WESTBROOK — Legends Rest Taproom at 855 Main St. expects to begin serving food and drink on the River Walk Thursday as the first in the state to take advantage of a new law that allows restaurants to serve food and alcohol on public property.

The City Council Monday approved an ordinance amendment to allow restaurants to set up outside eating and drinking areas on public land near their restaurants. The ordinance change was required under the new state law, which took effect Aug. 1.

“We feel this is good for business. We think it supports our downtown and it’s one more step to becoming downtown-oriented as we continue to pour investments in our downtown community,” Economic Development Director Daniel Stevenson said prior to the council changing the ordinance.

Legends Rest Taproom is the first restaurant in state to take advantage of the law change. according to the city. Stevenson has been talking with other restaurants in Westbrook looking to follow Legends Rest Taproom’s lead.

Tom Minervino, who co-owns Legends Rest Taproom with his sister, Meg, and their business partner Mike Barton, said they will offer 20 seats on a section of the Westbrook River Walk outside their restaurant. The area will be cordoned off and alcohol consumption will only be allowed within that area.

“The River Walk is a beautiful spot and we feel it can be a real outdoor dining destination, especially if some of our neighbors jump on board. There are a number of restaurant there that could potentially have seating out there,” Minervino told councilors.

Legends Rest Taproom intends to make the seating available from lunchtime to 9 to 10 p.m. and hopes the offering will boost sales and provide a nice dining experience for customers.

Minervino said his father, Samuel who owns Samuel’s Bar and Grill at Morrill’s Corner in Portland found that putting tables outside his restaurant eight or nine years ago turned the months of July and August from one of his slowest times of year into one of his busiest. He said if his dad could boost sales with tables overlooking a congested Forest Avenue, “certainly the River Walk will provide the same.”

In response to safety concerns expressed by Councilors Victor Chau and Lynda Adams, Minervino said the outside dining area is well lit and he doesn’t anticipate a need for additional lighting. Public Services, he told Chau, recently repainted the crosswalk through the parking lot to the seating area, but additional signage could be placed there if needed.

Stevenson said representatives from the state’s Bureau of Alcohol and Lottery Operations were expected to visit the site to give it the OK on Wednesday. The site was scheduled to open Thursday afternoon.

Michael Kelley can be reached at 781-3661 x 125 or [email protected] or on Twitter @mkelleynews

This week, Legends Rest Tap Room at 855 Main St. was expected to begin offering food and drink service along a section of the nearby River Walk.

Legends Rest Tap Room’s new outdoor dining spot on the Westbrook River Walk has 20 seats and is cordoned off by rope and barrels so pedestrians can still use the boardwalk.