The District That Inspires®

July 27, 2020

Outdoor Dining: NoMad Restaurants Go European

It’s always a thrill to sit down in a piazza in Rome or on a narrow street in Paris and enjoy dinner al fresco.  We aren’t able to go to Europe right now, but NoMad’s restaurants are bringing Europe to us — with a whole new dining experience for New Yorkers.

When New York entered Phase 2, this allowed for dining in Open Streets (with tables placed six feet apart). When preparing for the reopening of restaurants, the New York 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. 

Open Street Seating

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

While some establishments are still working with the DOT to gain access to this type of seating, our very own La Pecora Bianca has already set up tables on Broadway just below 26th Street. Almost immediately, restaurant-goers have seized the opportunity to enjoy its offerings.

Sidewalk and Plaza Seating 

Other NoMad establishments are also finding new and novel ways to take advantage of the outdoors and provide customers with a memorable experience. For example, Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room on 24th Street has 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.

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.

NoMad Restaurants Offering Outdoor Seating

Here are some of the restaurants in NoMad that are currently open for outdoor seating:

The New York Department of Transportation has also provided a helpful online map of over 6,200 New York City 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.

Search here: Map of NYC Open Restaurants

We’re not out of the woods yet, but at least we can open up our worlds a bit; eat and drink under the open sky; and support our local businesses.