Seattle rolls out new street cafe permits, extending popular program

Seattle's European-style outdoor seating for restaurants and bars, made popular in neighborhoods citywide during the pandemic, is here to stay.

On Monday, the city of Seattle rolled out a new permitting process for curbside and sidewalk cafes, as well as for merchandise displays for retail shops and food trucks. The effort to make the pandemic-era changes permanent passed unanimously through the City Council in December.

"Many restaurants are still recovering from 2020 and 2021, and this permanent extension of the Safe Start Permits allows them greater flexibility to recoup costs," Seattle City Councilman Dan Strauss said in a news release. "It’s a win-win for restaurants and Seattleites who enjoy spending time outdoors.”

The updated street cafe program offers yearlong permits for restaurants and bars, as well as seasonal ones running from April to October.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2023/02/09/street-cafe-seattle.html