Al Fresco Off Main, a special outdoor dining area set up on MacDonald just north of Main in downtown Mesa, will debut today.
The half-block area will provide a sanitized, socially distanced ‘‘extended patio’’ for those ordering food from any downtown restaurant (pictured: food from Nunthaporn’s Thai) from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily through April.
The city will provide tables and chairs, fencing, signage, hand sanitizer and wipes, and a cleaning staff throughout the day.
One of the Valley restaurant scene’s longest covid-19 closures finally will end when Ghost Ranch Southwest Modern Cuisine reopens Monday, Jan. 11, in south Tempe.
The acclaimed 2-year-old restaurant, which offers taco platters, green chile stew, and a variety of grilled entrees, has been closed for six months.
Trattoria D’Amico, a family-run Italian restaurant in Ahwatukee, is permanently closing its dining room Christmas Eve after 31 years in business.
What’s next? After retooling its menu, the restaurant plans to reopen in mid-January as a delivery/takeout concept, according to owner Claudia D’Amico.
Also: The restaurant will continue to bring its mobile oven to farmers markets and events.
Tempe beer and wine store BottleShop 48 temporarily closed Friday after learning a customer tested positive for covid-19. Unfortunately, a number of the shop’s staff subsequently tested positive over the weekend as well, which will prompt the 4-year-old business to remain closed for at least 10 days.
Three Valley bars that were closed in August for violating Arizona’s covid-19 guidelines have been cleared to reopen.
Bottled Blonde and Casa Amigos in Old Town Scottsdale and Glow Shots & Cocktails in downtown Tempe agreed to pay $3,000 fines.
They also agreed to close by 10 p.m. nightly for the next three weeks and follow all of the state’s guidelines, including limiting capacity to 50%.
Two Valley bars – Rick’s Pub & Grub in Chandler and Antro Nightclub in Glendale – remain closed for covid-19 violations.
ASU president Michael Crow has asked state officials to investigate four downtown Tempe restaurants for allegedly violating covid-19 regulations.
In a letter sent to ADHS director Dr. Cara Christ and Department of Liquor Licenses and Control director John Cocca, Crow identified four establishments:
The four, according to Crow, allowed customers to stand and mingle and failed to enforce social distancing. He included multiple photos taken at each venue Sept. 5-6 as evidence.
“I wanted to bring them to your personal attention because of the importance of the enforcement of the rules for the reopening and operation of restaurants which serve alcohol during this time of global pandemic,” Crow wrote.
Rick’s Pub & Grub, a small bar that serves food in west Chandler, was ordered to close Monday after social media photos over the weekend showed crowds of patrons not observing the state’s covid-19 regulations.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, the pub on the northeast corner of Rural and Ray was operating above the allowed 50% capacity and not enforcing social distancing.
Rick’s must remain closed until the state grants it permission to reopen.
It is the fourth Valley bar to be closed for covid-19 violations. Last week, Bottled Blonde and Casa Amigos in Old Town Scottsdale and Glow Shots & Cocktails in downtown Tempe were shut down.
Glow Shots & Cocktails in downtown Tempe is the latest Valley bar to be shut down for not complying with the state’s covid-19 guidelines.
The Arizona Department of Health Services closed the bar Sunday for “jeopardizing the health, safety and welfare of the public.”
According to ADHS, the bar was not operating as a dine-in restaurant, enforcing social distancing, keeping people seated at tables, or prohibiting dancing.
The bar must now wait for the state’s approval to reopen.
Glow was one of three establishments shut down over the weekend. Bottled Blonde and Casa Amigos in Old Town Scottsdale were closed Friday night (read story).
Two nightclubs in Old Town Scottsdale – Bottled Blonde (pictured) and Casa Amigos – had their liquor licenses suspended today for violating the state’s covid-19 guidelines.
Both clubs has just reopened Thursday. They reportedly were shut down at 11 p.m. Friday.
Now they must remain closed ‘‘until granted permission to reopen by ADHS,’’ according to notices posted on their doors today.
It’s not the first time the clubs have ran afoul of the state’s guidelines. Both voluntary shut down in June after receiving ‘‘final notices’’ from the state for allowing large crowds with no social distancing.
Bottled Blonde and Casa Amigos both are operated by Evening Entertainment Group, owned by Les and Diane Corieri.
The Corieris’ daughter, Christina Corieri, is Gov. Doug Ducey’s senior health policy adviser.
