COVID-19: Freeholders Give an Outdoor-Dining Boost to Several Morristown Restaurants

Posted Monday, June 15th, 2020

Allowing Use of County Park for Outdoor Dining

The Morris County Board of Freeholders, to help foster local COVID-19 recovery in Morristown, which is the county government seat, has worked out an agreement with three local restaurants to temporarily use a county pocket park for outdoor dining starting on Monday, June 15.

The Grand Cafe, Sushi Lounge, and Tito’s Burritos & Wings, all located near the county government and court complex — and bordering the pocket park — have signed agreements with the county to share a portion of the small park on Schuyler Place, just a block off the Morristown Green, for outdoor dining.

Executive Order Number 150 issued by Gov. Phil Murphy allows outdoor dining to start on Monday, with health safeguards in place. But all three of the restaurants have either no outdoor space or very limited space.

“We’re working to get our state reopened and to help Morris County businesses recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 lockdown,” said Freeholder John Krickus, who heads the Morris County COVID-19 Recovery Task Force. “This is just one small way that we can very directly help some of our business neighbors here in the county seat.”

“We all have to do our part to help the county’s business owners find a way to recover from the effects of this pandemic,” said Freeholder Director Deborah Smith. “We encourage county residents to come out and support these three restaurants, and to also find a table at an outdoor dining area near where you live and work.”

According to terms of the agreement between the county and the restaurants, tables and chairs may be placed at the site beginning each day at 11 a.m. The restaurants also are responsible for a thorough cleaning of the park after hours each day.

They restaurants are not allowed to use or block sidewalks adjacent to the county park. Also, signs could be installed to indicate that tables and chairs are “seating for patrons only.”

In addition, the restaurants must offer insurance for use of the site.

The agreements with the county will end in either 90 days or when the state lifts the restrictions on indoor dining.