed to the North End anytime in the near future, you'll see banners hung in the streets that read "If you want a reservation for outdoor dining call 311." 311 is a complaint line for the city of Boston. There will also be a pizza rally held today at 3pm at the entrance to the North End. So as of right now, outdoor dining in Boston will begin today, just not in the North End. We'll see if that changes after all is said and done.
