By Michael Coughlin Jr.
During an abutters meeting last week, Fernando Rosas, one of the owners of Bono Restaurant and Catering, located at 271 Meridian Street, shared a proposal that would extend the establishment’s hours of operation and grant it an upgraded alcohol license.
Bono Restaurant and Catering, which started as a bakery called La Casa del Pandebono in 2019, focuses on serving food from El Salvador, Mexico, and Colombia.
“We always have been a small business, family-owned, and we are happy [with] what we have become in the past five years,” said Rosas.
As part of the proposal, Bono Restaurant and Catering is looking to change its closing time from 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. “This change will give us a little bit more flexibility to be able to host some events and to be able to make the last call a little bit later,” said Rosas.
The current operating hours are as follows: Monday and Tuesday 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m., Wednesday 11:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m., Thursday–Saturday 9:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m., and Sunday 9:00 a.m. –11:00 p.m.
Rosas also noted that he was not looking to close at 1:00 a.m. daily and mentioned Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays as days for the later closure.
Additionally, the establishment is looking to upgrade its existing beer and wine license to an all alcohol license.
“This will allow us to [better serve our guests] who are celebrating events, birthdays, or a small gathering, and it will also increase [flexibility] in the crafting of our drink menu,” said Rosas.
He also mentioned that they have held their existing beer and wine license for almost a year and have only had one issue, a noise complaint that was corrected within five minutes.
Rosas also assured those in attendance that the business would not turn into a nightclub or “crazy bar.”
“We’re still going to be the same Bono [we’re just] going to have a better opportunity to grow, offer better services, and keep guests local.”
Following the brief presentation, only one attendee commented, complimenting and supporting the business in its endeavor.
As for the next steps in this process, Eva Jones, a city community engagement specialist who hosted the abutters meeting, indicated that the proposal will be presented to the local civic association, which could vote on it depending on how the group runs.
Following the completion of the community process, a hearing date will be scheduled with the licensing board.