Al fresco dining, which began at the end of May 2022, will be coming to a close mid-September. This is the third summer that the outdoor dining program has occurred.
The expanded outdoor dining areas placed in parking stalls will close after dinner service on Sunday, September 18th. Al Fresco dining runs along Main Street in Bellevue.
The CIty of Bellevue is encouraging residents and businesses enjoy the spaces before the weather turns. A survey is available to help the city and its partners to improve the experience of the program.
“Supporting small businesses is important for a thriving downtown community,” said Patrick Bannon, Bellevue Downtown Association president. “It was inspiring to see al fresco dining become a favorite summer activity for so many people.”
Along with the five on-street spaces on Main Street, the Heart of Bellevue Al Fresco program promoted more than 40 other restaurants with outdoor dining across the city. The city would like to better understand how residents, business owners, and visitors have used the program.
“As a resident of downtown Bellevue, I have found great joy in the outdoor dining spaces on Main Street,” said Mayor Lynne Robinson. “I am glad to have found a way to move these restaurant spaces forward as an ongoing feature of our community.”
Previous surveys have shown economic benefit from these types of spaces, with more than 80% of respondents noting that the patio area made them feel more inclined to visit Main Street repeatedly.
“Residents and workers alike are craving more of these types of experiences,” said Jesse Canedo, chief economic development officer. “Our intention is for extended outdoor dining on Main Street to be just a first step on our journey to more actively programming our public spaces.”
To learn more about outdoor dining options in the winter, visit the website.
