Indoor dining in New Jersey has been delayed for now, but there's a restaurant in Red Bank that is rebounding from the losses brought on by the coronavirus pandemic – and may have to start hiring more people. 

 

Teak, located at 64 Monmouth St., is seeing an uptick in business. The once prime parking lot alongside the building has been turned into an outdoor dining area, with a large tent and seating under umbrellas. It's one way owner George Lyristis has survived during the pandemic. 

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"We had to revamp and rebuild our restaurant probably three or four times," says Lyristis. "We used to do maybe 5% takeout, now we are up to 30 to 40% takeout with the outdoor dining."

Lyristis has had no other choice without his indoor dining space and upstairs bar, and now he needs more staffing -- but a different kind of staffer, more front of the house such as waiters and bussers. It's a slightly different experience at his other restaurant, Bistro Red Bank. 

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"My other restaurant has enough room for four or five tables,” says Lyristis. “So, we're lucky to have this space as our parking lot. Not everybody is."

Lyristis is hoping business picks up even more with the closure of Monmouth Street to all traffic on Sundays and the closure of Broad Street all weekend. While things are by no means back to normal, he's seeing a resurgence in Red Bank -- his restaurant is surviving and more people are getting back to work. 

"The survivors will come out way stronger than before, but there will be some who fall through the cracks,” says Lyristis.