Outdoor Dining Expansion in Nubian Square


With support from Republic Services Inc., RTB expanded Outdoor Dining in Nubian Square at the Fasika Cafe. RTB completed a deck that can serve up to 16 additional customers on the underutilized yard space in front of the Cafe. The build included new tables, chairs, and umbrellas. A ribbon-cutting to celebrate the expansion took place in early September. 

Mr. Befekadu Defar, the owner of Fasika Cafe, originally hails from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. When he was younger, Defar would help his mother in the kitchen and eventually attended culinary school in Ethiopia. But it was not until he got a scholarship to a culinary school in Switzerland that he realized how important it was to spread Ethiopian culture through his country’s food. Through RTB’s outdoor dining build, Mr. Defar is expanding the reach of his native country in Nubian Square. “I’m delighted RTB was able to make this happen. I have seen the changes happening in the community, and I’m happy to be a business reinvesting in Nubian Square.”Mr. Defar says. 

Manikka Bowman, the newly appointed Executive Director of RTB, sees this as a unique build. “To have such a catalytic build as one of my first projects is significant is for me,” Bowman states. “Where we built the deck has been underutilized for many years. Throughout the project, many community members would stop and thank our team for creating a sense of place in this part of the square.” 

The deck was permitted through the City of Boston Outdoor Dining Pilot Program, which is designed to support restaurant owners who the pandemic has deeply impacted. 

If the pilot goes well, Bowman looks forward to exploring how the city of Boston and all stakeholders involved can make the deck a permanent structure. For now, Fasika’s new outdoor dining space will be available until Dec 31, 2021.