Surging covid prompts some Pittsburgh-area restaurants to cancel holiday service

As covid-19 cases skyrocket, many Pittsburgh-area restaurants and bars have temporarily closed their doors for safety issues after staff illnesses.

At Roundabout Brewery in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, owners made the decision to move to take-only over the weekend.

Co-owner Dyana Sloan said a staff member tested positive last weekend. All other employees, she said, have continued to test negative for the virus.

“The holiday season is often very busy, as the past three weeks have proven for many small businesses,” Sloan said in a message. “Unfortunately, our tasting room is very small, and we feel it is best to go back to to-go only sales of cans/bottles/merch to minimize indoor contact.”

She stressed that the brewery is not closed, but rather is not allowing pint sales or seating inside.

Covid exposures similarly shut down Oak Hill Post in Brookline for the week out of an abundance of caution.

“Although updated (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines suggest that we don’t need to quarantine if we aren’t feeling sick, we feel it would be best for our staff and guests if we spend the next week or so apart,” management wrote on Facebook, noting plans to reopen Tuesday.

Morningside’s Bulldog Pub posted a similar message on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, a few members of our team have come into contact with covid,” read the post. “We have decided to close the next few days to ensure everyone’s safety.”

They noted that the business will be fully sanitized during the closure.

Mt. Washington’s Bigham Tavern, too, has been closed since Dec. 26 after staff tested positive. The move forced them to cancel a planned New Year’s Eve Party.

Dish Osteria, Noodlehead and Gaucho have also closed for the weekend. Other popular spots will offer only to-go service: Two Frays Brewery, Allegheny Wine Mixer, and Square Café in East Liberty.

The owners of Two Frays in the city’s Garfield neighborhood told Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV their move to take-out only was in the interest of public health.

“Seeing the spikes after the holiday, we figured it would be much safer to close for a few days,” Jennifer Onofray told the TV station. “Since then, we’ve seen other businesses close around us or have to close because of outbreaks.”

Iron Born Pizza in Millvale closed “until we can reopen safely” after a positive covid test, according to its Instagram page. It’s Strip District location is open for takeout.

At this time last year, Gov. Tom Wolf shut down bars and restaurants during the two-week holiday period, a move meant to halt a wave of new covid cases.

This year, the surge in cases — Allegheny County posted nearly 2,000 new cases on Thursday — is likely driven by the omicron variant, said health director Dr. Debra Bogen. She urged safety while ringing in 2022.

“If you don’t need to be out, stay home,” she said. “If you’re going to participate in events and parties, take precautions including masking up, physically distancing and, when possible remain outdoors or in well-ventilated areas. We are all in this together, and the decisions that we make now will impact our friends, families and neighbors for days and weeks to come.”