NYC's 8 Best Restaurants For Al Fresco, Backyard Dining
As the weather warms up, sidewalk al fresco dining season begins again in New York City. Not everyone likes dining mere feet from the street and traffic fumes, so here's a list of spots around town with wonderful backyards or rooftop terraces. By Siobhan Wallace.
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The Cannibal opened last summer with a 350 beer selections, and inexpensive quality menu that includes items like a Pigs Head Cuban and a Grilled Cheese made with pork belly. But you don't have to just enjoy them inside, head for their cozy and urban back outdoor space for a relaxing meal.
Carroll Gardens' Frankies 457 not only has great food, it has one of the best backyard spaces in the city. The patio is covered with ivy, spacious, and downright gorgeous. If it isn't being used for an event, try to get a seat outside for your relaxing evening glass of wine.
Back Forty is surrounded by other restaurants in the East Village, but you'll want to wait it out to get a table there. The food is delicious plus organic and sustainable to boot, but wait for a seat in the back. The romantic strings of lights and plenty of trees will help you forget that you're in New York.
Juliette brought a French bistro to the heart of Williamsburg, and while the brunch is good all year round, everyone wants a seat on their rooftop terrace. Only open in warmer months, you can sit aloft with a view of the neighborhood while enjoying your croque-monsieur.
SLIDE
174 Bleecker Street
New York, NY
212-777-9077
sliderestaurant.com
This recently opened West Village restaurant is known for their creative sliders and boozy milkshakes. The venue also boasts an 18-seat backyard deck and zen pool for the when the hustle and bustle of the big city gets to be too much. Spring menu highlights include the BBQ Pork Belly Slider with Monterrey Jack cheese, pickled onions and fried Brussels sprouts the Sweet Home Alabama Shake with butter pecan ice cream, candied pecans and a shot of Bourbon and the Birthday Cake cannoli.
Eataly's rooftop beer garden/restaurant is open all year round, but it's only when the weather's nice that they open the retractable roof. While wait times made this space a tough one to hit up last summer, perhaps by now the hype will have died down - along with the wait time to get in.
Don't be fooled by this Long Island City venue's small interior when you walk in. Follow the stairs to the left of their upper dining room to get to their backyard. There you can enjoy mojitos and burritos without the noise from the Pulaski Bridge.
The Strand Smokehouse
25-27 Broadway
Astoria, NY
718-440-3231
This sprawling barbecue joint-meets-drinking hall in Queens' bustling Astoria neighborhood has rows of picnic tables out front for street-side dining, along with a spacious backyard garden. Enjoy local craft beers, spirits aged in barrels right above the bar and slow smoked 'cue like Duck Pastrami, Burnt Ends, gargantuan Beef Ribs and much more.
Siobhan Wallace is the co-founder of BlondieandBrownie.com.
