Whether you’re still not entirely comfortable dining indoors or want to make the most out of the innovative outdoor dining setups that many restaurants have come up with this winter (igloos, yurts, basically—the works!), we've got you covered with our roundup of the best outdoor dining in NYC. Many top restaurants around the city have kept their revamped outdoor setups from earlier on in the pandemic or upgraded their digs altogether, while new spots have opened up with al fresco dining top of mind, giving New Yorkers a plethora of safe and beautiful options to kick back with friends and enjoy a delicious meal. From heated lamps to garden patios, check out these 39 restaurants featuring truly excellent outdoor dining options.
39 of the Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in NYC Right Now
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Published Feb 17, 2022
CASA LIMONE
1. Somewhere Nowhere
The popular nightclub and lounge, which also boasts a pool in the summer months, just opened an igloo dining/drinks experience on their rooftop with a crazy view of the Empire State Building. And trust us—even if you’ve cozied up in an igloo at another restaurant in the city, you haven’t done it like this (i.e., 39 floors up). The views are gorgeous, and the vibes are luxe (think: faux fur blankets, posh chairs, a heater and cute fireplace). The menu includes fan favorites like tuna tartare and mini sliders, but the standout order here are the cocktails themed to pop culture, like Alice in Wonderland, Game of Thrones and Beauty and the Beast.
112 W 25th St, Manhattan; somewherenowherenyc.com
Courtesy of Momofuku Ssäm Bar
2. Momofuku Ssäm Bar
The indoor/outdoor nature of Momofuku Ssäm Bar’s outdoor dining setup makes it pretty unique since it’s fully covered like a loggia—meaning you can keep your blow out intact no matter the weather. It’s also structurally protected from the howling winds known to dance around the Seaport. Easy to find at the entrance of the shiny and updated Pier 17, you’re very much still outside, with all the al fresco vibes, plus heaters at the ready for chillier temps. The delicious grub is icing on the cake for diners at Ssäm: The updated location and menu of this Momofuku outpost puts out a great margarita, and is known for its divine Cacio e Pepe Rice Cakes and Sizzling Bavette Steak.
89 South Street, Pier 17, Manhattan; ssambar.momofuku.com
Lindens
3. Lindens
Here’s your chance to feel like you’re dining in a cozy cabin without having to brave the nightmarish Saw Mill Parkway. The all-season cabins at this New American restaurant located at the Arlo Soho Hotel were imported from Canada and rebuilt piece by piece in their current location, a rep for the hotel tells us. Each cabin has a unique, hygge-inducing ambiance, and you can book them now for a special Harvest Dinner: the elevated comfort foods on this menu include butternut gnocchi, a root vegetable tart, a squash ravioli, and lemon and bourbon donuts offered through a four course menu for with an optional wine pairing. Not a bad way to get a taste of the Great Outdoors in Manhattan, something the restaurant pays homage to via its name—a poetic nod to the Linden trees that line New York streets.
2 Renwick Street, Manhattan; arlohotels.com
4. Barn Joo Nomad
This Korean gastropub is a great place to meet coworkers or friends after work: the inventive cuisine is made to share, and the cocktails are on point. Pro tip: Try the Jalapeño Margarita and the Drunken Tiger. Grub highlights include fried chicken wings, the soft shell crab, the crispy chicken buns and an Uni Bibimbap that will keep you coming back. The standard warming huts get the outdoor dining job done if there’s a wind tunnel, with plastic insulators and heaters.
34 W 35th St., Manhattan, barnjoo.com
5. Rolo’s
Queens never really gets the love it deserves, and Rolo’s is a testament of that. Opened by four Gramercy Tavern veterans, it’s become a local secret that we’d really hate to reveal, but ultimately must. Almost everything here is cooked over a wood fire, including polenta breads (!) in multiple varieties, a chicken dish with Fresno chili relish, and a spicy pork T-bone, not to mention a mouth-watering double cheeseburger. There are also homemade pastas that your nonna would absolutely approve of and fresh breads straight from the oven. The contemporary cocktail menu includes a fancy-pants creative spin using almost every type of spirit, from Mezcal and tequila to rum, rye and gin. But the best part: their outdoor dining setup with picnic table seating, overhead heater and twinkling string lights.
853 Onderdonk Ave. Ridgewood, Queens; rolosnyc.com
Courtesy of Ainslie
6. Ainslie
This Williamsburg favorite is open for outdoor dining throughout the seasons. The wine bar, beer garden, and Italian restaurant has an expansive sidewalk seating area in addition to having an open air back-bar with communal tables separated by plexiglass. Tuck into wood-fired pizzas, pastas and more (wood-fired rosemary wings, anyone?).
