NYC’s 15 Best Outdoor Dining Spots

Williamsburg dining enthusiasts may recognize the wholly open air corner restaurant from its other iterations, but Ten Hope may be the best yet to occupy this space. The outdoor garden is popular for brunch, where $25 (plus an entree) gets you unlimited mimosas and more for 90 minutes. For dinner, expect Mediterranean-influenced new American food, such as seared octopus and brick chicken with fava beans.

Green turf, lively plants, and lattice fencing have turned the street in front of Casa Ora into a tropical getaway. The Venezuelan restaurant’s menu of small bites such as arepitas, empanadas, and guacamole with plantain chips also includes heartier entrees like asado negro for two, a tender braised short rib adorned with fresh herbs. In addition to frozen margaritas made with fresh juice and house-made syrups, diners can expect excellent service, which earned the restaurant a spot on OpenTable’s editor’s choice list of top places to celebrate in NYC.

This gastropub serves up a modern interpretation of regional Indian cuisine. Its vibrant decor extends outdoors in a brightly colored, tented structure. A wide-ranging dinner menu includes seasonal vegetable biryani and sea bass cooked in banana leaf with South Indian spices, and weekend brunch highlights include the Kerala fried chicken sandwich, a jackfruit burger, and live “Bolly Jazz” music on Sundays.

A top-notch sushi spread while catching a breeze makes for a perfect evening. Settle into the outdoor patio on the second floor of SIXTY LES Hotel where Blue Ribbon Sushi Izakaya serves its extensive menu, and diners can be entertained by the view of always-bustling Allen Street. Taste your way through sushi from the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans—the menu is organized to help learn the geography of your fish’s origins—or trust the chef with a $125 omakase that offers a full tour of what Blue Ribbon has to offer.

Located underneath a covered, open-air pedestrian passageway in Midtown, La Grande Boucherie’s outdoor dining area mimics the enclosed galleries that connect many streets in Paris. Surrounded by colorful stained glass windows and seated at tables with elegant wood-topped dividers, diners enjoy French classics such as steak tartare, croque monsieur, and escargot paired with the restaurant’s extensive absinthe selection.

Open for lunch, brunch, and dinner, this classic French bistro in Harlem has a tented patio area for outdoor diners to enjoy shade and a cross breeze from the open sides. The menu features standouts such as quiche lorraine, duck leg confit, and Provencal-style mussels with roasted tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, along with a large selection of French wines.

Experience full-on Paris chic in Laduree’s stunning courtyard, a shaded tree- and floral-filled garden made for enjoying warmer weather. The French teahouse is famous for its macarons and other traditional pastries, but there’s also a full savory menu here with dishes such as quiche lorraine, a chicken club sandwich, and lobster pasta.

Little Owl’s sidewalk patio creates an inviting space echoing the ambiance that makes the dining room a go-to spot for anniversaries, birthdays, and other celebrations. Fresh flowers provide color to each table, and an added tent offers shade to diners enjoying Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as the signature pork chop with butter beans and wild dandelion. Look up and you’ll recognize the famous facade seen in every episode of Friends.

Amylos serves Greek cuisine that ranges from the traditional to fun riffs on classic dishes. Book a table on the restaurant’s covered patio for brunch, lunch, or dinner, and enjoy dishes such as grilled calamari, lobster moussaka, and the kontosouvli mixed grill, which serves two (or more!) and includes chicken, pork, and lamb. Bring a group so you can share all the menu items you have your eye on.

This neighborhood restaurant offers a regional tour of France via its menu, from classic crêpes to coq au vin. Lunch, brunch, and dinner can all be had on the restaurant’s breezy tented patio area. Don’t miss the global wine list and Champagne cocktails.

One of the newer arrivals to Arthur Avenue, San Gennaro mixes traditional Italian-American fare with lesser-seen specials inspired by the Italian-born chef’s upbringing. Sit on the shaded, open-air patio and enjoy favorites such as veal milanese or regional fare like linguine al ragu di noci, a pasta dish with walnut sauce from Italy’s Liguria region. Cap off the meal with a cool serving of lemon sorbet or tiramisu.