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If there's one place where you will consistently hit the Tulum-meets-Miami theme without leaving New York City, it's Gitano Island. And after a few months off for its annual cold-weather hiatus, the waterfront restaurant and lounge located on Governors Island is officially back for summer 2024, offering up another season of modern Mexican eats, mezcal cocktails and stunning skyline views.
The beachy lounge—which first brought its Mexico-by-way-of-Manhattan vibes to New York with Soho's Gitano Garden of Love—first debuted on Governors Island in May 2022, and now is back for its third year. A five-minute ferry ride from Downtown Manhattan, the 27,000-square-foot venue is an instantly transporting one, done up with a jungle's worth of lush greenery and 350 tons of actual sand.
And while there will be plenty of returning attractions to Gitano Island this summer—including the disco ball-decorated Lotus Lounge as well as the restaurant's Friday night dinner and dancing fiesta series, with music by King Lindo and Chris Moore—the food-and-drink menu has gotten an overhaul since last year. Highlights include the opulent black truffle mushroom sope, the 12-hour slow-roasted short rib birria, the branzino cooked in banana leaf, and the crispy chicken in red mole. All can be enjoyed on the wood pergola dining decks, which are fully covered, meaning that you get an indoor-outdoor experience without sacrificing those panoramic views of the city.
The bar program is also pouring up a taste of vacation, with $22 specialty cocktails like the "Jungle Fever" (Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, chile, lime and cilantro), the "Golden Hour" (Hennessey, Combier, caramelized pineapple syrup and lemon) and the "Bird of Paradise" (Sipsmith Gin, El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, coconut vanilla, passion fruit and lime). There are also shareable punch bowls brimming with enough for eight to ten cocktails, in case you ferry over with a crew ($135).
Check out the scenic space at Gitano Island, as well as some of those food-and-drink offerings, below:
