The Best Outdoor Restaurants in NYC

Pen Top Bar and Terrace 398 West Broadway New York, NY 212-226-1102 Awesome romantic views from the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel. This lively hotspot on the top floor of the hotel allows dramatic, sweeping views of many of Manhattan's architectural gems from its east and west terraces. A favorite with New York's business crowd, The Pen-Top Bar & Terrace is open from 4:00 pm in the summer and from 5:00 pm in the winter. It is also available for private parties, from May to October, weather permitting.

MOST ROMANTIC OUTDOOR RESTAURANT IN BROOKLYN

Alma Restaurant 87 Columbia Street, corner of Degraw St. Cobble Hill West, Red Hook section of Brooklyn NY 718-643-5400 Alma now has become a landmark in the New York dining scene. Built from the ground up, this unique 3 story space offers New York a sophisticated and memorable Mexican dining experience. The main dining room is warm and welcoming, with panoramic Manhattan skyline views. Above the main dining floor is a stunning garden that offers not only amazing and unobstructed views of the best city on earth, it is also a warm and comfortable atmosphere to dine all year round.

BEST ROMANTIC ITALIAN OUTDOOR DINING IN NY

Barolo 398 West Broadway New York, NY 212-226-1102 Walking down West Broadway, the main Avenue of New York's fashionable Soho district, among the fine boutiques and art galleries, you will notice the spacious front of Ristorante Barolo. Ristorante Barolo is well known for some of the most exquisite and authentic Northern Italian cuisine, complemented by a prize winning wine list of over 1,200 selections. Barolo has a very sexy atmosphere. A great place to bring a date.

MOST ROMANTIC HOTEL OUTDOOR RESTAURANT IN NY

La Bottega Maritime Hotel 363 West 16th Street 212-242-4300 La Bottega serves the freshest rustic Italian cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you prefer to dine in your room, 24 hour room service is available. La Bottega also offers take out and delivery. Like at the best restaurants in Italy, everything on the menu is food you can have again and again.

HIPPEST OUTDOOR RESTAURANT IN NY

The Boathouse Central Park Park Drive North at 72nd Street  212-517-2233 The Boathouse Restaurant is located at the northeastern tip of the Lake in Central Park. The restaurant is overlooking the Lake it is the perfect place to dine on a relaxing afternoon lunch or romantic dinner in the warmer months. During the summer months the chatter of dinnerware, glasses and happy voices resonate in the air, as the crowds grow larger and larger. With so many people mingling together, it is definitely the place to dine, enjoy the great view and be seen.

BEST CASUALLY COOL OUTSIDE RESTAURANT

Habana Outpost 757 Fulton Street Brooklyn NY 718-858-9500 Live DJ weekends 1-6pm (in courtyard). Enjoy your favorite Latin eats while local and world DJs spin…or join us after hours in the downstairs club – Grand Opening October 31, 2006 - where local singers and songwriters, performance artists, poets, and more will perform.

BEST OUTDOOR DINING IN WORST NYC NEIGHBORHOOD

Gavroche 212 West 14th Street at 7th Ave 212-647-8553 Although the strip on which Gavroche is a wee bit run down. The restaurant itself surely is not.  Gavroche is a French country restaurant with a rustic down to earth atmosphere. The food is quite good as well. The outdoor area is very warm and welcoming and the interior of the restaurant is extremely nice.