Restaurants have done a seriously impressive job of adapting to the ever-changing demands put in place by Governor Cuomo during the pandemic. Just when New Yorkers thought it would be a long and dreary winter without restaurants, heat lamps, winter huts, and covered gardens popped up seemingly overnight, infusing Greenpoint and Williamsburg with a cozy winter village vibe that will get us through until spring.
If you want to stay warm and still have a bit of open air flowing, these bars and restaurants all have outdoor spaces with heaters on their sidewalks so you can enjoy your favorite food and cocktails while still feeling your toes.
This is a great spot on a pretty quiet street to enjoy classic comfort foods like burgers, grilled cheese and soup, and ramen. The menu changes frequently but the vibe stays the same; you can always expect really good food and a good selection of hot drinks, including the “heated conversation” with green tea, bourbon, and peach liquor; “old soul” with mezcal, raspberry, lime, and chocolate bitters; and the “upstate cider” with your choice of bourbon or spiced rum.
The Shanty just reopened as a winter-themed outdoor bar, complete with heaters, hot toddies, butter beer, and Irish coffee. Plus, if you’re feeling peckish you can (and should, since it’s NYS law), nibble on potstickers or pork dumplings, courtesy of a collab with neighbor, Kings County Imperial.
When Xilonen opened earlier this month, they made sure to offer covered, outdoor heated dining from the beginning. This mostly-vegan Mexican restaurant occupies the space where Sauvage used to be and serves up classics like tostadas, quesadillas, and churros.
There’s something kind of lovely about digging into a steak outside – white table cloths and all. On the corner of Nassau Ave and Eckford Street, you can do just that. Amber Steakhouse boasts incredible steaks, indulgent seafood appetizers like fried calamari, and the most delicious side of creamed spinach you’ll ever eat. The lighting and ambiance of the sidewalk setup is enough to make you forget you’re lilving in a pandemic, if only for a while.
If some of your fondest days partying it up pre-masks were at Greenpoint’s Good Room, you’ll love Good Bar — from the same owners. This spot has seen its fair share of occupants, as it was previously One Bedford and Nights & Weekends, but Good Bar (open since Feb. 2020) seems to have cracked the code to longevity. All of the food on the menu is under $15 and includes burgers, chicken sandwiches, and portobello burgers.
Minnows is a great place to grab a $4 bev or a fancy cocktail for just $10, depending on your mood. This watering hole — pun intended — is outfitted with heaters on the sidewalk so you can stay warm while drinking a cold one. They also sell $4 hot dogs will all the fixings.
Now’s probably not a good time to flock to Tulum, but you can get your chips and guac fix right in your own neighborhood. Casa Publica has cozy, covered greenhouses equipped with heat that line the sidewalk, seating parties of two, four, or six. Try the enchiladas prima vera or the carnitas tacos.
This newly opened cafe serves brunch, lunch and dinner in a streetside restaurant, where guests are fully enclosed in private pods under heaters. Take off your jacket and fill up on house-made breads and pastas, plus specialty hot chocolates.
These types of stories drive me up a wall. PUT THE ADDRESS AND/OR CROSS STREETS WHEN YOU PROFILE THESE RESTAURANTS CLEAR AND UP FRONT.
It is so frustrating having to click and lose the story to find out where these places are especially is you are not a computer whiz.
Agree. WHERE ARE THE ADDRESSES?