Food & Dining

City Winery to open flagship venue at Pier 57 this week

Photo of dining room by Adam Pass

October 13, 2020

City Winery to open flagship venue at Pier 57 this week

The massive new flagship of entertainment venue and restaurant City Winery will open this week at Hudson River Park's Pier 57. Starting October 15, the restaurant will accept reservations for limited capacity indoor and outdoor dining, with 200 seats available inside and 70 seats outside. City Winery was forced to move from its longtime Varick Street location last year after the Walt Disney Company purchased the property with plans to open new production space and offices there.
Get the details

Food & Dining

Grand Central’s historic Oyster Bar closes again

Photo by Jazz Guy on Flickr

October 12, 2020

Grand Central’s historic Oyster Bar closes again

By Devin Gannon

Less than two weeks after reopening for the first time in over six months, Grand Central Oyster Bar has temporarily closed again. The Midtown East restaurant resumed indoor service at its iconic dining room on September 30, the day indoor dining was permitted again in New York City. But with indoor dining capped at 25 percent capacity in the city, the Oyster Bar, which normally relies on commuters and tourists, could not do enough business to stay open.
More here

Food & Dining

Chelsea’s 84-year-old Peter McManus Cafe needs your help

Photo of Peter McManus Cafe © James and Karla Murray

October 5, 2020

Chelsea’s 84-year-old Peter McManus Cafe needs your help

By Devin Gannon

Like thousands of small businesses, one of New York City's oldest family-run establishments is struggling to survive because of the coronavirus pandemic. Irish bar Peter McManus Cafe, located at 152 Seventh Avenue in Chelsea, has been serving pints of Guinness and their famous burgers since 1936. While the McManus family, who has continuously owned the bar for four generations, has seen their fair share of challenges in its 84 years, COVID-19 has made it increasingly difficult to stay in business.
More details this way

All photos courtesy of Eataly

October 2, 2020

Eataly NYC’s new honey-themed rooftop restaurant is the bee’s knees

By Devin Gannon

Eataly's seasonal restaurant in the Flatiron District has undergone a transformation once again. Last week, Serra d'Autunno by Birreria debuted at the 14th-floor rooftop with a new concept dedicated to honey, with "buzzworthy" specialty menu items and cocktails. The restaurant has also partnered with New York-based The Honeybee Conservancy to donate 10 percent of net proceeds from every "honey-focused" dish to the group's Sponsor-a-Hive program.
Get the details

Food & Dining

8 spots to celebrate Oktoberfest 2020 in NYC

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels

October 1, 2020

8 spots to celebrate Oktoberfest 2020 in NYC

By Devin Gannon

Although the world's biggest Oktoberfest festival in Munich won't take place this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, there are still ways to celebrate Bavarian culture locally this month. Biergartens and beer halls across New York City are serving up traditional biers and brats, decking out their spaces with festive decorations, and putting on live music. And while indoor dining can officially resume as of this week, most restaurants also have spacious outdoor patios and gardens, as well as take-out and delivery options.
See the full list

October 1, 2020

Williamsburg’s iconic Kellogg’s Diner is struggling to stay alive

By Dana Schulz

One of the thousands of small businesses struggling to make ends meet in New York City's pandemic world is Williamsburg's Kellogg's Diner, which has been in business since the 1940s. The 24-hour restaurant at the corner of Metropolitan and Union Avenues says it's in danger of closing if the city doesn't increase its indoor dining capacity from 25 to 50 percent. Referring to the fact that restaurants in the rest of the state are able to operate at half capacity, owner Irene Siderakis told Pix 11, "Why is it fair for them and not for us? I don’t understand. I don’t get it."
READ MORE

Food & Dining

64-year-old favorite Pastrami Queen opening second location on the Upper West Side

Photo of the Upper East Side storefront by Tjeerd Wiersma via Flickr cc

September 30, 2020

64-year-old favorite Pastrami Queen opening second location on the Upper West Side

By Dana Schulz

"If I’m away from New York long enough, I need a correct pastrami sandwich from either Pastrami Queen or Katz’s. And you’re not getting that anywhere else, as far as I’m concerned," said Anthony Bourdain in 2016. And New Yorkers will now have two locations from which to enjoy a Pastrami Queen sandwich, as West Side Rag reports that the 64-year-old business will open a second location (the first is on Lexington Avenue and 78th Street) tomorrow on the Upper West Side at the former Fine & Schapiro space at 138 West 72nd Street.
READ MORE

Food & Dining

After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

Photo (cropped) by Jazzy Guy via Wikimedia Commons

September 30, 2020

After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

By Dana Schulz

Ellen's Stardust Diner has been a Theater District fixture since 1987, famous for its retro '50s design, subway car entrance, and singing waitstaff. But like so many other restaurants in New York City, Ellen's struggled to reopen due to the pandemic. As Broadway World reported in July, a photo on Facebook showed a notice posted at the diner from the landlord that said Ellen's owed $618,459.22 in back rent. But good news--Time Out NY now reports that the restaurant and landlord seem to have resolved their conflict, and Ellen's will reopen (singing waiters and all!) as of tomorrow.
READ MORE