76 Ainslie St, Brooklyn; ainsliebk.com
7. Hamilton Hall
This Hamilton Heights beer hall opened its doors during the pandemic but has been popular with locals ever since, thanks to its excellent selection of draft beers, tasty eats and heated outdoor dining booths in front of the restaurant. (Psst: We also hear that the burgers and chicken wings are seriously good.)
3489 Broadway; (646) 454-9797 or hamiltonhallnyc.com
8. Jeju Noodle Bar
When evening temperatures start to drop, you can stay cozy in one of the covered, heated tents on the sidewalk at this Michelin-starred Korean restaurant (the first noodle restaurant to receive a Michelin Star in the country, NBD) in the West Village. Slurp on flavor-packed ramyuns like the gochu ramyun with pork belly, kimchi and and scallions or the family ramyun with shrimp, squid and mushrooms. Yum.
679 Greenwich St.; (646) 666-0947 or jejunoodlebar.com
Casa Limone
9. Casa Limone
Did your trip to Italy get canceled last year? No matter. You can savor the tastes of southern Italy at this delightful spot in Midtown where seasonal produce and Italian-imported ingredients are the star of the show. The pastas are divine, the pizza is fabulous and the desserts will have you feeling like you’re living la dolce vita... all of which can be enjoyed on the charming covered patio.
20 E 49th St; casalimonerestaurant.com
Courtesy of Daniel Kwak
10. Brooklyn Chop House
This FiDi steakhouse features outdoor seating with plastic barriers between tables, and last winter offered three oversized tents with a half dozen industrial-grade heaters overhead. Translation? You’ll stay warm and cozy as you dig into your ribeye or filet mignon. (Note: They also offer mouthwatering seafood and chicken dishes.)
150 Nassau St.; brooklynchophouse.com
11. Dr. Clark
Forget dinner under the stars, we want to eat dinner under a disco ball. And at Yudai Kanayama’s newest restaurant in Chinatown, you can do exactly that. To sit at the kotatsu dining table (with a sparkling disco ball hanging up above), guests remove their shoes before being seated at the low wooden table. Specializing in Hokkaido comfort-food like jingisukan lamb BBQ, house smoked sashimi, uni, and "zangi" fried chicken, the hip restaurant now has a karaoke bar up and running indoors.
104 Bayard St.; (646) 998-3408 or drclarkhouse.com
Signe Birck
12. Oiji
This beloved East Village restaurant known for its refined and authentic Korean cuisine and artful plating features private rooms that are tricked out with 3000 watt mighty dual heaters and completely separated from each other to avoid air flow between tables. The space is warm and elegant, offering diners a cozy, safe and secluded dining experience. Chef Kim and his team have also added new menu items including a returning favorite, the truffle seafood broth with crispy rice, among other warm and comforting dishes for the season.
119 1st Avenue; oijinyc.com
Giada Paoloni on behalf of the Howard Hughes Corporation
13. The Greens At The Rooftop At Pier 17
Check out this ultra-chic dining experience in the Seaport District, complete with 28 personal mini lawns in the warmer months or personal rooftop cabins during winter. The socially distant dining retreat features some of the best views of Lower Manhattan in the city, not to mention a stand-out cocktail menu. We love the summer vibes of the mini lawns but are equally enamored with the dining cabins that can fit up to 10 guests and include cozy and comfortable banquette seating, a virtual fireplace, electric heating and more.
89 South Street; pier17ny.com
Brent Herrig
14. Scarpetta
The modern Italian restaurant in NoMad (known for its spaghetti tomato basil) features an outdoor garden café, with a semi-enclosed pergola and heating in the cooler months. The beautiful retreat features a floral archway, orange trees, draping ivy, plant dividers and bistro lights.
88 Madison Avenue; scarpettarestaurants.com
The Standard Grill
15. The Standard Grill
The all-day bistro and café serving new American cuisine and comforting New York classics in downtown Manhattan has a street side bistro space with café curtains and a white oak bar. Enjoy the signature Standard burger and roast chicken for two, paired with a rotating list of seasonal cocktails, craft beers and accessible wines.
848 Washington Street; thestandardgrill.com
Courtesy of Le Crocodile
16. Le Crocodile
Williamsburg brasserie Le Crocodile at Wythe Hotel has brought the classic, full-service restaurant experience outdoors, offering its brasserie menu in the adjoining, open-air gardens of the hotel, complete with retractable roof and heaters throughout the space.
80 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn; lecrocodile.com
Sidney Bensimon
17. Indo-chalet At Wayan
The Indo-Chalet by the Wayan features outdoor tables outfitted in sleek two-tiered cooktops surrounded by lush foliage and heaters under a covered structure. Guests can choose from an assortment of Wayan’s signature satays and sides, where they’ll be able to cook the satays in their desired marinades and sauces on the grill, while keeping the sides hot on the granite stone top level.
