Taste of Winchester Written by: Misty Weaver & Anthony Morelli Chief Eating Officers
As we completed our second year in business introducing locals and visitors to our Old Town restaurants and breweries through food and beer tours, we began to hear the warnings of a new virus sweeping the globe. And as food lovers, we have been awestruck by our restaurant owners and workers in Winchester as we’ve weathered the lasting effects of COVID-19 for almost a full year now. As a real estate agent and food tour operator with Taste Winchester History, I worried about the impact on our local industries alongside our restaurant owners, as they drive so much of the local economy. So many friends had put their whole lives into their restaurant, some having just opened a year before, like the much anticipated German Table serving up my favorite currywurst; and Fresco Kitchen, who unselfishly kept
our personal family fed each week with her meal plans. While we have lost the culinary offerings of Nathalie, Barbara, and a few other restaurants along the way, a number of real estate clients, and our entire 2020 tour season, we have watched many of our restaurant owners pivot and get creative to continue to serve our community safely while staying afloat themselves.
Summer gave owners a bit of a reprieve as we enjoyed outdoor seating while using technology like QR codes to pull up menus on our phones. As winter approached I’ve again watched restaurateurs create warm outdoor spaces, and continue taking appropriate precautions as warnings of a pandemic second wave looms.
Breweries like Winchester Brew Works had to quickly find new sources for plastic growlers as they could no longer allow refills, along with new marketing ideas to replace their usual events held throughout the year, such as the New Year’s Eve celebration. Hideaway Cafe created multiple subscription boxes from coffee to stickers, and even a weekend pastry box. Others came up with unique menus for curbside date nights so patrons could enjoy their meals at home safely.
Each weekend though we missed conversing with new friends we had the pleasure of meeting on our tours, and we knew we had to come up with a plan to help. We are now taking inspiration from our partners and launching our self guided food tours January 2021 so that we may continue to introduce people to our valued and varied restaurant choices in Old Town Winchester, and beyond!
