Alfresco NYC Outdoor Dining Design Guidelines

Design Trust for Public Space, Regional Plan Association, and Tri-State Transportation Campaign are working together to ensure that Open Restaurants and Open Streets programs are accessible to all New Yorkers, beneficial for the local communities, and sustainable in the long term. Our groups are celebrating street life in New York City, providing information to businesses and community groups, and working to expand these programs to more neighborhoods. Design Trust for Public Space, Regional Plan Association, and Tri-State Transportation Campaign are working together to ensure that Open Restaurants and Open Streets programs are accessible to all New Yorkers, beneficial for the local communities, and sustainable in the long term. Our groups are celebrating street life in New York City, providing information to businesses and community groups, and working to expand these programs to more neighborhoods.

Winning Open Restaurants

• Boogie Down Grind (868 Hunts Point Ave, Bronx): Featuring a ​“Subway car” design, this South Bronx coffee shop hosts free community events to showcase local artists and represents a big effort in an area with few Open Restaurants.

• Blend Astoria (37 – 17 30th Ave, Queens): This neighborhood Latin American staple creates a fully outdoor experience, with seamless design and color coordination that significantly enhances the vibe at the corner of 30th Avenue and 38th St.

• Peaches Kitchen and Bar (393 Lewis Ave, Brooklyn): Black-owned Peaches uses reclaimed plastics made into building block bottles for a stylish and sustainable aesthetic. The next steps include sustainable power sources as well as air exchange.

• Kokomo (65 Kent Ave, Brooklyn): Kokomo’s seventh iteration of its outdoor structure nails it — transporting you to the Caribbean while providing improved wheelchair access, warm lighting, movable banquettes and variety of seating.

• Vinum (704 Bay Street, Staten Island): In a borough with scarce Open Restaurants, classy Italian spot Vinum offers an elegant rustic wood exterior aesthetic to match the restaurant, that’s neatly aligned with the curb and the street’s slope.

• Empire Diner (210 10th Ave, Manhattan): With an efficient seating arrangement with slim design, the outdoor dining area is accessible and takes up minimal space without feeling crowded.

• Casa La Femme (140 Charles St, Manhattan): Distinguished by its maximalist design and decoration, the Egyptian cuisine eatery uses real plants and elements of its indoor dining style to create a relaxing and luxurious outdoor dining experience.

Alfresco Award Categories

• Sustainability, Innovation & Design
  Awards in this category are for creative solutions that improve the outdoor experience and are conscious of the environment.
• Community Partnership, Integration, & Promotion of Values
  Awards in this category are for exemplary collaborations with neighbors. For example, volunteer groups that donate time and services, efforts that celebrate neighborhood diversity, or great examples of shared spaces.
• Safety & Mobility
  Awards in this category are for safety-conscious designs able to ensure that street users of all ages and mobility can access and enjoy outdoor culture.

Thank you to everyone who nominated restaurants, streets, and collaborations!

Applications are currently being accepted for Open Restaurants and Open Streets on the NYC DOT website! If you are interested in participating, apply through one of the links above. If you have questions, let us know and we will do our best to help.

Our Mission

We are convinced that the Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs can be the beginning of a new approach to city streets. After one year of operation, these temporary programs have shown positive results and brought new life and energy to our city. But as the programs become permanent, we are committed to helping improve design of the dining structures and addressing operational and equity challenges.

We are committed to the following goals:

Equal Access

Expand the program to neighborhoods and businesses lacking the financial and human resources to benefit from the existing Open Streets and Open Restaurant programs. Remove physical and financial barriers for vulnerable groups such as people with a low income, language barriers, and/or an impairment. On-the-street dining and recreation should be accessible and affordable for all New Yorkers.

Streets for People

Reframe streets as socioeconomic infrastructure able to support the prosperity of local businesses and communities. Street’s design should be safe, sustainable, and equitable for both people and the environment.

Healthy Environments

Ensure that streets promote people’s mental and physical wellness through design and programming that prevent traffic fatalities and injuries, the spread of airborne diseases such as COVID-19 and the chronic conditions associated with low physical activity, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, many types of cancer, depression, and anxiety, and dementia (CDC).

Local and City-Wide Connectivity

Reprioritize streets to promote local connectivity, reduce traffic congestion, and rationalize approaches to parking and curb use. Develop a network of Open Streets for walking, cycling and micro-mobility that connects to transit and main destinations.

Sustainable Collaboration

Support the continuation of community partnership that have emerged to assist Open Streets and Open Restaurants. Gather transferable knowledge on best practices and share knowledge citywide. Ensure information is provided in various languages and accessible in all neighborhoods with targeted outreach in underserved areas.

How can we help your restaurant or street?