new york city’s best outdoor bars + restaurants
Call us predictable, but, in spite of our pale skin, one of our favorite things about summer is drinking outside. Lucky for us, New York City has no shortage of amazing outdoor bars and restaurants! So where in this concrete jungle are the best options for getting your drink on?
The Lazy Travelers investigate! aka: we spent many summer months getting drunk at these locales.
The Standard Biergarten, 848 Washington Street // Ok, so techniiically this biergarten has a roof and is hidden away from the sunshine, but in the summer months it’s completely open air. Connected to the ultra hip Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District and directly beneath the High Line, it’s got more of a scene than The Lazy Travelers can normally cope with. But, any place that specializes in liters of German beer and soft pretzels the size of your head? A-OK in our books.
Photo courtesy of The Standard
Also of note: The Standard Biergarten has something called the Stammtisch Table, where you pay by the hour and they serve you as much unlimited beer as you can handle. We can get behind that.
Boat Basin Cafe, West 79th St in Riverside Park // This outdoor restaurant and bar is perched on the edge of Riverside Park overlooking the Hudson. Open daily for lunch and dinner, it’s the perfect spot to cool off with a cold drink after a walk through Central Park or the streets of the Upper West Side.
Added bonus? It’s pup friendly, which means you can bring-your-own-pug or just spend time staring at other people’s dogs.
Birreria, 200 5th Avenue (at 23rd St) // There are many places within Eataly that we could waste away the day (mmmm, pizza) but if you’re looking to spend time in the fresh air, head upstairs to the restaurant and brewery, Birreria. The rooftop bar has a retractable glass ceiling for the summer months and lets in the cool breeze.
If you’re a craft beer lover, you’ll adore the unfiltered cask ales they brew in house. They serve them all through traditional hand pumps, at room temperature. If you’re NOT a craft beer lover, that’s ok too! They have plenty of delicious Italian wines on hand. And let’s not ignore a menu that reflects all the delicious Italian delicacies downstairs. Come hungry and thirsty, for sure.
The Frying Pan, Pier 66 at West 26th St. in Hudson River Park // All New Yorkers know that it’s not really summer until happy hour pics from The Frying Pan start flooding your newsfeed. On nice days, it’s usually packed. It’s also a little out of the way. We suggest you get there early or have a back up plan. Lord knows you won’t be able to just stumble into the bar next door if you can’t find a table. If you luck out and claim a space of your own, order a bucket of beer, sit back, and relax.
Central Park Great Lawn, Central Park West & 79th Street Entrance // Ok so, this isn’t technically a bar… and, actually, technically you’re not supposed to drink here. But everyone does it, and we’d be remiss not to mention it. Central Park is the city’s backyard, and Manhattanites treat it as such. Grab some blankets, call your friends, and set up a meeting stop somewhere in or around Belvedere Castle.
It’s prime for people watching and sunburning, so what more could you really want?
And there you have it, little darlings. The very best places to imbibe outdoors, in our humble opinions. Any you’d add? What’s your favorite city for such madness?
xo!
the romantic & the wino
Lazy Travelers
The Lazy Travelers are two transatlantic best friends who have mastered the art of exploring a new city. Though Ashley is based in London and Carolyn is in Philadelphia, we'll use any excuse to reunite around the world. We’re professional bar hoppers, pub crawlers, and food testers, and you’ll never see us zipping around, checking things off a list of “must-sees.”
13 Comments
@mrsoaroundworld
SO what exactly is a popover? I can’t identify it. Just know that it looks yummy. Lots of places for me to try out – for sure!! Love the place at Eataly – wished we had one in London. It would do SO well!
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted..My hOtel: Columbia Beach Resort, Cyprus @columbiabresort
Lazy Travelers
you know, it’s really hard to explain? definitely a new york thing… it’s like a muffin and a buttery dinner roll had a baby made of egg batter. and it’s hollow? it’s delicious, that’s all you really need to know.
and YES to eataly & the birreria in london, that needs to happen.
Lazy Travelers recently posted..new york city’s best outdoor bars + restaurants
Monica Suma
I was just at the one at Eataly, great appetizers, basically ordered a few and my friends and I were so full, I couldn’t eat any entree. Great open space too!
Monica
I would love to visit New York in the summer. These bars all sound so cool! I’ve only ever been in the winter when outdoor drinking was out of the questions!
Monica recently posted..My Weekend in Bruges
Lazy Travelers
ahh yes, new yorkers haven’t really adopted paris’s affinity for drinking outside no matter the season. we love the summer, but may or september is probably when new york is at her best 🙂
Lazy Travelers recently posted..new york city’s best outdoor bars + restaurants
hotmamatravel
This post was right up my alley! I’m bit of a patio freak as my husband will attest to. I love me a good patio and I can totally picture myself sip a cold one at The Standard!
hotmamatravel recently posted..St Pete Beach
Lazy Travelers
we hear you!! maybe it’s one of the reasons we love paris so much?? they drink outside almost year round!
Lazy Travelers recently posted..new york city’s best outdoor bars + restaurants
Tawny of Captain and Clark
So… about those popovers. Is it possible to have a few of them sent over? I might have drooled on my keyboard!
Tawny of Captain and Clark recently posted..AlcoHAUL. Episode one. [feat. Koloa Rum]
Lazy Travelers
you’ll have to come to eventi to taste them. and also you will have to invite us to join. deal??
Monica Suma
Know and tried all except for Humphrey, first time I hear about it. I should check it out, looks nice!
lola
loving the outdoor list. surprisingly, i’ve been to at least half. not bad, Lola, not bad.
lola recently posted..Mongol Rally – a very un-Lola-like adventure
Ryan
I’ll have to check out some of these when I get a chance to go to New York. The Standard in particular looks pretty chill.
Ryan recently posted..Home Bar Ideas to Make Your Summer Entertaining the Best Ever!
Mary Anne
EATALY in NYC??!! yes please. We are getting one in LA soon.. perhaps we should do a coast to coast Eataly tour? Sounds like NYC was a great time had by all!