Let’s Eat: First “Saturday Nights in the City” to feature more than a dozen Harrisburg restaurants for outside dining

Mangia Qui and Rubicon will be among the restaurants participating in this weekend’s “Saturday Nights in the City.”

Do you long for a hearty Tuscan ribeye from Mangia Qui? Can you practically taste an artichoke pizza from Cork n Fork or the shepherd’s pie from McGrath’s?

Then I have the news you’ve been waiting to hear for nearly three months.

These three are among more than dozen restaurants that will participate this weekend in the first “Saturday Nights in the City,” an outdoors dining event sponsored by the city and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District.

Late today, the city released the first lineup of restaurants for the June 6 event. They are:

• • Stock’s on Second
  • Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
  • Café Fresco
  • Second Street Shawarma
  • Sawyer’s
  • Bourbon Street Saloon
  • Zembie’s Sports Tavern
  • McGrath’s Irish Pub
  • Taste Buffalo
  • Arooga’s
  • JB Lovedraft’s MicroPub
  • Federal Taphouse
  • Mangia Qui
  • Rubicon
  • Cork & Fork
  • Burger Yum
  • Bollywood Bar & Grille
  • The Brick Haus
  • Los Tres Cubanos
  • Taco Solo

Each weekend in June, Harrisburg will close down several streets to permit restaurants to set up tables and serve outdoors. These streets are N. 2^nd Street from Market Street to Pine Street and portions of North Street and State Street (see map).

“We know that businesses have faced challenges and struggles during this pandemic,” Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. “I encourage residents to come support their favorite restaurants safely as we work together to get through these difficult times.”

This initiative will run on Saturdays for the entire month of June from 6 to 9 p.m. On June 13, Ad Lib Craft Kitchen and Bar is expected to join the lineup.

“I applaud the efforts of the city of Harrisburg to allow for street closures on behalf of the struggling restaurant industry,” said Mangia Qui co-owner Staci Basore. “This will allow for much needed revenue as well as provide us an opportunity to integrate on-premise dining, in conjunction with our ongoing delivery and takeout platform. We will be measured in our approach with regards to the safety and health of our guests and staff.”

Since mid-March, restaurants have been prohibited from offering dine-in service due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Harrisburg is now in the “yellow” phase, which allows for outdoors dining following certain state regulations.

As a result of the event, the following streets will be closed from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday:

• 2^nd Street from Market to Pine streets
• State Street from Church to N. 2^nd Street westbound
• North Street from Susquehanna to N. 3^rd streets westbound

Papenfuse said that the city plans to enhance police and security presence for the event.