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Oh My Darling had recently celebrated its first anniversary when the restaurant decided to temporarily close to protect its employees and customers from the coronavirus.

The restaurant, a staple for brunch and cocktails in downtown Syracuse, shut down for over two months. Little was known about COVID-19 at the onset of the pandemic, but the owners of Oh My Darling knew how contagious the virus would be, said Ryan Benz, co-owner of the restaurant.

“The first thing we said was let’s make sure all of our employees can stay home and stay in quarantine for as much time as possible and get them out of here,” said Benz, who also owns The Fitz, a 1920s themed speakeasy in the basement of Oh My Darling.

Oh My Darling reopened for takeout on June 1. As central New York moved into phase three of the state’s reopening process, the restaurant’s dining room and speakeasy reopened June 12 with restrictions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in place.

The restaurant owners decided to close for the benefit of their staff, Benz said. He wanted his staff and customers to stay healthy, and he realized that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act would provide his employees with more money than they would earn while working at the restaurant amid the pandemic.

To comply with CDC guidelines, Oh My Darling has placed all tables six feet apart from one another and has required all staff members to wear masks and gloves. Because of the restaurant’s large facility, the dining room only lost 25 seats when the tables were spaced out, Benz said.

A photo posted by ohmydarlingsyr

Staff now follow a more intense cleaning regiment, sanitizing not only the tops of tables but also the underside where a customer’s legs could touch. Employees clean all of the chairs after customers finish their meals and are washing the sanitizing buckets more frequently.

Alyssa Prawl, who graduated from Syracuse University this spring, has been working at Oh My Darling since May of 2019. The decision to close was abrupt, but it was the right choice considering the circumstances, she said.

Prawl began working for Oh My Darling again after it reopened earlier this month. Wearing a mask and gloves is a big adjustment for servers, she said, and it is especially tedious to change gloves after every interaction with a customer.

“That just adds on time that I normally wouldn’t need to spend doing something like that, which is okay right now, but I think that once we get back fully and are very busy I think that’s going to present a challenge,” Prawl said.

Sarah Piraino has been working for Oh My Darling since the restaurant opened in March of 2019. During her time at the restaurant, she’s served as a waitress, hostess, barista, barback, bartender and about everything in between.

The rising SU senior studied abroad in New Zealand from December to March, when the coronavirus ended her trip. Piraino planned on coming back to the restaurant when she returned home to Syracuse but couldn’t because of the restaurant’s temporary closure.

Customers have the option to dine socially distanced inside or outside of Oh My Darling. Photo courtesy of Oh My Darling

“I think they’ve made the correct call in closing because they do really care about their employees and their staff, and I don’t think they wanted to jeopardize anyone’s health,” she said.

Oh My Darling had 45 employees when it closed in March and have welcomed back 25 employees for the reopening of the restaurant, Benz said. The owners are planning to bring back all of their former employees— including Piraino — once the restaurant is able to operate at full capacity.

Piraino is hopeful that people will come back to the restaurant because it offers Syracuse a new twist on classic foods. One feature that makes the restaurant stand out is its five seasonal signature cocktails, she said.

The restaurant limited its takeout menu to items that would travel well, removing items like steak and eggs and emphasizing the restaurant’s sandwiches and salads. Oh My Darling is working to bring back these dishes for customers who are dining in, Benz said.

Despite the restrictions due to COVID-19, Benz wants the restaurant to maintain its high-quality dining experience and its great culture for people to get together.

“Our goal is to make them feel like they are out at a great restaurant,” Benz said. “You’re going to see your servers wearing face masks and gloves but the food is still phenomenal, the cocktails are still great and strong and the culture hasn’t changed.”

Published on June 26, 2020 at 10:01 am

Contact Sydney: sabergan@syr.edu