15 of New York City’s most atmospheric outdoor dining spots
New York City’s outdoor dining scene is once again about to change: Restaurants that did not apply for the city’s new outdoor dining program by the August 3 deadline will need to remove the by-now-familiar “dining sheds” that have occupied city streets and sidewalks since 2020. Largely as a result of recently approved new program guidelines and regulations, only about 15 percent of the 13,000 or so establishments with outdoor dining structures have applied to keep them, as 6sqft previously reported. Though many sidewalk sheds may soon be gone, there will be no shortage of enchanting al fresco dining opportunities. Keep reading for a short list of some of the city’s loveliest outdoor dining establishments with no plans to disappear.
Pretty patios and enchanted gardens
Olmsted
659 Vanderbilt Ave, Prospect Heights
The back garden patio at this Prospect Heights dining establishment is as unique and unforgettable as the menu. Chef Greg Baxtrom (Alinea, Per Se) opened this creative addition to Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighborhood with a focus on seasonal, ingredient-driven dishes, with fresh produce from local farmers’ markets. In the magical garden, enjoy drinks and creatively–s’mores come with their own fire pit–light bites surrounded by plantings, lights, and heaters in winter, all arranged in a casual bohemian idyll. A covered wooden structure is lined with antique rugs and couches, and the recently renovated main garden offers seating on a big wooden deck.
Faun
606 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights
Another Prospect Heights haven, this one from a former Vinegar Hill House chef, Faun offers a casual atmosphere that includes intimate–heated in winter–patio dining surrounded by fairy lights and rustic cafe tables.
Rule of Thirds
171 Banker Street, Greenpoint
This relative newcomer to the bustling Greenpoint restaurant scene offers an authentic Japanese dining experience in a chic, spare, and glamorous 85-seat setting. Outdoor tables are sheltered by canopies framed by twinkling lights. “Spring pavilion” seating, with a seasonal prix-fixe menu, offers private dining bungalows for parties of six to 22 people.
Bricolage
162 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope
This contemporary Vietnamese-French restaurant is a local favorite among Park Slope neighbors. Opened by the folks behind San Francisco’s beloved Slanted Door, the restaurant’s best feature may be its utterly charming patio, furnished in eclectic Brooklyn style with salvaged wood and potted plants.
The Crosby Bar
79 Crosby Street, Soho
Step down from Soho’s Lafayette Street into this secluded urban oasis. A parasol-dotted sunken patio is a perfect spot to enjoy refreshing cocktails, a light lunch, or a romantic dinner featuring seasonal specialties like seared salmon, artichoke, roast pepper quinoa, and butter lettuce.
Twenty Three Grand
23 Grand Street, Soho
European charm is alive and well in Soho, replicated in the form of a colorful stone-tiled courtyard beneath a dazzling retractable greenhouse. This flexible dining room allows for indoor or outdoor cocktails and a menu that offers elevated classics and Mediterranean-influenced international flavors.
Dazzling city views
Saga
70 Pine Street, Financial District
The three outdoor terraces at Saga cocktail bar lift you 63 floors above Manhattan’s dazzling skyline for an unrivaled view of NYC and NJ. The fine dining restaurant and cocktail bar is located in an Art Deco landmark building at 70 Pine Street. Crown Shy anchors the building; Saga occupies a spot that’s nearly 800 feet in the sky. Opened in 2021, both promise a truly “elevated” experience that won’t soon be forgotten.
Laser Wolf
The Hoxton, 97 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg
Located atop The Hoxton Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Laser Wolf offers award-winning Israeli cuisine and creative cocktails on a rooftop with endless views of the Manhattan skyline.
Panorama Room
22 North Loop Road, Roosevelt Island
Designed by Parts and Labor Design, the Panorama Room delivers mesmerizing skyline and Queensboro bridge views from the 18th floor of Roosevelt Island’s Graduate Hotel. Enjoy creative cocktails, bar bites, and a raw bar from a spot that’s literally in the middle of the East River.
Waterfront vibes
Grand Banks
Hudson River Park, Pier 25, Tribeca
One of a handful of beloved bar-on-a-boat dining establishments Tribeca’s Grand Banks keeps things on the high end with fancy drinks and fine food onboard a vintage wooden schooner. High-end cocktails join a bounty of sea-worthy delights like oysters, sea scallops, and lobster rolls, framed by unparalleled views of Lower Manhattan and the New York Harbor.
Pilot
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6
The Brooklyn outpost of Grand Banks is an oyster bar atop a 100-year-old wooden schooner moored in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Expect the same cocktails and seafood bites, with an even more dazzling view of Lower Manhattan and its bridges.
Drift In
Hudson River Park Pier 45, West Village
This chill spot on the West Village waterfront offers casual beach fare, craft cocktails, crisp beers and bright summer wines along with oysters and wild-caught New England-style seafood.
Electric Lemon
33 Hudson Yards, 24th Floor
This seasonal American establishment is among the wave of new restaurants that has opened in the west side’s Hudson Yards. Electric Lemon offers produce-based dishes and crudos surrounded by peerless views from the 24th floor of the Equinox Hotel on an elegant terrace that will perfectly see day into night.
The Honorable William Wall
Arrive via Admiral’s Launch ferry, 140 Dudley Street, Jersey City, NJ/Brookfield Ferry Terminal, Battery Park City
The “Willy Wall” is a bi-level barge that’s home to an indoor/outdoor bar, reached by a $20 roundtrip ferry that departs from the WFC ferry terminal. Docked just north of Ellis Island, the barge offers an eyeful of the Harbor and Lower Manhattan.
Gitano Island
125 Carder Road, Governor’s Island
This tropical “beach club” transports New Yorkers to Tulum, Mexico–on Governors Island. This 27,000-square-foot sand-filled escape offers Mexican cuisine and live music, surrounded by plants and palm trees, all just a boat ride away from Manhattan via ferry.
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