Baby, it’s cold outside and our restaurants need your support now more than ever! Here at The Strong Buzz, we’ve already created a list of everything you need to dine out and stay toasty. But we also wanted to get you a list of restaurants that provide outside warmth—heaters, yurts, igloos, greenhouses, and the like—to keep you and yours cozy all winter long. This list will evolve and is not exhaustive so please feel free to email us to add your favorite heated outdoor spot to the list.
Cheers to 2021!
Brooklyn
Individual little houses with clear plastic panels. Each one is decorated with twinkling lights, individual heaters and air purifiers. Fantastic mulled wine too.
I love Red Hook Tavern for its fantastic modern American fare, one of the city's best burger and fries, and its deep and eclectic wine list. Now all of this (and more) is served at tables with individual standing heaters. Fantastically cozy.
HiHi Room’s oversized backyard has overhead heaters and a menu that includes killer burgers, serious fried chicken and terrific cocktails; The Wail Call is a fave.
The solarium at Parklife
Parklife in Gowanus has installed two heated solariums in their 4,000-square-foot yard. The solariums have windows open on all sides which meets the ventilation requirements. The rest of the tables in the yard, not in the solarium, have their own heat lamp. And they also have a trellis area that has multiple heat lamps and finally a fire pit that gets lit every evening for social distance seating.
Williamsburg brasserie Le Crocodile at Wythe Hotel has brought the classic, full-service restaurant experience outdoors, offering its extensive brasserie menu in the adjoining, open-air gardens of the hotel, complete with retractable roof and heaters throughout the space for cold weather.
Le Crocodile's outdoor space
The Greenhouse Patio at James
Located on a sunny corner in Prospect Heights, James’ Greenhouse Patio offers counter-service-only outdoor dining, complete with heaters, a community herb garden featuring hardy winter greens like evergreen and spruce and the option to purchase cozy retail items from their Provisions Shop, like beanies, fingerless gloves and blankets. Founder Deborah Williamson offers a vegetable-forward, farm-driven menu with nourishing, seasonal soups, bone broths, snacks and larger mains. To drink, homemade tonics are offered by the pint or quart, elixirs and adaptogens add an extra nourishment to hot tea or sparkling water, as well as coffee, wine, beer and cocktails.
Ainslie in Williamsburg boasts 140 seats outside including on their dedicated rooftop. Owner AJ Bontempo plans to maintain the tented area all winter long with heat and plexiglass dividers throughout.
This lovely spot in Williamsburg (10 Hope St.) has over a dozen heaters to provide every single outdoor table with heat to keep diners warm and comfortable while they enjoy Executive Chef Travis McGinty's new fall/winter menu with options like Squid Ink Gnocchi, Arroser Scallops and juicy 8oz Ten Hope Burgers and Kofta Burgers available on Tuesday - Thursday from 6pm-10pm, Friday beginning at 5pm as well as Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-10pm.
Queens
Patrick Donagher, Keir Hamilton and Pat Fondiller opened Alewife Brewing in the midst of a pandemic. With winter coming, their thoughts turned to building heated outdoor drinking and dining stalls in front of the 10,000 square foot brewery for beer lovers to sip and stay warm. But they thought even bigger. Because so many food businesses were hit hard, Patrick invited a crew of food trucks and local food artisans over to the brewery to serve up food to his customers. “I wanted to support our local community during this difficult time and invite them to serve food here to our customers,” he said. “We’ve brought on Sigmund’s Pretzels to be our signature snack, had a successful kickoff with Mom’s Momos food truck and we have Cousin’s Maine Lobster and Wafels and Dinges coming down next. This community has been so good to us, we have to give back, and we figured out a way through opportunity and service to our customer, so it’s a win-win for everyone.”
American Brass (Long Island City)
American Brass is open Wednesday-Sunday beginning at 12pm for weekday lunch, weekend brunch and dinner nightly. Fifteen heated greenhouses are now in place (with 7 more on the way) for personalized outdoor dining for groups of 6 or less. Diners can feast on American classics from Executive Chef Kevin McGinley while looking at the Manhattan skyline, with unobstructed, priceless views. And you can feel safe knowing that the greenhouses are disinfected with electrostatic spray guns between each use.
Manhattan
Getting cozy in the Forest at The Standard
The Forest at The Standard, High Line
This December, The Standard, High Line transforms their outdoor Plaza into The Forest: a lush, coniferous woodland pop-up, with spacious seating for all-day outdoor dining and a new menu for the holiday season, offering warming + comforting dish specials, in addition to signatures from The Standard Grill, like Cheese Fondue for two, Fully Loaded Baked Potato, Beef Bourguignon, Haute (boozy) Chocolate and Hot Mulled Cider. Pine trees and twinkling lights throughout the plaza create private enclaves for safe outdoor dining, with plentiful heaters to help keep warm. The Forest also serves as an outdoor theatre for Flix in The Forest movie nights 5x/week (Sun-Thurs), screening holiday classics throughout the month of December. Open daily, 7am-10pm.
Loulou in Chelsea now boasts overhead heaters above every outdoor table while diners indulge in signature menu items from Executive Chef Jarett Brodie, like the Loulou Burger made with grass-fed beef, clothbound cheddar and caramelized onions, Duck Leg Confit with apple rosemary puree and gala chutney and Steak Frites featuring a 7oz skirt steak and béarnaise. That's in addition to a large selection of craft cocktails, wine and beer.
Kissaki features overhead heaters in a covered but airy, outdoor space at both of their NoHo (319 Bowery) and Upper West Side (286 Columbus Ave.) locations. Enjoy their signature premium omakase brought to you by Executive Chef Mark Garcia while you stay warm and protected from the weather.
Brooklyn Chophouse in FiDi is heating things up outdoors by being able to keep temperatures at 72 degrees underneath each of the restaurant's three oversized tents regardless of the elements outdoors courtesy of a half dozen industrial grade electric heaters overhead. The restaurant serves everything from seafood and noodles, to 30 - 35 day dry-aged Prime Steaks and Double Thick Cut Chops. Splurge on 32oz Dry-Aged Bone in Tomahawk and a 48oz Dry-Aged Porterhouse for two and Salt & Pepper Lobster Tails. Other dishes include Spicy Kung Pao Chicken, Rock Shrimp Tempura, and a variety of the most over the top, unique dumplings in town. This downtown hotspot is open from 4pm - 10pm daily.
Indo-Chalet at Wayan
Cedric & Ochi Vongerichten’s Wayan unveils Indo-Chalet: a revamped outdoor setup & all-new pre-fixe service, offering an interactive experience designed for cozy dining throughout the colder months. The Indonesian-inspired apres-ski setup features five tables outfitted in sleek two-tiered cooktops surrounded by lush foliage and plentiful heaters, while the two-part meal allows for tabletop grilling of Wayan’s signature satays, paired with specialty sides & vegetables, followed by chocolate fondue with housemade sweets and roasted fruit for dipping. Large-format hot cocktails and seasonal beverages are available as well to help keep warm. Indo-Chalet at Wayan is offered for dinner outside, 7days/wk, for $88/pp; reservations required via Resy. Menu here.
Located on Ninth Avenue, Worthwild has a lovely handmade heated outdoor space with twinkling lights and a serious Hygge factor built by Strong Buzz pal Phil Morgan.
Cote Cabanas at COTE
Proprietor Simon Kim brings the Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse experience outside with “Cote Cabanas”, a revamped outdoor setup featuring five fully private tables with open air circulate, above and below table heating and table-side grilling. The prix fixe menu will include 2009 Dom Pérignon Champagne.
Tuxedo Hospitality’s new downtown hit features custom-built wooden pods for over 60 guests with heaters nestled under the seats. The South Asian restaurant’s full menu featuring dishes like Halibut in Banana Blossom Leaf, Pakistani Eggplant Curry & Fried Chicken alongside signature cocktails including The Tyger and newcomer To Winter, a toasty seasonal beverage made with coconut cream, Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum, madras spice blend and orgeat.
Gramercy Park’s modern Indian restaurant GupShup - by Bombay House Hospitality restaurateur Jimmy Rizvi - features a newly built, vibrant outdoor dining set-up painted in gold and red hues. With seating for 30+ guests including overhead heaters, diners can enjoy the restaurant’s full menu surrounded by colorful Indian decor like lanterns, intricate florals, and umbrellas in fun patterns.
Gramercy Park newcomer Isabelle’s Osteria, by acclaimed chef James Tracey (Craft, STARR Restaurants), offers a contemporary menu of Italian favorites with a focus on pastas, all made in-house daily. The restaurant features an outdoor set-up complete with ample heating in a cozy, built-out enclave. Bonus: the outdoor wooden swing is perfect for snapping great memories of your visit.
Harlem Shake has fully enclosed and heated their sidewalk seating so you can enjoy their burgers, fries, and shakes without getting chilly.
The Mermaid Inn on the UWS has a partially enclosed, heated outdoor sidewalk patio.
Out on the patio, some of the table stands have been replaced with heaters so your legs and feet stay warm.
Every outdoor table has an overhead heater, keeping you toasty while you enjoy the glorious French wine and fare (and stop inside to shop for stunning handmade home goods and crafts at The Guild).
Warm and lovely at 15 East @Tocqueville (photo by Alex Karasev)
The sprawling outdoor dining room, set under an elegant glass canopy and shelter one designed by Floritorium, brings a sense of calm and comfort with seasonal foliage and vegetables, infrared heat lamps, sheepskin throws and wrap-around banquettes to keep you cozy, warm and comfortable while dining under a New York sky.
All Quality Branded restaurants have set up sheltered outdoor heated dining options. Check in with your fave for reservations.
This Korean gastropub built a "red barn" outside their restaurant which has heaters and isn't fully enclosed so it's still technically outdoor dining.
This fall and winter, Hütte is bringing the Alps to the Upper East Side. The new backyard eatery is the latest project by third-generation owner of Schaller and Weber, Jeremy Schaller and has the feel of an Après Ski Lounge offering a menu of Austrian-style comfort foods. Hidden behind Schaller’s Stube Sausage Bar, Hütte is tented and decorated with festive holiday decor, farmhouse wooden tables, antique chairs, hooks, pine cones, and vintage ski lodge artwork. The outdoor space is warmed by electric heaters and cozy branded blankets.
Lucciola is offering outdoor heated “bubbles” for dining. Chef Michele Casadei Massari will be serving a two-course truffle prix-fixe menu with wine pairings in the twelve bubbles on the restaurant’s patio. Chef also purchased the Alvantor Winter Screen House Room, a 15x15 clear waterproof and wind-resistant tent, to provide a warm atmosphere for those dining outdoors. For safety reasons, only one party per day can partake of the experience featuring Urbani truffles and Prunotto wine by Antinori. To reserve the bubble, call the restaurant at (347) 536-1335.
Hole in the Wall in FiDi (15 Cliff Street), Williamsburg (292 Bedford Avenue) and in Flatiron at Hotel Henri (37 W. 24th Street) are open for outdoor dining. Indulge in signature dishes from Executive Chef Brent Hudson include a Chili Scramble, Avocado Toast and a Breaky Roll with applewood smoked bacon, chorizo pate, folded eggs, chimichurri and mayo on a milk bun with tots on the side. You can also enjoy the Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich or Crispy Pork Belly with sticky glaze, chili, fried shallots and lime. Sip on a Jalapeno Bloody Mary, a Blood Orange Negroni, an Aperol Spritz or a Mimosa anytime of day.
Luthun is offering its signature tasting menus in a warm and heated outdoor space. Chefs Nahid Ahmed and Arjuna Bull offer six and 10-course tasting menus including dishes like Octopus Bolognese, Celery Root Soup, and Duck, perfect to pair with wines from an extensive list boasting indigenous and near extinct varieties from under-represented regions and a vast selection of sake, curated by beverage director Patrick Reno.
This Korean Barbecue on Grand Street has a gorgeous covered heated outdoor space.
Whether it's at their Andalusian inspired backyard in Chelsea, the balcony at the Midtown location, or the front patio in Nolita, you'll be kept warm with outdoor heaters at all of Socarrat’s locations.
Leave it to JGV to create a beautiful outdoor terrace with heated outhouses.
Bronx
Clinton Hall’s FiDi (90 Washington St, pictured) and Bronx locations (601 E. 189th Street) are utilizing heaters throughout each outdoor dining area so you can warm up over a Supercraft beer, hard seltzers, wine and a full bar menu alongside delicious food from Executive Chef Darryl Harmon like his signature Double Smashed Burger, Buffalo Cauliflower, Crispy Chicken Wings, Giant Pretzels and more.