20 Spring Street; wayan-nyc.com
Courtesy of James
18. The Greenhouse Patio At James
The Michelin Plate rated, charming neighborhood restaurant and provisions shop in Prospect Heights offers outdoor dining, complete with a community herb garden. The menu is a vegetable-forward, farm-driven menu with seasonal soups, bone broths, snacks and larger mains.
605 Carlton Ave., Brooklyn; jamesrestaurantny.com
19. Nami Nori
This Japanese restaurant in the West Village specializes in open temaki hand rolls and has an outdoor seating area in the front of the restaurant, complete with lush plants acting as a barrier between tables and cozy candles on each table. When seated, each guest also receives a (clean) hot stone to hold in their hands to keep warm throughout service.
33 Carmine Street; naminori.nyc
20. Olmsted
The popular Prospect Heights spot showcases seasonal and creative vegetable-forward dishes that highlight produce from the lush backyard garden as well as local farmers and purveyors. For outdoor dining in the garden and out front of the restaurant, Olmsted offers both Sunglow heaters and a selection of soft, colorful Pendleton blankets to keep guests warm while they’re outside.
659 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn; olmstednyc.com
21. Red Rooster
The Harlem eatery from Marcus Samuelsson has heated outdoor patio seating along Malcolm X Boulevard, where hungry diners can tuck into Red Rooster classics like shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles and rum-chocolate cake.
310 Malcolm X Blvd; (212) 792-9001 or redroosterharlem.com
Alex Karasev
22. 15 East @ Tocqueville
Last year, the two iconic Union Square restaurants 15 East and Tocqueville merged into one. At the new 15 East @ Tocqueville, guests can enjoy offerings from both Michelin-recognized restaurants in the Tocqueville space. The sprawling outdoor dining room set under an elegant glass canopy to shelter one from the elements was designed to bring a sense of calm and comfort—something we could all use more of right now. Here you’ll find seasonal foliage and vegetables, infrared heat lamps, sheepskin throws and wrap-around banquettes to keep guests cozy, warm and comfortable while dining under a New York sky. It tends to book up fast, so fire up your Resy app ahead of time if you’re looking to book.
1 East 15th Street; tocquevillerestaurant.com
Courtesy of e’s Bar
23. E’s Bar
This Upper West Side spot with street seating offers guests a very generous Happy Hour: beer on draft for $6.50, wine for $7.50, a beer and shot combo for $9.50, and e's burger for $5 or falafel burger for $6. Happy hour goes from opening to 7 p.m. every night.
511 Amsterdam Ave.; e-barnyc.com
24. Hütte
Hütte is bringing the Alps to the Upper East Side this season. The backyard eatery has the feel of an après ski lounge with a menu chock full of Austrian-style comfort foods. We love the cozy tents decked out with string lighting, electric heaters, farmhouse wooden tables, and chairs and couches draped with cozy blankets. The menu features game meats and charcuterie, along with dishes like fondue and venison goulash, perfect to pair with a glass of Austrian wine like Blaufränkisch or Grüner Veltliner.
1652 2nd Ave.; huttenyc.com
Courtesy of Lucciola
25. Lucciola
Guests can get cozy at Lucciola with an intimate bubble dining experience consisting of a 15 by 15 feet clear waterproof and wind-resistant tent. May we recommend the spaghetti caccio e pepe with truffle? You won’t regret it.
621 Amsterdam Ave.; lucciolanyc.com
Daniel Lugo Photography
26. Nerai
Presenting an excellent reason to venture to Midtown: Nerai, the seafood orientated Greek restaurant, has electric heaters installed overhead on their umbrellas in the restaurant’s expansive outdoor garden where a sculpture garden once stood. Indulge in their signature savory seafood orzotto, which features fresh octopus, shrimp, mussels and calamari in a saffron broth, and is sure to warm you up on a chilly day.
55 E 54th Street; nerainyc.com
27. Maki Kosaka
This recently-opened casual sushi restaurant by the team behind Michelin-starred Kosaka shares the space with Kinka, a plant speakeasy where chef Sho Boo creates fun takes on handrolls. The covered outdoor seating boasts heat lamps in a garden-like box with plants outlining the area.
55 West 19th Street; makikosaka.com
28. Ten Hope
Ten Hope’s open air garden patio in Williamsburg is the perfect spot to tuck into squid ink gnocchi, a juicy 10-ounce burger or a kofta burger paired with one of their speciality cocktails like Todd’s Hot Date (a hot toddy with brandy, bourbon, date molasses, lemon and clove) or Cran-Apple Mule (vodka, fresh apple cider, ginger beer, cranberry, orange bitters).
