Keeping the Gaslight District Safe During the Pandemic

Keeping the Gaslight District Safe During the Pandemic  – Part 1: Food

Clifton has been challenged due to the pandemic that threw a curve ball into the year 2020.

The businesses in the heart of the Gaslight District are facing a particularly bumpy road.  Our shops and restaurants need to keep employees and customers safe while still earning enough money to keep their doors open, and this is no easy task.

Fortunately small businesses in the neighborhood have done a great job of responding to this challenge. That includes the restaurants and other food-based businesses that have worked hard to ensure safety for their customers as well as their employees.

 Clifton Market. Since the lockdown began, Clifton Market has been such a safe place for people to buy groceries that it has pulled in plenty of new shoppers who have witnessed the lack of safety measures in other grocery stores. The employees all wear masks, store social-distancing measure are in place (including Plexiglas windows and clear-cut signs). The Market also provides disposable gloves for those patrons who wish to use them.

The Market has set aside Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8am to 10am as shopping times for customers more vulnerable to the virus. During these periods only seniors or people with underlying health conditions can shop in the Market. On top of that, Clifton Market offers delivery service to at-risk customers.

The majority of the people who shop at Clifton Market wear masks, but yesterday an employee of the Market told me that the store has masks they will offer to customers who walk in without one. The masks won’t be there for you to grab when you walk in, but you will be asked to wear one if you start walking around without one.

 Outdoor Seating. The Clifton Community, LLC (a joint venture between Clifton Town Meeting and the Clifton Business & Professional Association) has gone out of its way to provide outdoor seating so people can order carryout on and near Ludlow Avenue and have a nearby place to eat. At Clifton Plaza, seating has been added that allows for social distancing, and CBPA hired Hillary to help keep things clean and cheerful for guests. The benches at Telford Avenue serve a similar purpose, allowing people to eat outdoors (plus you can dine next to William Shakespeare). Another outdoor choice would be the benches surrounding Diggs Fountain at the corner of Clifton and Ludlow.

The Rooftop. When it opened, Clifton Bar and Grill’s rooftop offered a picturesque scenario for drinking and dining, but the fact that it’s outdoors provides an added safety element, as is also the case with the Plexiglas dividers they installed between tables, their mask policy, and their readily available hand sanitizer. We should also mention here that at Ludlow Garage the doors are often open, which is closer to eating outdoors, and a similar scenario exists when the huge windows are opened at Clifton Bar and Grill. Outdoor ventilation means the virus is less likely to spread.

Walk-up Windows. Ludlow Avenue has a couple businesses with walk-up windows, which, along with being convenient, add an extra layer of safety to food service. The Whole Bowl at 364 Ludlow Avenue serves tasty vegetarian food. You can call the new bakery, Ardor Bakeshop, at 272 Ludlow Avenue.

Did you know about Ambar India? Ambar India has seating behind the restaurant.

Don’t Forget About Arlin’s. Arlin’s has always had outdoor seating, and they serve food.

Finally, I should mention that I’ve ordered carryout at pretty much every restaurant on Ludlow Avenue, and the proper protocol has consistently been followed in regard to the virus.