Spring is in full swing, so you know what that means: Outdoor dining. New to the scene this year, a West Chelsea rooftop and a West Village garden.
Check it out:
The Americano’s (518 West 27 Street, 212-525-0000, www.hotel-americano.com) hip restaurant and bar is reaching up to the skies for the season with a rooftop pool bar and restaurant that has breathtaking views of The High Line, the Hudson and the Empire State building. Simply head up the external glass elevator to the 10th floor oasis and enjoy Executive Chef Joseph Buensonsejo’s Latin fare with a French flare, while the bustling bar concocts refreshing cocktails all day and night. If you are looking for a more low-key dinner al fresco, follow the smell of the barbecue through The Americano and out onto the terrace for an intimate afternoon drink or dinner away from the bustling city streets.
Pizza Roma (259 Bleecker Street, 212-924-1970, www.pizza-roma.it) in the West Village. It’s a charming garden that wouldn’t be out of place in a Federico Fellini film, an ideal spot to enjoy the restaurant’s light and airy pizza with toppings such as artichokes ($17.50) and soppressata ($17.50) and an ice-cold Moretti. Relax Roman-style at the backyard birreria.
My Moon (184 North 10th Street, 718-599-7007, www.mymoon.com) Enjoy modern Spanish tapas while sitting in an intimate booth swathed in billowy cloth or at a table under the stars. You’ll feel transported thousands of miles away–even though it’s just a short trip over the Williamsburg Bridge. And enjoy the sprawling outdoor patio.
Neely’s Barbecue Parlor’s (1125 First Avenue, 212-832-1551, www.neelysbbqparlor.com) Southern cuisine is also made for easy living, so don’t miss out on dining at the 40-seat outdoor café. It’s one of the best places on the Upper East Side for al fresco eats. Sip refreshing cocktails such as the Memphis Mojito ($10) with Sweet Tea Bourbon and sink their forks into warm weather dishes like Pan Fried Blue Crab Cakes ($15.25) with smoked tomato mayonnaise and green tomato chow chow – a pickled relish — and Cedar Planked Salmon ($19.95) with corn pudding, green beans and parsley butter.
MexiQ Kitchen & Draught (37-11 30th Avenue, Astoria, 718-626-0333, www.mexiqny.com) also serves Southern fare, but with a Mexican twist. And during the spring and summer, the Astoria restaurant opens its glass doors and sets up a sidewalk café, complete with picnic tables and plenty of people-watching opportunities. It’s Queens’ go-to spot for craft beers and crave-worthy food such as BBQ Brisket Tacos ($8) and Seared Ahi Tuna Burritos ($19), all of which can be enjoyed in the fresh air.
Bistro The Tea Set (235 West 12th Street, 646-476-8731, www.the-tea-set.com) will also open a sidewalk café. Located on a quaint Greenwich Village side street, the al fresco space will boast potted plants, cozy tables and an atmosphere courtesy of one of the loveliest neighborhoods in the city. Diners can enjoy class bistro fare such as Salmon Ratatouille ($19.50) for dinner, or come for brunch and try a Croque Croissant ($9.90) with ham, organic cheddar and béchamel. But at any time of day, a glass of one of Bistro The Tea Set’s Organic Iced Tea ($2.90), which comes in flavors like hibiscus and orange peel, will surely hit the spot.
Redeye Grill (890 Seventh Avenue, 212-541-9000, www.redeyegrill.com) offers diners an outdoor oasis in the midst of bustling Midtown. Indeed the restaurant boasts a sprawling wrap-around terrace making it the perfect spot to enjoy their signature Redeye Fire & Ice Seafood Towers overflowing with dancing shrimp, oysters, king crab, lobster cocktail, shrimp cocktail, littleneck clams, sushi, tuna tartare, p.e.i. mussels and seaweed salad ($90) on a sunny summer afternoon or indulge in the decadent King Crab Truffle Gnocchi with shaved black truffle and parmesan grantinee ($38).
Further uptown, legendary Italian restaurant Carmine’s (2450 Broadway, 212-362-2200, www.carminesnyc.com) is equipped with a lovely outdoor patio. Treat the whole family to an outdoor meal of Southern Italian classics served family-style. Menu highlights include Spicy Scarpariello Wings ($18.50), Lobster fra Diavolo (P.A.) and Baked Clams ($22.50).
Looks amazing!!!