10 Hope St., Brooklyn; tenhopebk.com
29. Isabelle's Osteria
Gramercy spot Isabelle’s Osteria serves comforting Italian favorites like lumache with pork ragu, pumpkin pappardelle and more, with all the pastas made in-house daily. The enclosed, airy whitewashed outdoor veranda is fully heated—and features a swing!
245 Park Avenue South; isabellesnyc.com
Photo courtesy of @StuffBenEats
30. Kissaki
This popular omakase establishment features a stylishly covered but airy, outdoor space at both of their NoHo and Upper West Side locations. Here you’ll find traditional offerings served with a delicious twist (think bluefin tuna topped with shiitake mushroom and roasted almond or yellowtail topped with pickled banana peppers).
319 Bowery and 286 Columbus Ave.; explorekissaki.com
31. Amor Cubano
This East Harlem institution known for its excellent Cuban sandwiches has a semi-enclosed outdoor space outside the restaurant on Third Avenue with heaters to keep diners warm. We recommend dining with a group so that you can get the classic sandwich and some of the other standout dishes including ropa vieja, churrasco and homemade empanadas...all washed down with a mojito, of course.
2018 3rd Ave.; (212) 996-1220 or amorcubanonyc.com
32. Restaurant Daniel
Enjoy your meal in the sidewalk bungalows in front of the world-renowned Michelin-star restaurant. You can’t miss the red and white striped cabins with peaked roofs and porthole shaped openings on the sides. Marine cabin heaters come with every Boulud Sur Mer bungalow for an extra warm and cozy feeling (tip: this one’s a great date spot!). Rather than a wood door or plastic, the warm yet well-ventilated bungalows open with the swoop of a curtain. How dramatic!
60 E 65th St, New York, NY 10065; danielnyc.com
33. Lilia
Another restaurant, another yurt village: the yurts at this Williamsburg spot are quite handsome, outfitted in mid century inspired green chairs and a white round table so everyone can face one another.
567 Union Avenue, Brooklyn; lilianewyork.com
Laura Jane Brett
34. Hachi Maki
The ramen and temaki spot on the Upper West Side is named for the headband that sushi chefs wear (hachimaki) and the lucky number eight (hachi). It merges sushi, ramen, and other yum yums like maki sets. The kanpachi crudo and the Midnight (AKA Hangover) Ramen are fast fan favorites. The outdoor dining reflects the inside with pine wood, hanging lanterns, graphics and a display of hachimakis. The heated warm but airy outdoor space seats 40.
522 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024; hachimaki.com
Sola Pasta Bar
35. Sola Pasta Bar
The family-owned Italian restaurant in Soho keeps diners cozy with greenhouse-style “Soho Cottages” that are decked out with over-the-top floral installations, Bluetooth speakers, adjustable heaters, and small firefly lamps. The design was constructed to imitate a romantic evening in Capri. Their menu includes delicious standards like cacio e pepe, spaghetti al pomodoro, and black ink squid spaghetti.
330 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013; solahospitality.com
36. Loulou
The thrumming (and gorgeous) recently opened French bistro and speakeasy is named after owner Mathias Van Leyden’s adorable rescue dog (who loves to greet diners!). Located on the corner of 19th Street and 8th Avenue, their heated outdoor dining setup features strewn overhead paper lanterns and an abundance of flowers. Specialties include duck leg confit, ratatouille, whole grilled branzino, steak frites and a rib eye. Brunch signatures include a croissant French toast, smoked salmon, The Loulou Burger, and eggs Benedict.
176 8th Avenue; loulounyc.com
Veranda
37. Veranda
Restaurateur David Rabin and Michelin-starred chef George Mendes (formerly Aldea) have a gorgeous new spot at the edge of Soho/Tribeca inside the Modernhaus Soho with a greenhouse-style space with a retractable glass roof and poshly decorated outdoor dining yurts (think: furs, velvets, and hanging plants). The mouthwatering menu has hints of Chef Mendes's Portuguese background, such as pastéis de nata and salt cod and potato casserole.
23 Grand St, New York, NY 10013; verandasoho.com
Daniel Krieger
38. Hancock St.
From the folks that brought you Lure Fishbar comes Hancock St., an American-style neighborhood bistro in the West Village with everything from a raw bar to "Adult Kid's Pasta." They offer year-round heated outdoor seating in the garden veranda that feels like a natural extension of the restaurant, with woven with string lights and lush greenery.
256 6th Ave; hancockst.com
39. American Brass
Looking for dinner with a view? Check out this Long Island City spot that boasts 34 heated greenhouses overlooking the East River. Each one can hold up to six people so you and your pod can safely enjoy gazing at the Manhattan skyline while tucking into seared scallops, steak frites and wild mushroom risotto.
2-01 50th Ave, Queens; (718) 806-1106 or americanbrasslic.com
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