Call them “COVID huts” or “streeteries” — but they are saving the restaurant industry while also improving our cities.

Our Streetfilms colleague went to Boston earlier this month to see how Beantown is recovering from the pandemic — and he found that restaurateurs in the North End — typically a car-choked area with little pedestrian space — have finally realized that curbside space is better when it’s used for feeding customers, not storing cars.

Check out his latest mini-documentary here:

Obviously, Boston isn’t the only city in the country that’s figured out the benefit of reusing the curb for more important purposes. As our colleagues in New York, Chicago, and other places have pointed out, outdoor dining is a great thing when done right.