NYC Outdoor Dining Gets Boozy Green Light Just in Time for Summer

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Here we go—all in now.

The city announced on Wednesday that New York restaurants granted "conditional approvals" for outdoor dining will now have access to obtain liquor licenses, alleviating concerns about a dry summer for alfresco dining at most establishments across the Big Apple.

The State Liquor Authority mandated that restaurants must obtain an outdoor dining permit prior to applying for a liquor license. However, due to a significant backlog of alfresco dining applications caused by a new municipal policy, this process led to considerable confusion throughout the year.

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Out of 3,000 eateries aiming to provide outdoor dining services this year, only seven were awarded permits for serving alcohol outdoors, most having provisional approval for sidewalk seating as the city addressed its pending applications.

"We are delighted that the State Liquor Authority collaborated closely with us to permit businesses that have received provisional approval to serve alcohol while their applications are still being reviewed," stated the DOT in a communiqué shared with The Post.

We celebrate their choice, benefiting eateries and all New Yorkers who enjoy al fresco dining.

The NYC Hospitality Alliance, representing the city’s food service and night scene, similarly endorsed this choice. Executive Director Andrew Rigie commented that it was "a sensible approach ensuring continuous outdoor dining operations for eateries, staff members, and both residents and tourists of New York."

Since the DOT started evaluating applications in March 2024, it has completely approved only 47 eateries.

The agency has attributed its issues to Hundreds of outdoor dining licenses remain uncertain. Regarding the city’s new "clumsy" and complicated procedure for outdoor dining permits—which involve approvals from the Department of Transportation, the local community board, and the city comptroller’s office.

For sidewalk dining, this approval also necessitates a positive nod from a nearby city council representative.

The procedure dragged on for such an extended period that the DOT started issuing "conditional" licenses as early as February.

Approximately 600 roadside dining arrangements and around 1,850 curb extensions were up and running by April 1, "due to NYC DOT's streamlined process of providing provisional approvals," according to the agency's statement last month.

Additional conditional approvals for restaurants are anticipated over the next few weeks, the DOT mentioned, although the timeline for granting full approvals remains uncertain.

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