With New York City officials cracking down on illegal "dining sheds" a so-called "pizza bus" had to hit the brakes. December 15, 2024.
© Tracy Harmon/The Pueblo Chieftain / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images + © Leonard Hayhurst/Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Brooklyn, NY) – New York City is cracking down on outdoor dining sheds. Once seen as a lifeline for restaurants during the pandemic — they’re now largely considered an eye-sore or haven for rodents.
As of November 29, all outdoor dining sheds had to be taken down. That’s the result of new legislation from the New York City Council, which only permits outdoor dining structures between April 1, and November 29. Eateries must also apply to have dining sheds and sidewalk cafe setups.
But in Brooklyn, a pizzeria attempted a creative way to keep diners enjoying the great outdoors. At L’Industrie Pizzeria in Williamsburg, staff parked a school bus outside — to function as a makeshift dining structure. It’s actually been parked there — legally — since October. Co-owner Massimo Lavegia told Eyewitness News: “We saw that it was a cool idea, you know, to buy a bus and then park it legally in the street. When you’re a small shop like this you fit 7 to 8 people and you get an extra 20 to 30 seats it makes all the world of a difference. We move like two days a week for street cleaning and it was just something natural. You know, people don’t even ask. They just walk outside the pizzeria and they get inside the bus.”
The bus is renovated on the inside with seating and lighting. There’s a solar panel on the roof to power the battery. Lavegia says most customers don’t even make much notice before heading in to eat. But the Department of Transportation has taken notice. They’ve handed L’Industrie Pizzeria an official warning. Beyond that, businesses who had sheds and no permit could be fined $500 the first time around and $1,000 for repeat offenses.
Other New York City spots have received warnings. Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar on 31st Street in Midtown uses an old trolly car to seat customers. Its owners told Eyewitness News they too received a warning.
