With the arrival of April, New York City welcomes back the familiar sight of diners enjoying their meals al fresco. Restaurants citywide are now setting up their seasonal sidewalk eateries and roadway dining spaces, although the once ubiquitous pandemic-era sheds have been scaled back under new city regulations. In a process that has proven to be less than straightforward, a total of 2,600 restaurants have secured some level of approval to offer outdoor dining this season, according to CBS News.
The New York City Department of Transportation, which oversees the outdoor dining program, maintains not one, but three separate lists on its website. These include an interactive map displaying licensed locations, a list of sidewalk dining applications submitted by last year's deadline, and a roster of restaurants that received conditional approval for roadway dining. The plurality of lists can be somewhat confusing, with borough breakdowns ranging from 18 restaurants in both Manhattan and Brooklyn to none in Staten Island, as CBS News reported.
Though many establishments gear up to serve patrons in the open air, they're bound by stringent city rules related to sanitation, smoking bans, and operating hours. Outdoor dining is permissible seven days a week between today and November 29, with a curfew of midnight or earlier, depending on the day. Violations of these rules can lead to fines and potential revocation of the coveted dining licenses. Moreover, with only 617 roadway cafes approved and a minuscule fraction of those licensed to serve liquor, the struggle to offer a full dining experience is palpable.
Owners like Jon Neidich of Le Dive experience the double-edged sword of new policies firsthand. "We had 18 seats on the sidewalk here and roadway over here," Neidich outlined in an interview acquired by CBS News, lamenting the loss of overall seating and the inability to deploy an awning because of a nearby stop sign. His challenges are echoed by other restaurant owners grappling with the restrictions, like Empire Diner, which decided to bypass the outdoor dining application process altogether.
The economic implications of these constraints aren't lost on industry advocates. The New York State Latino Restaurant Bar and Lounge Association, with support from Assembly Member Tony Simone, is pushing for legislation to make outdoor dining a year-round feature. "The cost is just not feasible for them -- these structures, having to remove them in November," Sandra Jaquez, president of the Association, emphasized in a statement reported by CBS News. The ability to serve alcohol is another critical issue, with Neidich stressing its importance: "It's super important to be able to serve alcohol in the seats," underscoring the financial benefits that come with an expanded outdoor service area.
As the season unfolds, the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) will continue to face increased scrutiny, with a full board meeting scheduled, according to ABC7 New York.
