North Huntingdon Double Wide restaurant reopens with limited capacity, menu

A North Huntingdon restaurant that’s been closed for more than three months reopened Tuesday with the help of federal covid-19 funding.

Co-owner Steve Zumoff said he hopes to keep it open, at least for the near future, although he expects the eatery will be squeezed later this week by new state restrictions meant to curtail a regional surge in covid-19 infections.

The former Double Wide Grill, now known as the Double Wide Eat & Drink, welcomed back diners along Route 30 on Tuesday with the assistance of a low-interest loan obtained through the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

Zumoff said those funds made it feasible to reopen the Double Wide location at half capacity — up to 105 indoor diners — under the original conditions of Westmoreland County’s inclusion in Gov. Tom Wolf’s “green” phase of gradually emerging from covid-19 restrictions.

But, according to county officials, the state is expected beginning Thursday to prohibit indoor dining at restaurants and bars in Westmoreland as well as in four other nearby counties, including Allegheny. The restrictions, expected to last for at least two weeks, also would limit outdoor dining to no more than 50 people.

Having invested in food for the Double Wide’s reopening, Zumoff said he likely will push forward though he may be limited to outdoor dining and take-out orders.

“We have a patio where we can serve about 50 people,” he said.

At least until Thursday, Zumoff said, “We have half the bar stools and half the tables. We’re socially distancing.

“Our bar is really big. Even the person working behind the bar is at least six feet from the customers.”

He said procedures are in place to regularly sanitize menus and other high-touch items and surfaces. Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

The restaurant has scaled back its menu to focus on beef burgers, chicken, sandwiches, salads and appetizers. While some patrons posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page, lamenting the loss of former vegan options, Zumoff noted popular pulled pork and fried chicken sandwiches are available.

“Hopefully, people understand it’s different times,” Zumoff said, referring to the covid-19 impact on the restaurant industry. “We’re trying to make things simple. A lot of that is due to covid-19. A lot of restaurants are simplifying their menus.”

Mario Polito of North Huntingdon, the first customer when the restaurant reopened Tuesday afternoon, said he was glad to be able once more to stop at the Double Wide for refreshment on his way home from work at an area hospital.

“I’m thrilled that they’re open again,” he said. “I like anything that’s local.”

He was at the Double Wide bar for only a few minutes when word of the expected indoor dining restriction spread.

“We keep doing what they’re asking us to do,” he said. “We’re wearing a mask and washing our hands.

“It’s so frustrating. I feel bad for the small businesses.”

While the restaurant is serving customers once more, Zumoff said he and business partner Scott Kramer are continuing their search for someone else to lease the property.

“We’ll see what happens,” Zumoff said. After the restaurant closed in mid-March, when the pandemic hit, “We didn’t think we’d be reopened, but here we are.

“Maybe it will do really well and we won’t lease it.”

Given the reduced operation, Zumoff said, the restaurant will start back with about 15 of the 40 staff it had before the pandemic.

“With half the seats, you need half the staff,” he said. “If it’s busy, we’ll have to get more people.

“I’m hoping there’s another round of funding if this goes on three to six months more. You can’t make it on half your business and if half the people are afraid to go dine inside.”

Zumoff and Kramer also operate Spello, an Italian restaurant in Mars, and the Tiki Lounge bar and another Double Wide restaurant, both on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Zumoff said the partners decided to keep the latter two establishments closed while an Allegheny County ban on dine-in service and alcohol consumption remains in effect.