NYC’s coziest outdoor dining spots

Wayla opened with a darling garden back in 2019, and the excellent Thai restaurant outdid itself with the more recent addition of its enclosed and heated, rustic outdoor booths. They’re private per party and large enough to accommodate intimate groups. 

The Waverly’s charming, brick and ivy-lined garden has been a cozy mainstay since 2006, including several years of uber-exclusivity. It’s a lot easier to nab a table in its back space now than it was a decade-and-a-half ago, and the 2020s-era addition of sidewalk seats on picturesque Bank Street further expand availability. 

Den Hospitality’s Bandits has had one of the city’s most eye-catching outdoor seating arrangements since it opened in 2021, beckoning snapshots from even the most selfie-averse. Its hues and lines mirror the vintage 70s style inside with the same food and drinks in slightly more open air.  

Leland’s a best-of list regular for it’s terrific food and warm, X-factor vibe. It’s also had some of the best outdoor seating in town for most of its existence. The inviting corner favorite recently upgraded with a new heated sidewalk vestibule to keep the elements at bay. 

Sample sensational Burmese cuisine at one of NYC's best restaurants. Rangoon also has a roomy enclosed outdoor area up front and a garden in the back. 

A Time Out New York favorite dating back to 2020 and recent Best of the City award winner in the outdoor dining category, Kokomo Caribbean-inspired restaurant added a dozen new heaters to its sidewalk seating section last year. 

Another fully-enclosed outdoor spot, Pata Paplean’s annex is enveloped in festive faux-florals fit for the grid. It’s also prime time to sip its sensational noodle soups, entrées and colorful cocktails. 

This Italian restaurant opened last year with more seats outside than in. Its streetery section is a more indoor outdoor arrangement than most, with not only a roof overhead, but walls and—get this—windows. It’s countryside-cute and feels a little like something you’d pass through in a living museum attraction with meatballs, eggplant Parm and that titular noodle. 

It might get a little chillier on the shores of the East River, but Industry Kitchen serves its modern American menus across a veritable village of clear enclosures a stone’s skip from the water. Grab one closest to the gentle tides for the best views of Brooklyn and two of the bridges that connect it to Manhattan. 

You’ll see this West Village Thai staple’s bloom-festooned facade from a block away, and the enclosed back garden feels even more like a life-sized bouquet. It's plenty toasty for the brisk downtown winter. 

The outdoor dining area on Soogil’s patch of East 4th Street has lattice work on one side, looks out onto the street from the other and has a string-light adorned roof that can deflect light precipitation. Its $130 chef’s tasting is available inside and out, where you'll find top-down electric heaters. 

Ten Hope's outdoor area is snuggly year-round, and, come winter, its dome enclosures, which can accommodate eight, replace sun umbrellas in popularity. They’re also heated to keep your Mediterranean-influenced plates warm. (Ten Hope is "temporarily closed" at press time and plans to reopen soon.)