Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure funded outdoor dining spaces for four local restaurants, increasing the number of customers the businesses can serve when the city’s indoor dining ban begins Friday.

The restaurants chosen were Kahlo’s and Las Hijas de La Chilanga, in the Westwood neighborhood, and Tacos Acapulco and East Fax Tap, in the East Colfax neighborhood.

Restaurant owners brace for new Level Red restrictions set to take effect Friday

DOTI helped the restaurants create site plans, purchase materials and construct the outdoor dining spaces using $25,000 from the National Association of City Transportation officials.

“A little funding certainly goes a long way for these local restaurants, especially in communities that need relief the most,” said Eulois Cleckley with DOTI and NACTO.

How Colorado’s new COVID-19 restrictions will affect you

“With Denver’s COVID-19 restrictions recently tightening to help curb its transmission, this funding couldn’t come at a more perfect time. We’re excited to help these neighborhood businesses continue to serve their customers.”

Beginning Friday, indoor dining will be banned in Denver County as part of new Level Red COVID-19 restrictions.

Restaurants can serve outdoors but tables can only have one household each and must be separated by 6 feet.

To choose the restaurants, DOTI partnered with local community organizations to identify restaurants that were eager to create outdoor dining spaces and displayed need.

Denver’s outdoor patio expansion program here to stay for one more year

Denver’s East Colfax and Westwood neighborhoods were classified as most vulnerable to underinvestment and displacement by the city’s Neighborhood Equity and Stabilization division.

In May, Denver began its Temporary Outdoor Expansion Program, allowing restaurants and bars to operate in outdoor spaces near the businesses like parking lots, streets and sidewalks.

The program was recently expanded through October 2021.

The program has approved 348 businesses for outdoor expansion, including 242 for winter expansions.