How readers feel about on-street dining in the North End this summer

Readers Say

“It’s a space and density issue, which means it’s ultimately a safety issue. It’s not discrimination.”

The kerfuffle over outdoor dining in the North End was reignited on Friday, when North End restaurant owners protested Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s decision to ban on-street dining in the neighborhood for the second year in a row. 

Members of the North End Restaurant Association also added 100 pages of grievances to a federal lawsuit they filed against the city last month, claiming the city used unfair and “retaliatory” measures against them because of their Italian heritage. The amended filing also demands compensation for losses that the 21 restaurants incurred from the $7,500 annual fee and from two seasons without streetside tables.

Wu said the city won’t issue permits for on-street outdoor dining in the North End due to the high density of restaurants and foot traffic, narrow streets and sidewalks, resident parking scarcity, and other related concerns. However, the city will issue permits in the neighborhood for compliant sidewalk patios. Boston’s outdoor dining program began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as a way for restaurants to offer a safe dining experience for businesses and their patrons. At the time, restaurants in the North End were allowed to participate in the program.

When we asked our readers if they agreed or disagreed with the Wu administration’s continuation of the policy for this summer, the majority (60%) of the nearly 270 respondents said they agree with the policy. Thirty-nine percent of readers disagreed with the policy (this marks an about-face for Boston.com readers, who a year ago felt that the streets should be open to outdoor dining in the neighborhood). 

Some current and former residents of the North End said the scarcity of parking coupled with pedestrian traffic makes outdoor dining particularly difficult for the neighborhood. 

“As a former resident of the North End for almost 15 years, I can attest to how scarce parking is and how difficult it is to navigate the North End already due to all the pedestrian traffic. To reduce parking even further by taking up street space for the restaurants would put an additional undue burden on residents trying to park,” an anonymous reader said. “Additionally, there are a number of restaurants in the North End who already push the envelope by taking up extra parking spaces with their excessive garbage which is supposed to only go on the sidewalk, but they put it into the street.”

Reader D.H. from the South End agreed, saying “there is no space on the North End streets to accommodate outdoor dining, pedestrian traffic, vehicle traffic and emergency traffic as needed.”

See below a sampling of readers sharing their thoughts on street dining in the North End for the 2024 summer.

Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

The North End will not be allowed to have street dining (but will be allowed to have sidewalk and patio dining) for the 2024 summer under a 2023 policy. Do you agree?

Yes, I agree with the policy

“The specifics about the density, parking, and narrow streets are legitimate reasons. Even with current state, you can barely walk the sidewalk, I can’t imagine also having to dodge diners in the street. I don’t see how being Italian factors here. If we had another restaurant dense area with narrow streets in Southie, I’m sure the same rules would apply. It’s funny the same folks who initially fought against the outdoor dining provision during Covid want it back after they saw the profit margins of the extra seating.” – Jamal W., Dorchester

“It’s a space and density issue, which means it’s ultimately a safety issue. It’s not discrimination.” – Josh S., Sharon

“I am disappointed in the reflexive and disingenuous lawsuit. Mayor Wu’s basis for the policy is safety, not discrimination. Our charming North End has singularly narrow streets and sidewalks. I think the not-on-streets and with-11-feet-open-on-sidewalks rules both make sense. The North End is already a congested area with tight driving space, tension with pedestrians, and lots of levity and distractions. Look up the safety record of on-street dining when the rules were relaxed during Covid. Some restaurants even asked for permission to use nicer looking (not orange) barriers. The results, especially at night, were dangerous. Let’s do the right thing without waiting for a calamity to prove the point.” – Christopher R., Wayland

“Safety outweighs restaurant profits.” – Jim, South End

“The neighborhood is just not set up for this. The streets and sidewalks are too narrow. The only way to do it is to completely block off traffic in the entire neighborhood to allow street dining. It has to be the entire neighborhood, not just the main street, otherwise you are discriminating against the restaurants not on the main road. Then there is no parking for the residents. So, this just doesn’t work. They all survived before outdoor dining was even a thing.” – Eli, South Boston

“I love the North End and the fantastic food, but not when it’s mixed with exhaust fumes and blocked sidewalks.” – Bruce S., Florence, Kentucky

No, I disagree with the policy

“Hanover Street is already not passable. And no one uses it to drive or park during the dinner rush. Let them take over on Thursday, Friday, Saturday evenings. More dining is good for everyone.” – Bob, Concord

“If residents can put up with Holy Feast celebrations multiple weekends during the summer, I don’t understand why outdoor dining can be that impactful to them. I’d like to see them close Hanover Street entirely and make it open for dining and a pedestrian walkway. I’d come to the North End more frequently.” – Jack, Hingham

“The mayor needs to stop doing either/or scenarios. She should be working with the business owners in North End to find middle ground so that they’re not unfairly left out of a great program that was introduced during the pandemic.” – Jayson, Back Bay

“If you’ve lived in Boston, you know how fun it is to walk around the busy North End on a summer night. Traffic is an issue regardless. For those restaurant owners, the additional seating allows them to make the money they need to stay in business. Landlords across the country are raising costs because of the lost revenue during COVID. We need to support our local and family owned businesses. Shame on the city for not letting them maximize opportunities for profit.” – John A., Natick

Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.