BBQ, Burgers, Fresh Air: Safely Dining Around Greater Waterbury

This past weekend saw National-level live music return to Connecticut with the Gov't Mule shows at the Westville Music Bowl in New Haven. As Covid-19 levels continue to drop, public restrictions are being lifted almost weekly. I started thinking as I was enjoying a meal this past Sunday afternoon at a newer BBQ restaurant in Waterbury about how all businesses have had to adapt, in some way, during the pandemic. So many dining establishments sat stagnant over the past year, and those that haven't? They're disappearing. Around here, Down the Hatch, and JJ Stacks have a lot of open air dining, Frankie's on Watertown Avenue, and Southbury's Denmo's seemingly are ahead of the curve, having already had an outdoor dining model in place. Luckily, there are a couple in the greater Waterbury area that have recently adapted, and I thought you might be interested in hearing and seeing them.

I wrote recently about Watertown's G's Burgers/Carvel, which is located on Straits Turnpike (Rt. 63), and how the owners have totally reconstructed the decades-old building. A large portion of a former patio area, that was hastily constructed at the beginning of the pandemic, has been enclosed now, and the building has a new, airy area where customers can safely socially-distance as they're waiting in line to order food.

Hindsight BBQ on Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury opened their doors in the Fall of 2020, and I recently stopped by for the first time. I was so impressed with their set up that I took a few photos. It's cool to see that the owners of these establishments have the space to incorporate these changes necessary to keep patrons safe. Hindsight is an excellent example, they staff a satellite bar/ordering station with disposable menus, take your order and payment right there, and you can choose to eat indoors, or outside on their many picnic tables. Here's a look inside and outside -