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A Complete List Of NYC Restaurants With Amazing Outdoor Seating

Thanks to the spontaneous but confusing betch known as Global Warming, the weather in NYC hasn’t totally switched over to fall yet, and our fave leather jackets are still patiently waiting in the closet. Most days, the weather is still in the 70s, and that constitutes outdoor seating weather in our book. I mean, if we can’t use the Bryant Park skating rink as a profile pic backdrop yet, we might as well make the most of this weird, barely-sweater-weather time of the year. If you’re looking to get your last dose of outdoor dining and bomb Instagram lighting, here are the trendiest places to eat outdoors in New York right now:

1. Aurora

It takes a lot for us to make the trek to Brooklyn these days, but if you’re sick of your regular Manhattan spots, Aurora is worth the trip. It’s in Williamsburg, so you can expect to see a ton of man buns and recyclable totes, but don’t let that distract you from the restaurant’s amazing food and chill vibe. The outdoor patio is filled with walls of green ivy, and the food itself is almost too pretty to eat. The menu is basically filled with trendy Italian food, so don’t expect avocado toast. Bring friends and share the pasta. Nothing like complex carbs and a good backdrop.

Aurora Williamsburg

2. Narcissa

Narcissa is one of those places that is perfect for people with a real appetite, or for models that just need a side of Brussels sprouts post-show. And we’re not just saying that because Karlie Kloss has been spotted here multiple times. Narcissa is trendy and delish, but make sure you sit outside, because the seating is half the experience. People complain that you’re “paying for the atmosphere,” but IDK when that became such a bad thing. The restaurant is kinda hidden inside The Standard East Village, but once you find it, make a reservation and sit outside.

3. Cookshop

We usually don’t venture to 10th avenue unless it’s 2am and we have a table at Marquee, but Cookshop is one of the better restaurants in Chelsea right now, and the outdoor seating area is everything. Cookshop is perfect for big groups and boozy brunch, so you can enjoy your fourth Bloody Mary while sitting under the restaurant’s photogenic green awnings. They also offer specialty baked goods everyday, so you’ll basically HAVE to order the croissant of the day, or you’re majorly missing out. That would just be a shame.

Cookshop NYC

4. The Pavilion

The Pavilion is one of those restaurants that makes you briefly forget how tragic Union Square really is. It’s set in the middle of the park, and it’s only open in the summer months, so now is basically the last time to get a reservation until next May. The Pavilion’s orange table umbrellas are hard to miss, so if you want to sit outside in Union Square, this is the place to do it. The ambiance is super cute, and it’ll make you disregard the fact that people are doing outdoor public Zumba like, 10 feet away.

5. Untitled at The Whitney

Whether you’re actually down for modern art or just want the trendy geotag of Untitled, you’ve gotta sit outdoors at The Whitney at some point in your brunch career. The restaurant itself is amazing, and it’s basically the go-to outdoor seating in the Meatpacking District if you want to avoid the basic bitches at Catch on a Sunday. Plus, your Instagram of that Milk & Cookies dessert is literally the artsiest thing in the museum to date. You’re so cultured. 

Untitled At The Whitney

6. Santina

Santina is one of those places where you literally forget you’re in NYC, because it’s so damn pretty. First of all, it’s owned by the same team as Carbone, so the food is OBV amazing, and the actual restaurant is this chic, glassed-in space right under the High Line. Plus, they have outdoor seating with pretty lights and umbrellas that are more colorful than your entire wardrobe. Go before it’s too cold to appreciate it.