North Fork RG|NY
Just in time for the festive winter season RG|NY, one of the North Fork’s most innovative vineyards, is introducing a new cozy offering: five outdoor igloos. Those looking for an intimate experience in the comfort of their own “bubble,” can enjoy a wine tasting experience or blending session within one of RG|NY’s five festive igloos. Each comes set up with an electric fireplace heater to keep it toasty, seating for eight, and all are adorned with café lights. Not only do these igloos create a cozy escape but they also come with a bottle of RG|NY’s sparkling white wine. Outdoor igloos are first-come-first-serve on weekdays, and reservations are required on the weekends (call RGNY directly to reserve an igloo at 631.298.0075). The igloos are currently only available for the month of December.
New Jersey
Owner Heather Ashley has turned her outdoor space into an outdoor Christmas market with heaters and partnered with a floral artist. She calls it Kringle’s Cottage.
The Soul Shacks at Northern Soul Kitchen & Bar in Hoboken are amazing—little heated winter wonderlands.
Congress Hall in Cape May, NJ has winter igloos to expand its restaurant dining outside. It’s also a holiday Headquarters in NJ every year.
Boston Area
Harvest's heated outdoor space
Nestled in Harvard Square, the patio at Harvest has a fireplace and a partial roof so that the outdoor dining season can be extended way into the late Fall/early Winter months. There are also heat lamps and all tables are socially distanced. There is comfortable lounge furniture for parties of six as well as traditional tables for smaller parties.
Frankie's Ristorante (Lenox, MA)
Frankie’s Ristorante, which now is home a sister restaurant Pizzeria Boema, has outdoor, patio, and street level dining, ideal for those looking for some delicious Italian-American favorites featuring dishes such as Grilled Artichokes ($12), Frankie’s Osso Bucco ($33), Franco’s Famoso Lasagna ($25), Spaghetti e Meatballs ($20), Tiramisu ($10), and more. Frankie’s menu is perfect for the whole family, offering vegan and gluten free options, in addition to its main menu. Frankie’s is currently offering one igloo outside of its restaurant alongside heaters for additional outdoor dining tables.
The patio at Mare Oyster Bar is open year round and has a retractable roof, heat lamps, fire pits and lounge seating as well as traditional tables.
The patio at Mare Oyster Bar
The fully covered patio at Trattoria il Panino in Boston’s North End offers al fresco dining year round. The patio has heat lamps and a roof for outdoor dining every day, no matter the weather.
Woods Hill Table offers igloos for the late Fall and Winter months. Each igloo can accommodate a maximum of six people and will have a set food and beverage minimum and guests can choose from a la carte regular menu items or a special prix fixe seasonal menu from Chef Charlie Foster.
Pennsylvania
The General Warren has really cute igloos. They are in Malvern, PA
Connecticut
Millwrights in Simsbury has heated greenhouses, outdoor decks, bridge booths and small tents.
Maine
Up in Maine, where it's already super cold, a lot of places are doing "igloos" or greenhouses (Chaval, The Yard, both in Portland) and "fishing shacks" (Batson River Brewing & Distilling in Kennebunk). And the folks at Little Giant are closed temporarily to outfit their backyard for winter so stay tuned.
New Orleans
Not that the weather gets all that chilly in NOLA, but Saba has heaters and tents.
Washington, DC
Belga Cafe has beautiful outdoor heated “houses” perfect for you and yours.
Colorado
Wolf's Tailor in Denver has tents that look so cozy. And Black Cat Farm in Boulder, CO has domes for farm dinner dining.
North Carolina
Scott Crawford (a five-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for “Best Chef: Southeast") has put a lot of thought and energy into heating the covered rooftop terrace of Jolie, his French bistro, where Chef de Cuisine Madison Tessener can be seen cooking in the open kitchen nightly. Crawford added insulated waterproof curtains to the rooftop which can be opened and closed and adjusted to allow for air flow. He’s also added 4 more heaters (in addition to the 4 that were already on the rooftop), as well as warm blankets, which are washed after each use. And on the street level, Jolie now boasts new outdoor seating on both the sidewalk and on a deck which was built in nearby parking spaces. If you're out on the deck area you also have access to heaters and blankets.
North Carolina's Jolie is heated and cozy
Kentucky
Sedona Taphouse in Lexington, KY has is promoting BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket) for the fire pit outside & free cups of chili!
Got a heated outdoor dining spot you love? Send us a tip!