2021 in food: Cicadas, TikTok pasta and a rough return to restaurants

Some of the favorite restaurants have failed to survive the covid crisis – some are closing immediately, while others are closing during the 2020 shutdown but are still hoping to stay open come back when things are better. This year, many people face the reality that they can’t, like Sergio Ristorante Italiano in Silver Spring, Md. For 37 years, Sergio Toni and his son, Luigi, have served their devoted customers zuppa ai frutti di mare and ravioli stuffed with asparagus and ricotta in their small basement restaurant. Couples got engaged there, and so did their children eventually. They celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and retirements. But the hotel above the restaurant was closed, and Tonis could not open the door, including take-out, without access to the restroom.