Bruni: Curbside, We'll Never Have Paris

Posted by Ed Levine, October 6, 2007 at 9:09 AM

Saturday is always my day for catching up on food media, and this morning I read Frank Bruni's spot-on piece in last Sunday's New York Times Week in Review section on the inexplicable popularity of al fresco dining in New York. Invariably, curbside (not garden or terrace) dining in New York is an unpleasant inexperience, unless you like your meal accompanied by sirens, bus exhaust and noise, and bad smells of every variety imaginable. There are just a few places in New York I look forward to eating outside:

Adrienne's Pizza Bar

Stone Street's eateries (Ulysee's, Financier Patisserie) really do feel European. It's the cobblestone streets and the lack of vehicular traffic. The excellent thin-crust rectangular pies at Adrienne's are even a bigger draw. 54 Stone Street, New York NY 10004 (b/n Coenties Alley and William Street); 212-248-3838; adriennespizzabar.com; reviewed on Slice

Cafe Boulud

The outdoor tables at Daniel Boulud's "casual" spot are on a side street in a fancy neighborhood, and that makes all the difference in the world. The loudest sounds you'll hear are the animated cell phone conversations of the limousine drivers. 20 East 76th Street; New York NY 10021 (b/n Fifth and Madison); 212-772-2600; cafeboulud.com

Po

I haven't eaten there in years, but I used to love sitting outside on Cornelia Street eating gnocchi and drinking a glass of wine. 31 Cornelia Street New York NY 10014 (b/n Bleecker and West 4th streets); 212-645-2189; porestaurant.com

There must be other pleasant, comfortable, and quiet curbside places in eat in New York that I'm either not thinking of or don't know about, so if you know of one, do tell.

3 Comments

3 Comments:

Morandi. Across the street is a small triangularly shaped park, so there's not giant trucks whizzing by. Also, there's no barrier between your table and the sidewalk, so it feels more open.

kathryn at 3:20PM on 10/06/07

We ate curbside at the Aqua Grill on the corner of Spring and Sixth last week and enjoyed the experience.

Paige at 9:53PM on 10/06/07

i'm in complete agreement. i've always found eating outside in manhattan a grueling experience.

however, on a walk in fort tryon park this afternoon, i came across the new leaf cafe. i didn't eat there, so i can't comment on the menu, other than it looks ambitious {and pricey} but the surrounding setting is just charming. i'd gladly while away an afternoon in their garden.

cybercita at 6:28PM on 10/07/07

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