A Running List of Seattle Restaurants Partially Reopening for Dine-in Services
On Friday, King County officially entered what Gov. Jay Inslee calls “phase 1.5” of Washington’s reopening plan during the COVID-19 pandemic. After being allowed to offer only takeout and delivery since mid-March, restaurants in Seattle can now resume dine-in service inside at 25 percent capacity and outdoor seating at 50 percent capacity, with other health guidelines in place. Bars, breweries, and wine taprooms also qualify, if they serve a full food menu.
But, even if the spread of the novel coronavirus has slowed in recent months, it remains a significant threat. And with large protests against police brutality and racial injustices continuing throughout the city, the public is understandably focused on higher priorities than where to go out to eat and drink.
Many restaurateurs and chefs in Seattle are not in any rush to shift gears, and have long expressed trepidation around opening in limited capacity, citing health concerns and the uncertain economic boost reopening dining rooms would give. For instance, fine-dining icon Canlis will continue offering family meals for delivery and CSA boxes, rather than opening at 25 percent capacity: “People love it and it keeps our staff safe,” says co-owner Brian Canlis. Other places, such as Musang in Beacon Hill and JuneBaby in Ravenna, also plan to stay with takeout for now.
However, there are a handful of restaurants in the city starting the process of reopening for limited dine-in services whether inside or outside, even if the upside is still uncertain. Many have large dining areas or a sizable outdoor patio where required social distancing will be easier to implement with current restrictions. Others, such as the breweries in Ballard, have banded together to come up with a set of their own guidelines during phase 1.5.
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