After the challenges posed by COVID-19, New York's restaurant landscape is experiencing a revival. Eugene Remm identified September 2024 as a turning point when returning residents and newcomers revitalized the city. This resurgence coincided with the removal of pandemic-era outdoor dining structures, which had symbolized the urban struggle during shutdowns. Significant numbers of workers returned to office environments, signaling the city's return to normalcy. Vacant storefronts are now being revitalized, leading to an influx of new dining establishments, revitalizing Manhattan's culinary scene.
"Totally unscientific, backed by no data whatsoever, my heart says that September 2024 was the time when the world became what the world is going to be," Eugene Remm stated. "The people who left New York came back; new people who wanted to be a part of New York came in."
"New York finally felt alive and vibrant. I don't know how else to say it: It just felt good. It just felt right," Remm expressed, emphasizing the city's resurgence post-COVID.
The last major physical reminder of the pandemic—the outdoor-dining structures—began to disappear, marking a transition in the city’s dining landscape.
Landlords who had once left storefronts vacant began filling them with what the Times heralded as 'a surge of new restaurants,' signifying a revitalization.
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