Oscar Malavarca does not know what to do with all the wine he just ordered. It’s sitting in the restaurant stock room. From the looks of it, that’s where it will stay until who knows when. 

That’s because, starting December 14, indoor dining is no longer allowed in the five boroughs. 

What You Need To Know

  • Starting December 14, indoor dining banned in New York City due to COVID-19 spike

  • The ban was announced just days before it was to take effect

  • Restaurant owners say the indoor dining ban is happening during critical time of year, holidays
  • In addition to traditional dining reservations, indoor parties also impacted by ban

According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, the decision was made due to New York’s inability to stem rising COVID-19 hospitalization rates — rates the state hasn’t seen since May.

Although only 1.4% of New York’s coronavirus infections could be traced back to restaurants and bars, the city’s dense population makes it particularly susceptible to spreading the virus more quickly, Cuomo said.

Even still, it’s a steep price to pay for the already beleaguered  restaurant industry, which had only been allowing indoor dining at 25% capacity for a little over 10 weeks.

Malavarca said the loss would not have been as bad if he and others in the industry didn’t feel blindsided by the governor’s move.

He has been working at Enzo’s of Williambridge, an Italian restaurant in Morris Park, for 20 years.

It's located in a residential neighborhood in the Bronx, but it’s visitors come from all over. They’ll now have to get their orders to-go. 

“I live in Tuckahoe and I’ll come down and get take out for sure,” said long-time customer Ellie Fitz-Randolph.

The party room at Enzo’s of Williamsbridge is a revolving door during a typical December, but this year is nowhere near typical. 

Edgar Amaya has been handling the cancellations. 

“We lost about 25 parties, which were 25 people or higher,” said Amaya.

Their party book shows how COVID-19 wiped away most of the reservations. 

The 25% capacity that had been in place until recently reduced the party sizes from 40 to just 15. 

Dropping down to zero during their busiest season will be tough. Most of the staff will now have to go on unemployment.

During our visit, on the last day of indoor dining, city inspectors paid them a visit.

“There’s a saying: Kick them when they’re down. That’s what’s happening to all the restaurants, to everybody,” said Mario D’Abruzzo.

Like the rest of the restaurant industry, D'Abruzzo hopes they don’t stay down for long.