Those who dine outdoors in New York should be aware that there are some major changes happening to the rules and regulations that pertain to eating out in the city. Mayor Adams has a new campaign called Dining Out NYC, which breaks down guidelines for permeant outdoor dining in all five boroughs. This is a major change for post-pandemic outdoor dining in New York. To learn more, keep reading below.
The new regulations make it OK for outdoor dining to exist year-round for sidewalk cafes, and additionally adds guidance for restaurants creating street cafes that are allowed from April to November.
The new proposed rules for creating outdoor dining require clear design standards, specifics surrounding the materials that can be used for outdoor dining, and confirmation of a layout as it relates to subway entrances and fire hydrants.
Andrew Rigie, the executive director of New York City’s Hospitality Alliance, had this to say: "It’s going to be standardized. It’s going to be much more sustainable than much of what you see on the roadways right now.”
Rigie also said that diners are “going to see more umbrellas, canopies and maybe a light structural, things that are less permanent physical structures like buildings in the roadway.”
The rules will be suspect to a 30-day public comment period before the DOT makes the program official by the end of the year.
Some restaurant owners welcome the new permanent guidelines, while other local residents think that the outdoor seating areas can still harbor rats and other vermin.
It's important that both visitors and residents to New York understand these new outdoor dining rules, which will likely become official before the end of the year, and might just effect a favorite eating spot or two. Even though the winter is a slow time for outdoor dining, it will be spring soon enough. When it comes to great food in New York City, we recommend this amazing Italian cafe. And for those looking for a hotel in Manhattan, we additionally recommend Holiday Inn Express, Times Square.
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