Bona Sera Cafe in Ypsilanti has opened a new outdoor cafe that will be open for use during the spring and summer months.
Owner Annette Weathers said the cafe was put up Friday morning, ahead of The Color Run event on Saturday.
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Bona Sera Cafe in Ypsilanti has opened a sidewalk cafe that will be open during the spring and summer months.
Courtesy Bona Sera Cafe
"We have a huge beautiful building and a large section of sidewalk," Weathers said. "On the Washington Street side the traffic isn’t so loud, it's really pleasant. What made us decide to do it was just the fact that we love eating outside in the spring and summer and it really brightens up the street."
Weathers said she put up three umbrellas with about six tables, but more may be added.
The 3,000-square-foot cafe, which seats 60 people, is in the previous J Neil's Mongolian Grill location at 200 W. Michigan Ave. at the intersection with Washington Street.
The restaurant opened in July 2012 and since then, Weathers said business has been steady and they're in the process of adding more menu items.
"We're doing pretty well," Weathers said. "I think we hit our stride. We're just about to do a menu change for the spring and summer time. We will be adding some new salads and flatbread."
In addition to that, Weathers is considering the possibility of pursuing a liquor license, but she hasn't officially decided yet.
"Everyone keeps asking us about liquor licenses, but we're still mulling that over," Weathers said. "We had a temporary one last Saturday and it went great, so we're not taking it off the table."
Weathers also has partnered with Go! Ice Cream owner Rob Hess, allowing him to rent out her kitchen to produce ice cream.
The outdoor cafe will be open during regular business hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and on Saturday from 10 a.m. from 9 p.m.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
