Dining Al Fresco: Best Outdoor Dining In New York
Warmer weather is the time to venture outside and enjoy a meal al fresco. Whether people are looking to eat in the middle of Union Square or in a secret patio, New Yorkers can head to one of these restaurants for a some springtime or summer meal. By John Friia
The Pavilion
20 Union Square West
New York, NY 10003
212-677-7818
www.thepavilionnyc.com
One of the quintessential places to dine al fresco in Manhattan is in the heart of Union Square. The Pavilion, an open air French Riviera-inspired décor restaurant opened for its third season, serves American cuisine and seasonal cocktails while using ingredients form the Union Square Green Market. Opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner, people can order Whole Roasted Cauliflower with pinenut chimichurri green tahini and the Pavilion Burger topped with tomatoes, crispy onions Gruyere and saffron aioli. The seasonal restaurant is opened throughout the summer and early fall.
Vandal
199 Bowery
New York, NY 10002
212-400-0199
www.vandalnewyork.com
Dining al fresco on the Bowery may not be the first place New Yorkers think of heading, but Vandal brings its chic, lively and stylish to the busy neighborhood. The downtown hotspot opened its garage doors, which unveils their Secret Garden space full of street graffiti-style artwork. An ideal place to enjoy one a Sunday brunch or one of their tapas dishes, including the Crunchy Jicama Shell Tacos, Cacio e Pepe and New York Hot Pretzel Steak Tartare. To add a cool down for any warm day, people can order their mouthwatering frosè for a warm weather chill.
Printers Alley
215 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
212-419-2770
www.printersalleynyc.com
Amide the hustle and bustle of Times Square, people can find an outdoor Southern respite at Printers Alley. As people head to the private back patio, they will see a number of Nashville memorabilia before sitting in the rustic outdoor space. From the exposed brick to the hanging Edison lights and a giant Jack Daniel's painting, the space brings the Southern feel to the area and play tailgate-style games. New Yorkers can end their weekend with a bottomless brunch while enjoying the fresh air and classic Southern dishes, including Shrimp-N-Grits with sunnyside up eggs or the hot chicken sandwich with sunnyside up eggs.
Bornholm
138 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
917-909-0850
www.bornholm.nyc
People can soak up the sun and experience a journey to the Nordic at Bornholm. The Cobble Hill restaurant boasts an expansive homey outdoor backyard patio. Named after a small island in Denmark, Bornholm is open for brunch, lunch and dinner. People can try various traditional Scandinavian dishes, including Danske Pandekager, a Danish style crepe with homemade jam, or Frikadeller, a Danish meatball with sweet and sour red cabbage. To compliment the dishes, people can sip on a cocktail paying homage to the neighborhood, the Alo Brooklyn mixed with gin, aloe juice, lime juice and topped with pickled cucumber slices.
Café Dante
79-81 Macdougal Street
New York, NY 10012
212-982-5275
www.dante-nyc.com
For over a hundred years, Café Dante has become a staple in Greenwich Village and now gives people the chance to enjoy an al fresco meal at the historical restaurant. The classic bistro serves Italian cuisine with sourdough flatbreads, homemade pasta and a selection of cheeses. People can sit outside in their quaint patio and indulge on the orecchiette with pesto and sip one of the various styles of Negroni, including the Chocolate Negroni while overlooking Macdougal Street.
John Friia is a freelance journalist and native New Yorker writing about food, drinks and lifestyle. You can follow his adventures on Instagram.