Food & Dining

Everything you need to know about indoor dining in NYC

Photo by Fábio Alves on Unsplash

September 29, 2020

Everything you need to know about indoor dining in NYC

By Dana Schulz

After being shut down for more than six months, indoor dining in New York City returns tomorrow. The biggest difference is that restaurants can only operate at 25-percent capacity, but there is also a long list from the state of rules and regulations. Plus, Governor Cuomo has instituted a compliance component that will deploy 400 enforcement personnel and allow New Yorkers to fill out online complaint forms. If you're thinking about partaking in indoor dining, we've put together a guide that outlines everything you need to know.
All the info

Bronx Brewery taps inventive empanada food lab as first full-time food partner

Photos courtesy of the Bronx Brewery

September 25, 2020

Bronx Brewery taps inventive empanada food lab as first full-time food partner

By Devin Gannon

Two South Bronx businesses are teaming up to bring New Yorkers a unique new culinary experience. The Bronx Brewery announced a deal last week to make Empanology a full-time food partner at the bar's spacious backyard. The partnership involves some tasty collaborations, including a BBQ sauce that incorporates the brewery's "World Gone Hazy" IPA and other limited-edition menu items.
Find out more

Food & Dining

NYC outdoor dining will be year-round and permanent

By Devin Gannon

Outdoor dining will be a permanent, year-round feature for New York City restaurants, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. The city's popular "Open Restaurants" program, which launched in June and allows restaurants to set up outdoor seating on sidewalks, patios, and on some streets closed to cars on weekends, was set to expire on October 31. During his weekly appearance on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show, de Blasio said the program will be "part of the life of the city for years to come." The "Open Streets: Restaurants" program, which has closed roughly 87 streets to traffic for car-free dining on weekends, will also be made permanent, the mayor said.
Get the details

Photo by Charissa Fay

September 22, 2020

101st-floor restaurant at 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining next month

By Devin Gannon

The restaurant on the 101st floor of 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining on October 6. Peak, which first opened to the public in March and then closed later that month because of the coronavirus pandemic, has again started taking reservations for its massive 10,000-square-foot dining room, which sits one floor above Edge, the 1,100-foot-high outdoor sky deck. The restaurant said it will not take any parties larger than 10 guests and will not accept cash payments.
Get the details

Food & Dining

40 NYC streets will now be open for outdoor dining on weekdays

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc

September 17, 2020

40 NYC streets will now be open for outdoor dining on weekdays

By Dana Schulz

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc Just days after he expanded the city's popular Open Streets program to 87 streets and nine pedestrian plazas, Mayor de Blasio announced that 40 of these locations will now be open on weekdays to accommodate outdoor dining. Previously, the car-free streets were only allowed to operate on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays. "Restaurants deserve every chance they can get to serve more customers this fall – and, as the weather gets cooler, New Yorkers deserve every chance they can get to enjoy outdoor dining," said Mayor de Blasio.
More info here

Food & Dining

NYC restaurants can charge diners an extra 10 percent fee during COVID-19 pandemic

Photo by 6sqft

September 17, 2020

NYC restaurants can charge diners an extra 10 percent fee during COVID-19 pandemic

By Devin Gannon

Restaurants in New York City can charge diners a fee of up to 10 percent of the total bill for in-person dining under new legislation passed by the City Council on Wednesday. The "COVID-19 Recovery Charge" aims to offset losses businesses have suffered since the start of the health crisis in March. The surcharge will be permitted until 90 days after full indoor dining resumes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo this month said indoor dining can reopen on September 30 at 25 percent capacity.
Get the details

Hoboken releases plan to extend outdoor dining through the winter

Expanded outdoor dining on 14th Street through Hoboken’s Summer Streets, courtesy of Mayor Bhalla’s office

September 16, 2020

Hoboken releases plan to extend outdoor dining through the winter

By Dana Schulz

Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla seems to always be one step ahead of his counterpart in NYC when it comes to social COVID preparations. And this time, he's planning to extend outdoor dining straight through to 2021. Yesterday, Mayor Bhalla and the Hoboken City Council released guidelines on safe, outdoor heating options, application information for businesses to continue participating, and procedures on snow removal.
More details

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

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

September 14, 2020

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

By Devin Gannon

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.
More here

Food & Dining

New York City will open indoor dining on September 30

Photo by Marcus Herzberg from Pexels

September 9, 2020

New York City will open indoor dining on September 30

By Devin Gannon

Restaurants in New York City will be able to resume indoor dining on September 30, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday. Capacity will be limited to 25 percent with strict coronavirus-related regulations in place. In addition to the task force led by the State Liquor Authority, the city will provide 400 inspectors to oversee compliance at restaurants. Cuomo said the state will also rely on city residents to report any violations. "I believe in New Yorkers to do the right thing," the governor said during a press briefing.
Get the details

Cuomo says indoor dining could resume with an NYPD task force enforcing COVID-19 rules

St. Marks Place outdoor dining; Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

September 3, 2020

Cuomo says indoor dining could resume with an NYPD task force enforcing COVID-19 rules

