Los Angeles cafe shields diners with private 'greenhouses'
This sandwich is on its way to being served to someone at the forefront of socially distant dining.
[UPSOUND, WAITER:]
“So I got a Black Sandwich...”
Rebecca High and her friend Thessa Villegas are in Los Angeles’ trendy Echo Park neighborhood at The Lady Byrd Café - which has transformed its outdoor garden to include several mini greenhouses… for humans.
Each greenhouse - or bungalow, as they are called - houses individual parties to ensure social distancing and make patrons feel safe.
Like High, who needed a little nudging from Villegas to venture out.
“This is the first dining experience I have had since, like, March 5th, 8th, 9th? So, yeah, I feel pretty at ease actually."
Owner Misty Mansouri said several customers have in fact told her that Lady Byrd provided their first meal out in months.
“So, the CDC guidelines are really you just have to be six feet apart, right? I just went the extra step to make sure that people feel extra comfortable. And then, of course, they're thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after each use."
She said she was inspired by similar models in Europe – like a restaurant in Amsterdam which provides little glass dining huts for parties of two.
Villegas was instantly sold on the concept.
"I think this is amazing. This is what I think we have needed for a very long time in merging that safety plus still experiencing social interaction. So, I think this is the holy grail of dining, almost.”
One downside? Despite having windows that open on top, the dining huts can get pretty toasty in the midday sun.
“We do suggest to our customers not to come in the middle of a scorching hot day and to come in the morning or later in the day, like, after 4:30. They're really lovely in the evening and they're really lovely in the morning."
Outdoor dining is allowed throughout California, but most indoor dining is still banned. Lady Bird’s bungalows provide a bit of both.
