Heat Deters Some in Pelham from Eating Outside

PELHAM, N.Y. – Pelham diners have had the chance to eat at restaurants with outdoor seating for months. But not all restaurants have had flocks of customers eating in the sunshine.

M.A.D. Café owner Denise Amorelli has had plenty of customers enjoy a meal at the tables just outside her restaurant on Wolfs Lane. The weather must cooperate in order for that to happen.

"When it's hot and humid, people will not sit outside," Amorelli said. "When it's raining, people will not sit outside. It's got to be somewhat comfortable."

The temperature in Pelham was 88 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The tables outside M.A.D. Café were mostly empty between noon and 2:00 p.m.

Despite the heat, Amorelli said that she has seen more people at the tables in August this year than July because the weather has been more pleasant.

Other places have had a consistent flow of customers sitting outside. Alex Hyacinthe, assistant manager at DeCicco Food Market, said that shoppers and employees have eaten lunch outside even in the summer heat. But he, too, said the weather must allow it.

"When it's raining, we don't even put the umbrellas up or the chairs out," Hyacinthe said.

Barbara Bratone, owner of Bistro Rollin' on Fifth Avenue, said that her restaurant does not take reservations for outdoor seating, which allows the restaurant to accommodate all diners if the weather is unpleasant.

Bratone, too, said that cooler weather means more people want to eat outside.

Amorelli said that she pays for a permit that allows her to have outdoor seating from April 15 until Nov. 15. She also said that the use of those tables peaks in the spring months and in September.

The M.A.D. Café owner said that people vacation during the summer months, which means fewer people are in town to dine outdoors. Though vacation is a minor reason for the decline, Amorelli said the heat remains the largest deterrent.

"I don't think people like to eat and sweat," Amorelli said.

 

Do you enjoy eating outdoors in the summer, or is it too hot for you? Comment below, on our Facebook page or on Twitter @DailyPelham.

Contact Pelham reporter Andrew Meola at ameola@thedailypelham.com.

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