By Devin Gannon

Indoor dining could resume in New York City only if police are able to enforce compliance of coronavirus regulations at restaurants, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. During a call with reporters, the governor said he could allow restaurants to open for indoor dining if the city creates a task force of NYPD officers designated to oversee compliance. Cuomo said he plans to discuss the issue with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who on Wednesday called for an immediate start of indoor dining, which has been allowed in every region in the state except the five boroughs.
More this way

New program asks architects to help design outdoor dining spaces for NYC restaurants

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

September 2, 2020

New program asks architects to help design outdoor dining spaces for NYC restaurants

By Devin Gannon

Outdoor dining has offered a much-needed lifeline to many New York City restaurants struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic. But creating a space on city streets and sidewalks that is both inviting to diners and meets the city's safety standards comes at a cost. To help restaurants reopen, the city's Economic Development Corporation partnered with NYCxDesign, the American Institute of Architects, and the Center for Architecture to launch an online network that connects restaurants with architects and designers willing to provide design help for free.
More this way

300+ restaurants sign on for $2B lawsuit over New York’s indoor dining ban

By Pictures of Money via Flickr cc

September 1, 2020

300+ restaurants sign on for $2B lawsuit over New York’s indoor dining ban

By Dana Schulz

The plot continues to thicken over when and if indoor dining will resume in New York City, with New Jersey starting indoor restaurant operations this Friday and Mayor de Blasio hinting that it won't return in the city until a COVID vaccine is approved. And now, a group of 337 restaurants has signed on to a lawsuit that is seeking $2 billion from the city and state. As Crain's reported, the main plaintiff is 28-year-old Queens Italian restaurant Il Bacco, which is just 500 feet over the Nassau County border where restaurants were allowed to reopen indoor dining.
READ MORE

66-year-old East Village restaurant Veselka shares its COVID struggles

Photo of Veselka by James and Karla Murray for 6sqft. See more here >>

September 1, 2020

66-year-old East Village restaurant Veselka shares its COVID struggles

By Dana Schulz

After closing in March, Veselka reopened for takeout and delivery at the end of April, and both their main location and their secondary spot in the Market Line food hall are open for outdoor dining. But like so many others across the city, the 66-year-old Ukrainian restaurant is struggling without indoor dining. In a video interview with photographers James and Karla Murray, second-generation co-owner Tom Birchard said, "We need to have more tables than we have right now to survive long-term."
READ MORE

Food & Dining

New Jersey will open indoor dining and movie theaters for Labor Day weekend

Photo of Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten by cogito ergo imago on Flickr

August 31, 2020

New Jersey will open indoor dining and movie theaters for Labor Day weekend

By Dana Schulz

Much like his decision to open beaches ahead of Memorial Day weekend, Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey will allow indoor dining to resume across his state this Friday, just ahead of Labor Day weekend. In a Tweet this morning, Murphy said that restaurants and bars can begin operating indoors at 25-percent capacity with social distancing in between tables. In a later press conference, he also announced that movie theaters and other indoor performance venues can reopen on September 4.
READ MORE

NYC Council extends cap on food delivery fees until indoor dining resumes

Photo by Patrick Connor Klopf on Unsplash

August 28, 2020

NYC Council extends cap on food delivery fees until indoor dining resumes

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council on Thursday voted to extend the cap on commissions that restaurants are charged by third-party delivery services. The legislation, first enacted in May, restricts fees services like Grubhub and Uber Eats can charge to 20 percent per order during a state of emergency. The cap will now be in effect until restaurants are able to resume indoor dining at maximum occupancy and 90 days following. There is still no plan to bring back indoor dining, despite the city meeting the state's coronavirus metrics.
More this way

Krispy Kreme unveils new Times Square flagship

All photos courtesy of Krispy Kreme

August 26, 2020

Krispy Kreme unveils new Times Square flagship

By Dana Schulz

Just like their doughnuts, Krispy Kreme says its new 24-hour Times Square flagship will be "fresh and one-of-a-kind." Opening on September 15, the massive, immersive new shop will feature the world's largest glaze waterfall, a doughnut-making theater, and the ability to produce 4,560 doughnuts an hour.
READ MORE

Food & Dining

Car-free blocks with diverse outdoor dining options open in Queens

DineOut opens in Jackson Heights; Photo by Kamila Harris for Rockwell Group

August 24, 2020

Car-free blocks with diverse outdoor dining options open in Queens

By Devin Gannon

Two neighborhoods in Queens hit especially hard by the coronavirus are slowly getting back on their feet thanks to a new communal dining experience. David Rockwell and his firm Rockwell Group unveiled last week two new community outdoor dining areas on car-free blocks in the Queens neighborhoods of Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, part of the firm's DineOut initiative. Both communities, which are considered to be among the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City, offer a variety of cuisines, including Tibetan, Nepali, Indian, Thai, and more.
See more

Food & Dining

Food & Dining

Pitch a Story

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Distinctive Post Form

Get in Touch

Send us a Tip

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Thinking about selling your home?

Sell a Home (Footer)

Before You Move On from this Page.

Your Passport to NYC:Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Your Passport to NYC:
Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!