Dining al fresco: We’ll take the table outside
From patios to rooftops, we’ve got the spots where you can dine and drink under the sun and stars.
Shake Shack
SE Corner of Madison Square Park Near Madison Ave. and E. 23rd St.
212-889-6600
One of the city’s most renowned burger joints, Shake Shack started out as a temporary hot dog cart that grew to be so popular it was eventually given a full contract from the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Expect to linger on a line that just may wrap around the park, but once you dig in to your ShackBurger, fries or frozen custard, you’ll see that the wait was well worth it. –Meredith Engel
PRINT Restaurant and PRESS Lounge
Ink48 Hotel
653 11th Ave.
212-757-2224
Way over on 11th Avenue resides New York’s crown jewel of rooftop bars. PRESS Lounge is a massive (the city’s largest!), open air bar on top of Ink48 Hotel and features delicious cocktails, unparalleled views of the Hudson and the city’s skyline and, best of all, no house music or promoters. To whit: It’s pretty pimp. After getting your fill of the panorama and bar menu, head down to their first floor restaurant PRINT, which serves delicious farm-to-table cuisine in a stylish eco-friendly dining room. –Dorothy Robinson
New Leaf Restaurant & Bar
One Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park
212-568-5323
Nestled in lush Fort Tryon Park and overlooking the Hudson River is this fairytale-like culinary outpost. “You really get a feeling for a bucolic setting in NYC. It feels like you’re on vacation without leaving the island,” says chef Scott Campbell. What’s more fun than being surrounded in flowers while munching on fries flavored by ingredients from the restaurant’s herb garden? Feeling guilt-free about said fries — or any of chef Campbell’s dishes — since all profits go to the New York Restoration Project. Yes, you’ll take a look at the dessert menu. –Tina Chadha
Brasserie Beaumarchais
409 W. 13th St.
212-675-2400
With views of the Standard Hotel on one side and Hotel Gansevoort on the other, meat lovers can people-watch while enjoying chef Nicolas Cantrel’s French cuts on Beaumarchais’s stylish patio. Stopping by after work? Try their L’Apero menu (French for Happy Hour!) which includes and charcuterie and cheese plates. –Tina Chadha
The Central Park Boathouse
East 72nd Street and Park Drive North
212-517-2233
Don’t let the thought of tourists scare you away. “We’ve spent a lot of money over the years to [make sure the place doesn’t feel gimmicky],” says Anthony Walton, director of operations. One of these changes is the recent hire of chef Fred Mero, formerly of the Four Seasons restaurant. While the Boathouse’s famous crab cakes will still be on the menu, there’s that other reason you should stop by: the park! During spring and summer, dine on the charming lakeside patio and watch rowboats go by against the backdrop of the city skyline. “This is everyone’s backyard in New York City,” says Walton. –Tina Chadha
