Pier i, the cafe in Riverside Park around 70th Street that’s always bustling in the summer and spring, has reopened, but without the large gatherings under picnic umbrellas that people are used to.
“They will have a modified setup to keep workers & patrons safe, without the usual tables/chairs. The coffee bar will open in a couple of weeks, starting at 8 a.m.,” according to the Riverside Park Conservancy.
Thanks to Joanne for the photo.
Yay!
Oh wow!! I’m so surprised! I’m so happy they did
I’m surprised, too, as people are supposed to be staying in place. This is like an invitation for more people to go down to the park which isn’t very responsible right now. The curve is flattening here in NYC because of what we’re doing. Now is not the time to start returning to life as normal.
A small sprig of normalcy; a tiny green shoot. But is that a good thing? Maybe too soon? Shouldn’t we err on the side of caution, and discourage public gathering places?
I just cringed when I read this. I’ve only been outside twice since March 14th. I could see from my window that a dry cleaner across the street was open so I thought maybe I could pop over there, but when I got down to my front door there was a line from TJ’s going around the block (with an employee holding a sign) within touching distance of my door. One guy was leaning against the door eating ice cream, and two of his friends were less than two feet away (from the door and each other) chatting on their phones with no face coverings. Do people still not understand WHY they are standing on line? Anyway, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk to get a coat cleaned. I don’t know which is worse…cabin fever or spring fever? :p
Didn’t see a menu posted outside yet—anyone know what they’re serving or current/planned hours?
12-7 today and Sunday, according to their Instagram. I stopped by for Old Bay fries today and didn’t read the menu but it was pretty lengthy. Their Instagram says they’re offering new items.
P.S. For anyone who’s wondering, the whole staff was wearing masks and gloves, and they have a big Plexiglas shield set up at the cash registers.
Responding to the critics. Listen, we need to support small businesses. When you purchase food for takeout at Pier 1 Cafe or any other restaurant, you are contributing to someone’s paycheck. And you can do this responsibly. There are no tables at Pier 1 so customers can’t congregate. And there is nothing wrong with going to parks as long as you keep a safe distance from others.
Currently will operate only on weekends from 12-7pm, then evaluate and move into weekdays.