San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles are taking restaurant dining outdoors. Here’s how
The cities of San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles are trying out outdoor dining experiences to keep patrons safe this summer during the coronavirus pandemic.
Restaurants are limited in terms of capacity by the state of California to limit the spread of COVID-19, so the cities hope that adding more outdoor seating will support the economic recovery of local businesses.
Under the Open SLO program, which was approved by the San Luis Obispo City Council in May, segments of Monterey and Higuera streets will be temporarily closed to car traffic — allowing restaurants and retail shops to use the street areas adjacent to their stores with city-issued permits.
Mission Plaza and Monterey Street from Chorro to Osos streets are closed to vehicles from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Starting Friday, Higuera Street from Osos to Nipomo streets will close weekly to car traffic from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
In addition, the city will provide public outdoor seating and tables at select locations, including Mission Plaza.
The Open SLO program will be in place for up to a year.
In Paso Robles, community tables are available for outdoor dining in a cordoned-off area of Downtown City Park.
Tables can be reserved ahead of time, or you can get on a waitlist, according to Pati Coelho, CEO of Criu Hospitality, which manages the dining area. “The wait is usually only around five minutes.”
Downtown City Park dining is available Thursdays through Sundays, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The program will run through Labor Day weekend.
To book a City Park table reservation and for additional information about a newly launched #SavorPaso campaign, visit the #SavorPaso website.
Another resource of information for community members and businesses to stay informed is the Paso Chamber of Commerce website Pasostrong.org.
More information about the Open SLO program is available at Open SLO webpage on the San Luis Obispo city website.
Update, June 24: Information for the #SavorPaso Campaign was added to this story and. a link to the Open SLO webpage was updated to the correct webpage.
This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 12:39 PM.