Popular Columbia pizza restaurant says vaccines needed to eat in reopened dining room

After being closed since early last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Il Focolare in the Cottontown neighborhood of Columbia will open it’s dining room in September.

The restaurant made the announcement Friday on social media.

“We’ve had lots of questions recently about when we’ll be reopening for inside dining,” the restaurants managers said. “With the rise in cases in SC we’ve had to reevaluate our timing and strategy. We’ve been operating safely for 18 months and have kept our staff safe the whole time. We plan on continuing to prioritize our team and our community.”

In order to dine in the restaurant, a person will have to prove they’re vaccinated, the managers said on social media. Dine-in will be by reservation only. People getting carry out will also have to have proof of vaccination.

Il Focolare closed its dining room in March as the coronavirus took hold in South Carolina. The restaurant had opened five months before.

Aaron Hoskins and acclaimed Chef Sarah Simmons, who also owns smallSUGAR in the Vista, own Il Focolare. They opened it with an old school pizza place vibe. The restaurant is known for its pizza cooked in a wood fire oven.

Il Focolare isn’t the only spot in Columbia requiring proof of vaccination. Lula Drake, a popular wine and dining establishment on Main Street, said it will require vaccination proof to be in its bar and dining room.