A Summer Highball from Vana, a new restaurant from the owners of Bardo. Kristen Wile/UP

Q: Why don’t restaurants just wait until the pandemic is over to open if so few people are dining out right now?
UP: I’m sure they would if they didn’t have expenses to pay, but even if a restaurant is closed, they still need to pay rent, phone bills, utilities, and for their websites, at the very least. Owners generally give some grace period while a restaurant is under construction, but only for a set time period. Plus, the process of opening a restaurant is an investment, and owners need to start recouping that investment as soon as possible, even if the margin of profit isn’t what they’d like. Openings tend to bring in a lot of revenue due to a lot of buzz. I’m interested to see what happens with a restaurant like Vana, which has been much-anticipated and hyped up, when seating is only at half capacity during opening. Will the added exclusivity extend the rush that comes with opening?

Q: Does Vana have a patio? And related, what are the best patio options you’d recommend? 
UP: No, there is no patio at Vana, but they do have garage-style doors that almost make the dining room open-air. As for our favorite patio options, we collected them earlier this summer. Find the complete list here!

Q: Stagioni has a new chef? What happened to Eric Ferguson? 
UP: Eric left a few months ago to start his own business, L’Ostrica. He’s delivering scratch-made pasta entrées, similar to what would have been on the menu during his tenure at Stagioni, with appetizers, sides, and desserts available as well. Follow L’Ostrica on Instagram for the latest menus and ordering instructions.

Have a question for us? Send to to editor@unpretentiouspalate.com and we’ll answer it for you next week!