More Austin Restaurants Close Temporarily Because of Staffers With COVID-19

More Restaurants Close Temporarily Because of Staffers With COVID-19
There are more restaurants with staffers who have tested positive for or might have COVID-19:

-An employee of South Congress Hotel’s all-day restaurant Cafe No Se tested positive for the novel coronavirus on June 3 and had last worked on May 27. The Instagram post noted that the employee didn’t have a “guest-facing role” and had “extremely limited cross-departmental contact.” In response, the restaurant is now temporarily closed, as is the lobby bar and pool service, and the hotel halted its room service program. Staffers that interacted with the employee will be tested and will have to self-quarantine.

Meanwhile, the hotel’s intimate omakase restaurant Otoko is remaining open for dine-in service because of “the isolated nature” of the space. Coffee shop Manana is staying open, but only for takeout coffee and packaged foods. The hotel’s other restaurant Central Standard and bar Watertade both remain closed for now still.

-An employee of East Sixth bar Latchkey tested positive for the novel coronavirus, as posted by the bar on Sunday, June 7. The bar remains closed for now as it undergoes several deep-cleanings. Its staffers have all been tested and have been found negative, and before they can come back to work, they will have to submit additional multiple negative tests.

-Both locations of barbecue restaurant Salt Lick have staffers who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. First, the Round Rock location found out that a staffer tested positive on Thursday, June 4, and the person last worked on May 31. The restaurant closed on Friday, June 5 temporarily while it is being cleaned.

Then, a staffer at the Driftwood location tested positive on Friday, June 5, which is being considered a “separate incident” from Round Rock. Both locations are now temporarily closed while the spaces are being deep-cleaned and staffers are being tested. Meanwhile, the barbecue restaurant’s truck in Dripping Springs remains open and the company is still shipping barbecue.

-Upscale sports bar and restaurant Provision is temporarily closed “out of an abundance of caution” as of Friday, June 5 while one of its staffers waits for their COVID-19 test results. The restaurant had just reopened for takeout and dine-in service on June 1.

Taco Truck Temporary Closure
Excellent South First taco truck El Primo has been closed temporarily since Saturday, May 30, for a break and time to move into a larger truck at its same location on 2011 South First Street, as owner Jose Luis Perez told Fox 7. It should reopen sometime this month in June.

SNAP Expansion
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission expanded the amount of money in the state’s emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for June to $177 million. This then increases the number of benefits per SNAP family, which will show up on Lone Star Cards by Friday, June 12.

New Boba and Burgers Restaurant
Pan-Asian fast-casual restaurant Teahaus is back with a new location in far northwest Austin on 10815 Farm to Market Road 2222, Suite 207, as of earlier this month. Its menu includes boba, burgers, and fries and its hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The West Anderson location of Teahaus closed in September 2019, and still open is its other fast-casual counterpart 101 by Teahaus on Airport Boulevard.

New Pop-Up Market
Roaming temporary marketplace Pop Up Grocery can now be found in Austin as of last Friday, June 5 in downtown at 408 West Second Street. The shop will feature a variety of goods from national and local vendors such as canned yerba mate company Clean Cause, frozen fruit bar company GoodPop, gluten-free Mexican-American food company Siete, and hot sauce company Yellowbird. Its COVID-19 guidelines include requiring face masks for guests, implementing social distancing markers, offering hand sanitizers, limiting the number of people in the store to four at a time, allowing for appointment-only visits between 9 to 10 a.m. Five percent of its profits will go towards nonprofit All Together ATX. Its hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and it’s open through Sunday, June 28.

Luby’s Is Being Sold
Texas cafeteria restaurant chain Luby’s is looking to sell its restaurants, which will remain in the meantime. There are three locations in Austin: the West Slaughter Lane restaurant is still temporarily closed while the East Andersen Lane and North MoPac locations have reopened.