87 streets in NYC are now car-free outdoor dining destinations

September 14, 2020

Rockwell Group’s DineOut NYC in Manhattan’s Chinatown; Photo courtesy of Emily Andrews for Rockwell Group

Even as the city prepares to resume indoor dining this month, more restaurants will be able to take advantage of the program that allows expanded street and sidewalk seating. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week seven new locations for outdoor dining on open streets across the five boroughs, bringing the total to 87 streets and nine pedestrian plazas designated for restaurant use on weekends. The latest batch of outdoor dining streets will be overseen by a number of neighborhood restaurants, including Gertie’s in Williamsburg, Kheo-Yo in Tribeca, Ray’s Bar on the Lower East Side, and others.

Guidelines for open restaurants on open streets via DOT

“As we prepare for the return of indoor dining on September 30th, we’re proud to continue supporting businesses by expanding car-free outdoor dining in neighborhoods across the city,” de Blasio said in a press release.

“Open Restaurants has been a popular program from the beginning, and Open Streets: Restaurants has expanded options even further while changing the way we think about our streets. We look forward to continuing to expand it.”

The pedestrianized streets can be used by restaurants on Friday nights and weekends only, with outdoor dining extended through October 31. Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said NYC could resume indoor dining on September 30 at 25 percent capacity.

According to the Department of Transportation, the open street restaurants can operate from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday nights and noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays. A new rule of the program says restaurants can only serve alcoholic beverages if diners are seated and ordering food.

The Open Restaurants initiative has proven to be popular with restaurant and bar owners, as well as diners. Roughly 10,000 restaurants have opened for outdoor dining since phase two kicked off on June 22. Find a restaurant open for al fresco dining near you here.

The current open streets designated for restaurants include (the sponsoring organizations are in parenthesis–those in italics are new):

Bronx

Arthur Avenue: From East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue (Belmont BID)
Cedar Avenue: From West Fordham Road to Landing Road (Salsa Con Fuego)
Alexander Avenue: From Bruckner Boulevard to East 134th Street (3rd Ave Bid)

Brooklyn

Washington Street: From Front Street to Water Street (DUBMO BID)
Main Street: From Water Street to Plymouth Street (DUMBO BID)
Dock Street: From Front Street to Water Street (DUMBO BID)
Anchorage Place: From Water Street to Pearl Street (DUMBO BID)
5th Avenue: From Dean Street to Park Place (Park Slope 5th Ave BID)
5th Avenue: From President Street to 3rd Street (Park Slope 5th Ave BID)
5th Avenue: From 10th to 13th Streets (Park Slope 5th Ave BID)
Reed Street in Red Hook: From Conover Street to Van Brunt Street (Red Hook Business Alliance/Hometown BBQ)
Graham Avenue: From Skillman Avenue to Conselyea Street (Concord Hill)
5th Avenue: From 40th to 41st Streets (Sunset Park BID)
5th Avenue: From Sterling Place to Berkely Place (Park Slope 5th Ave BID)
Vanderbilt Avenue: From Pacific Street to Atlantic Avenue (Prospect Heights NDC)
61st Street: From 7th Avenue to 8th Avenue (99 Flavor Taste)
Hoyt Street: From Pacific Street to State Street (Atlantic Avenue BID)
Grand Street: From Marcy Avenue to Roebling Street (Gertie Restaurant LLC)

Manhattan

Pearl Street: From Broad Street to Hanover Square (Alliance for Downtown NY)
Pine Street: From William Street to Pearl Street (Alliance for Downtown NY)
Hester Street: From Mulberry Street to Mott Street (Little Italy Merchants Association)
Doyers Street in Chinatown: From Bowery to Pell Street (Chinatown BID)
Canal Street: From Orchard Street to Essex Street (Cervo’s)
Rivington Street: From Essex Street to Norfolk Street (Rivington East Merchants Association)
Orchard Street: From Grand Street to Delancey Street (LES BID)
Broome Street: From Ludlow Street to Allen Street (LES BID)
Lafayette Street: From Spring Street to Kenmare Street (Osteria Morini)
Bleecker Street: From Mott Street to Bowery (Von Design Ltd)
Avenue B: From East 2nd to 3rd Streets (The Hairy Lemon)
East 7th Street: From Avenue A 1st Avenue (Derossi Global)
St Marks Place: From 3rd to 2nd Avenues (Village Alliance)
Jones Street: From Bleecker Street to West 4th Street (Blind Tiger)
Christopher Street: From Waverly Place to 7th Avenue South (Kettle of Fish)
MacDougal Street: From West 8th Street to West 3rd Street (MacDougal Merchants Association)
West 8th Street: From 5th to 6th Avenues (Village Alliance)
Spring Street: From 6th Avenue to Thompson Street (St Tropez Soho, LLC)
9th Avenue: From West 14th to 15th Streets (Meatpacking BID)
West 13th Street: From Hudson Street to Washington Street (Meatpacking BID)
Little West 12th Street: From 9th Avenue to Washington Street (Meatpacking BID)
Gansevoort Street: From Hudson Street to Washington Street (Meatpacking BID)
Mulberry Street: From Broome Street to Hester Street (Little Italy Merchants Association)
West 22nd Street: From 5th to 6th Avenues (Flatiron-23rd Street Partnership)
Broadway: From West 25th to 28th Streets (Flatiron-23rd Street Partnership)
East 20th Street: From Park Avenue to Broadway (Rezdora)
East 32nd Street: From 5th Avenue to Madison Avenue (Hungawi Restaraunt)
West 46th Street: From 8th Avenue to 9th Avenue (Times Square Alliance)
Dyckman Street in Inwood: From Broadway to Seaman Avenue (Sushi Vida)
Bayard Street: From Mott Street to Mulberry Street (Chinatown BID)
Front Street: From Peck Slip to Beekman Street (Calabria Restaurant dba Il Brigante Restaurant)
32nd Street: From 6th Avenue to Broadway (34th Street Partnership)
Broadway: From 32nd Street to 31st Street (34th Street Partnership)
Broadway: From West 29th Street to West 31st Street (Casa Nomad Restaurant and Akin Hospitality Group)
Spring Street: From Mott Street to Elizabeth Street Mari Makan LLC
Elizabeth Street: From Spring Street to Prince Street (Peasant)
West 120th Street: From Malcolm X Boulevard to Mount Morris Park West (120 Marcus Meets Malcolm)
Broadway: From West 28th Street to West 29th Street (Flatiron-23rd Street Partnership)
Broadway: From West 21st Street to West 22nd Street (Flatiron-23rd Street Partnership)
West 36th Street: From 5th Avenue to 6th Avenue (Garment District Alliance)
East 28th Street: From Madison Avenue to Park Avenue (Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership)
East 29th Street: From Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue (Scarpetta Restaurant)
Frederick Douglas Boulevard: From West 112th Street to West 120th Street (Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance)
Duane Street: From Hudson Street to West Broadway (Kheo-Yo restaurant)
Reade Street: From West Broadway to Greenwich Street (Restaurant Marc Forgione)
Rivington Street: From Chrystie Street to Bowery (Ray’s Bar)
St Mark’s Place: From 1st Avenue to Avenue A (St. Mark’s Business Coalition)
West 47th Street: From Broadway to 8th Avenue (Times Square Alliance)