CLEVELAND – The weather is warming up and that means more comfortable al fresco dining in Cleveland.
Earlier this month, the city announced an extension of the temporary program for allowing al fresco dining, launched in June 2020. The permits now expire on November 1, 2021.
So far, 13 companies in the city have been approved for outdoor dining permits. This includes:
| 1. Buffalo Wild Wings | 724 Prospect Ave. E. |
| 2. BOP STOP | 2920 Detroit Ave. |
| 3. City Tap | 748 Prospect Ave. E. |
| 4. Market Garden Brewery | 1947 West 25th Street |
| 5. Beer market | 1948 West 25th Street |
| 6. Nano brew | 1859 West 25th Street |
| 7. Tremont Taphouse | 2572 Scranton Rd |
| 8. Porking lizard | 811 Huron Road |
| 9. Sweet Moses | 6800 Detroit Ave. |
| 10. Rowley Inn | 1104 Rowley Ave. |
| 11. Bookhouse Brewing | 1526 W 25th St. |
| 12. Opal | 4250 Pearl Rd |
| 13. Trattoria | 12207 Mayfield Rd |
In an email, the city announced that three companies are awaiting approval and one has been rejected.
A follow up to find out which deal was turned down was not answered.
Approved companies can take over existing private parking spaces and parking spaces on the street.
For the Tremont Taphouse, getting their permit approved means more options for money.
Chris Lieb, a partner at the Taphouse, said the patio was a highlight last year.
“You know, people feel safer out here,” he said. “It’s usually pretty full.”
The terrace of the Taphouse now offers space for approx. 50 people. The company has been approved for a temporary outdoor dining area.
And the customers here don’t have to go far. The new dining area is located in the bar’s existing parking lot.
“We’re not going to do too many so we don’t crush ourselves,” Lieb said of how many customers they can serve in the new space. “But I’m probably looking at 10 more picnic-style tables.”
Lieb said he plans to put fresh gravel and light lights over the temporary space. This room will also have the concrete Jersey barriers seen along West 25th in Ohio City.
He hopes the expansion and warmer weather will bring more business.
“I’m glad to come out on the other side,” he said. “I’m happy to be where we are. And it’s fun and exciting. And people come out again and we get busier and busier.”
Lieb fears that the increased tables and the potential for more business could be difficult with the current workforce.
“We need line chefs, we need servers – and we can’t get anyone to come to work,” he said. Some of his old employees have switched to other jobs.
For Lieb, this temporary expansion is a guide to a more permanent expansion that is in the works for the bar.
Temporary takeover of the Taphouse parking lot begins under the NFL draft. Lieb plans to “get everything ready by the end of May”.
