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NYC’s most festive outdoor dining set-ups for the holidays

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, thanks to merrily decked-out outdoor dining

Christina Izzo
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Christina Izzo
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Winter in New York may be frosty and frigid, but there's nothing warmer (well, warmer feeling anyway) than Christmas in New York. Luckily, the city's many temporary outdoor dining spaces are getting in on the jolly actionstringing up holiday lights, tricking out the tree and dialing up the comfort to maximum coziness. From street-side operations to rocking rooftops and every private space bubble in between, celebrate the season at the city's most festive outdoor dining set-ups. 

Miracle on Ninth Street

The O.G. of Christmas-themed pop-up bars is back for the season and it's as outrageously decorated as ever. The outdoor patio is fitted with Santa-hat seat backs, hung holiday stockings, colorful string lights, themed drinks (a Christmapolitan, anyone?), plenty of tinsel and—most important of all—hand sanitizer at each table. A jolly time, indeed.  

Pink Snow Lodge at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge at Moxy Times Square

Pink Snow Lodge at the Moxy Times Square
Photograph: Courtesy Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge

Come wintertime, après ski concepts start materializing all over New York, but none have been quite as pretty in pink as this Barbied-out holiday pop-up. Running through March 2021, the Moxy's East and West terraces have been festooned to look like Nicki Minaj moved to Aspen: floor-to-ceiling pink log walls, faux pink taxidermy, a pink electric fireplace, a ski lift "carousel." If that doesn't warm you up, 15 outdoor heaters and, yes, even pink hot cocoa should do the trick.

Loreley

Along with some seriously sip-able suds, this downtown beer garden is raising a metaphorical pint to the holidays by turning their outdoor seating into a Heated Winter Wonderland, complete with a selfie-ready ornament wall, strung lights, hung holiday decorations and seasonal cocktails. Cheers to that! 

Haven Rooftop

This rooftop retreat in Midtown West goes all out for every season, and winter seems to be no exception: Newly installed heat lamps, fleece blankets, buffalo plaid pillows and archways decorated with frosted branches and twinkling fairy lights make for one picturesque dining experience. 

Arlo Soho

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Cozy up to warming sustenance like truffle pizza and mulled wine at Après Arlo, the seasonal "getaway" nestled in the courtyard of the Arlo Soho hotel. The open-air courtyard is set with private cedar cabins that can be reserved for 4-10 guests, and each is decked out with ribbons, wreaths, garland and enough trees to make you think you've wandered all the way upstate, not downtown. 

Industry Kitchen

As if having your own private, heated greenhouse wasn't cool enough, each of the outdoor dining structures at this waterfront spot are spruced-up with red-and-green holiday lights, frosted wreaths, gold-trimmed ribbons and a cheery soundtrack of holiday tunes. 

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