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Summer Dining in the Streets of NoMad

August 5, 2020

Quarantine has inhibited quite a few of our favorite activities. However, it has brought New Yorkers the pleasant surprise of a boom in outdoor dining! Restaurants have taken to the streets all over the city, expanding their outdoor seating so that people can enjoy fine dining and drinks all summer long. Whether this be in the warm sunshine or under the moonlight, tables lining our NoMad neighborhood have been transformed into feeling like European piazze.

Phase 2 Dining in Open Streets

When New York entered Phase 2, this allowed for dining in open streets, with tables placed six feet apart. The City Council passed legislation that required the DOT (Department of Transportation) to identify outdoor areas around the city that could be used for additional outdoor seating – spaces like sidewalks, streets, and plazas.

This has helped businesses, especially those that have little or no outdoor dining space, to expand their footprint for the summer and hopefully survive the challenges that the pandemic has brought.

As of early June, there were over 45 miles of Open Streets throughout New York City, with plans to expand to 100 miles. Here is a listing of Open Streets in the five boroughs.

Sidewalk and Plaza Seating

While some establishments are still working with the DOT to gain access to this type of seating, our very own tenant, La Pecora Bianca, has been able set up tables on Broadway just below 26th Street. Almost immediately, restaurant-goers have seized the opportunity to enjoy its offerings and have once more been able to feast on their favorite Italian dishes.

Many other NoMad establishments have been equally excited to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room on 24th Street has expanded onto New York City streets and has even placed a couch on the sidewalk for customers to lounge on while they enjoy a drink. In addition, Eataly’s box is open on Flatiron Plaza, surrounded by tables for people to enjoy pizza, gelato, and summer drinks from their colorful kiosk.  Just this past Saturday, our wonderful Scarpetta opened its outdoor dining area, and it looks like a beautiful oasis.

To find out more about NYC’s outdoor seating, check out these articles and interviews: Flatiron, NoMad Restaurants Expand Seating to Curbs, Streets Amid NYC Reopening and Tracking the Reopening of New York City.

Map of New York City Restaurants

The New York Department of Transportation has provided a helpful Map of NYC Open Restaurants, including over 6,200 restaurants. The database can be searched by borough, zip code, or specific restaurant name and will inform you if the establishment has sidewalk seating, roadway seating, or both. It also lets users know if the restaurant has alcohol service or not.

NoMad Restaurants Offering Outdoor Seating

Here we have compiled a list of NoMad specific restaurants that are currently open for outdoor seating:

Although we are not out of the woods yet, at least we have been able to open up our worlds a bit; eat and drink under the open sky; and support our local businesses.