Swank NYC eateries sue for COVID-19 business interruption coverage

The Campbell, a bar in Grand Central Station, has been shut down since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Ryland West/ALM

Celebrity chefs including Rick Bayless, Marcus Samuelsson and Andrew Zimmerman have taken to social media to spotlight the plight of restaurants during the global pandemic, many of which have suffered millions of dollars in potentially uninsured losses.

Now, a group of New York restaurants and bars, including well-known establishments such as Ess-a-Bagel, Junior’s Cheesecake and Smith & Wollensky steakhouse, have sued their insurers in state court, arguing they are entitled to business interruption insurance coverage for losses and expenses associated with the coronavirus pandemic.