Sandy Springs restaurant adds extra safety measures to menu

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - Restaurants around the world have been faced with the challenging task of feeding customers during the coronavirus pandemic — leading to some unique innovations in social distancing and food service.  And at one acclaimed Metro Atlanta restaurant, key ingredients for a safe dining experience now include plexiglass and wood dividers, temperature checks, and a color-coded glove system for staffers.

We spent the morning at The Select Restaurant + Bar in Sandy Springs, getting a look at the safety measures and guidelines in place now that the restaurant is once again open for dine-in service.  The Select first opened in the City Springs development back in May of 2019, quickly winning over foodies with its French and Mediterranean-inspired menu (created by Chef Jason Hall) including specialties like Miso Sea Bass, Kurobuta Pork Chop, and Pan Roasted Select Chicken.

After initially shutting down, and then offering online ordering and curbside pickup during part of the pandemic, management has re-opened the dining room for dinner service.  Says General Manager David Green, "For our guests, what we wanted to do was make sure there was a balance between safety and comfort."  Diners will immediately notice some changes inside, including temperature checks at the door and new dividers between all tables and booths (those dividers were built by service manager Charles Brown, who fashioned them out of wood and plexiglass).  Diners will also enter through one door and exit through another — and those doors remain open, which managers say creates a “no touch” environment.  "There's a good portion of our population that is still very concerned about this,” says Green. “That's who we're trying to make sure that we're being hyper-respectful for."

The Select Restaurant + Bar is located at  6405 Bluestone Road Suite 200 in Sandy Springs, and more information about safety procedures and the menu may be found here.  And click on the video player in this article to check out our morning at The Select — doing a little taste-testing, of course.