A familiar attraction in more populous cities, bistros are said to have been born in Paris, where enterprising residents would set up makeshift stalls in front of their homes, selling their leftover produce to earn a little extra income. What started out as a neat little side hustle turned into the homely or perhaps even cozy restaurants and café spaces we know as bistros today. With minimal space inside their small-scale premises, these small-scale eateries often continue their ancestors’ traditions and pitch up tables and chairs outside.
Fighting for their lives in the hazy pandemic months, small hospitality spaces took advantage when major cities relaxed their rules surrounding outdoor dining. Anywhere and everywhere from piazza-facing pizzerias in Porto to cobbled back-alley sandwich bars in Edinburgh cordoned off what little space they had with as many tables and chairs as they could. Enabling safe fresh-air dining, the furniture also served to entice customers in – once allowed.
