More Atlanta Restaurants Are Going 'Vax-Only'

ATLANTA — More Atlanta restaurants have joined in the movement to require that patrons be vaccinated against COVID-19 to be served.

Eater Atlanta first reported Tuesday that four more restaurants are denying unvaccinated guests, following the controversial decision by Argosy owner Armando Celentano to enact the “vax-only” mandate.

City Winery, in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, followed its corporate dictates to all properties in Boston, Nashville, Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

In East Atlanta Village, Eatavision, Mary’s and Banshee now require vaccination.

"The No. 1 reason we implemented this policy was staff safety and their quality of life," Celentano told Patch last week. "They have every right to earn a living safely."

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms soon issued a citywide mask mandate, and despite broad blowback from social media anti-vaxxers, these restaurants joined in.

Celentano said he was glad to see restaurant organizations across the country taking the same stance to ward off the rising tide of coronavirus infections in the face of the new delta variant.

“A restaurant in Virginia is going above and beyond policy … literally turning people away,” he said. “What I’m encouraged by is the Alliance in San Francisco that is doing this.”

In fact, eateries in San Francisco, New Orleans and Los Angeles are requiring proof of vaccination to eat, Eater reports, while New York will begin mandating vaccinations to eat in restaurants on Aug. 16.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen in Atlanta sooner rather than later,” Celentano said.

See also:

• Argosy Vax-Only Policy: 5 Things To Know About The Eatery
• Mask Mandates Reinstated For Atlanta Public Indoor Spaces