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NEW YORK CITY'S ACCESSIBLE RESTAURANTS NOW ONLINENovember 19, 1999The city with more restaurants per square mile than any other in America is now a little bit easier for people with physical disabilities to navigate, thanks to a new restaurant guide that highlights New York's accessible eateries. Wendy Ballard Dines Out, an online guide to restaurants, cafes and pizzerias, now includes a list of those that meet a few key criteria for people with mobility problems, and Ballard says she hopes to add information for sight and hearing impaired people soon. Listings for other major cities are also in Ballard's plan for the future. "Wendy Ballard Dines Out" lists restaurants in more than 50 cuisine categories, from Afghanistani to "world cuisines." The guide features places "located away from congested tourist traps," to give native New Yorkers a way to avoid tourists and tourists a way to avoid each other. The listing also focuses on places with dishes that are "inexpensive to mid-range" in price. Ballard says she developed the "easy access/wheelchair accessible" dining section with "aging parents, the physically challenged, injured veterans and the temporarily disabled" in mind. "If your child uses a wheelchair, or Grandma uses a walker, or a person on crutches wants to dine in a nice place, it is nice to know there are eateries that have no obstacle course," she said. The restaurants that qualify as accessible in Ballard's guide must not have stairs to get inside, must have sufficient maneuvering room for guests to get to the dining area tables and must have restrooms on the dining area level. The dining guide also provides tips for visitors to New York, such as how to use the city's public transportation, entertainment suggestions, food product reviews, and information on stores, shops and services. The site is not sponsored by any particular restaurants or organizations but is designed to be advertiser-supported, Ballard said.8 |
