Innovative Dining Options Open in Downtown Santa Ana

Since the start of the statewide stay-at-home order issues on March 19th, members and business owners of Downtown Santa Ana have ensured all covid-19 related safety guidelines and protocols are being implemented.

The OC is now in early Stage 2 of the Resilience Roadmap which allows DTSA restaurants to be able to accommodate dine-in guests and allow retailers will open their doors, with specific regulations.

Santa Ana has innovatively joined a handful of US cities to deploy al fresco dining by creating eight temporary parklets along 4th St/Calle Cuatro along with opening restaurant patios and limited-capacity indoor dining.

Special measures that are reinvigorating downtown's dining ecosystem at this time:

• Sidewalk Dining – Santa Ana is one of the first cities in the country to allow restaurants to place small tables & chairs for outdoor dining (without impeding pedestrians from walking)
• Food Island – around 22+ parklet dining areas have been added in downtown
• Indoor Dining - businesses have re-opened indoor dining (update: revoked in July)
• Outdoor Patios –  limited-capacity with social distancing in place
• Free Takeout Parking - there are 18 take-out only Free parking spaces across downtown
• Free 2 Hour Parking Structures - the parking structures provide 2 Hours Free Parking​​

Along with these temporary enforcements restaurants and retail shops are asking their customers to continue wearing face masks, and are limiting their operation hours and restricting their capacity. As a result, reservations may be the best bet to secure your dining spot! 

​Some restaurants that are now open for sidewalk, patio or inside dining include:

4th St Market 
201 E 4th St 

Bird & Barrel 
305 E 4th St

​Cafe Cultura 
324 W 4th St

Chapter One: the modern local
227 N Broadway

Chevita's Juice and Bagels
​209 W 4th St

Coffee Muse
​310 E 4th St

El Rincon Mexicano
104 E 4th St
​
Hectors on Broadway
409 N Broadway 

I Can BBQ 
414 W 4th St

Loaded Cafe  
451 E First St and 3760 W McFadden 

Lola Gaspar
​211 W 2nd St

Kaizen Shabu
303 N Spurgeon

Kebab Place
306 W 4th St

​Mix Mix Kitchen Bar 
300 N Main St
​
​Munchies Diner 
313 N  Bush St

​Omakase by Gino
304 N Main St

Perla Bar 
400 W Fourth St

Pizza Press
117 W 4th St

The West End Kitchen & Pub
300 W 5th St

Please let us know if a business is open or closed!

(Above) billed as the world's first social distance omakase dining experience. Wild! (photo by Niyaz Piryani)

(Above) Proposed pop-out proposal for Mission Bar

(Above) Social distance patio at Lola Gaspar

(Above) Happy customers at Chevita's Bagels and Juice

(Above) Restaurants that have been open for Delivery/Takeout

​For the latest updates on the reopening of DTSA be sure to follow us on Instagram @dtsantana.

If you run a restaurant, find guidance for dine-in restaurants here: 
​https://covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-dine-in-restaurants.pdf


Story by Jennifer Morones