Cabbagetown Restaurant Gets Approved for an On-Street Dining Parklet

Cabbagetown restaurant JenChan’s will soon offer outdoor dining in a parklet

Carroll Street restaurant and meal delivery service JenChan’s just won a temporary parklet grant from city of Atlanta. Owners Jen and Emily Chan, who describe their restaurant as “mostly Southern, mainly Asian,” say the parklet affords them a safe, additional seating option critical for restaurants with little or no outdoor seating during the pandemic. According to the schedule sent to the Chans by the city, construction of the parklet should take approximately two weeks and open for outdoor dining service in April. City of Atlanta provides all the necessary building materials and installation of the parklet. The Chans only need supply tables and chairs. The city takes back the parklet at the end of the year.

“Parklets designed to last more than a couple of months typically cost anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 or more,” Emily Chan tells Eater. “This grant is a game changer for our business, allowing safe dining outside.”

Jen Chan’s joins other Atlanta restaurants taking advantage of the new on-street dining allowances from city of Atlanta. Talat Market plans to install a similar parklet in front of the restaurant on Ormond Street in Summerhill. Storico Fresco in Buckhead is in the process of constructing six covered and heated outdoor dining compartments in three parking spaces along Grandview Avenue.

In addition to the parklet, JenChan’s launched a new menu and hired a new chef. James Palleson (Tiny Lou’s. St. Cecilia, the Plate Sale, Local 3, Muss and Turners), plans to offer a rotating selection of seasonal dishes for the menu alongside JenChan’s popular wraps, sandwiches, and pizzas. Earlier this year, the Chans closed the restaurant for indoor dining as COVID-19 cases spiked in Atlanta. The restaurant is currently open for takeout and local delivery and limited outdoor seating on the sidewalk. Order online. Masks required.

Courtesy of JenChan’s

Courtesy of JenChan’s

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