Carmella’s Kelso: Focusing on Dinner, Nightly Specials

Lisa Kelso, manager of Carmella’s Cafe in Boardman, is coming back strong. You can read more about the restaurant at its website.

What are some ways your restaurant is rebounding from the effects of COVID-19?

Carmella’s Cafe has been open for curbside pickup since the pandemic started. We limited our hours to just dinner operations, and we have been offering a variety of nightly food and drink specials that we promote on social media.

Once we were allowed to open indoor dining and the outdoor patio, we set up all mandatory state guidelines to keep our staff and customers safe. We continue to encourage advance reservations and lately we have noticed an uptick in the number of customers that are venturing out to dine in with us.

What’s been the reaction from customers so far?

Our customers are very loyal. They have missed our food and our staff as well. Carmella’s is like family.

What impact has the outbreak had on you personally?

Personally, managing under these times has been extremely stressful. Even though we are only open a few hours a day, I find myself physically and mentally exhausted.

What advice are you sharing with the people you love?

Wear a mask!