By 5 Towns Central Staff
NEW YORK CITY (August 13, 2026)
New York City restaurants are set to regain the ability to operate outdoor dining areas throughout the year after the City Council voted overwhelmingly Thursday to reverse restrictions that had limited the program to warmer months.
The legislation restores year-round sidewalk dining and expands outdoor service to roadway cafes, while allowing restaurants to use removable winter coverings during the colder months.
The Council’s action rolls back rules adopted in 2023 under former Mayor Eric Adams, when the city moved to make outdoor dining seasonal.
Council Speaker Julie Menin said keeping outdoor dining available year-round is an important source of revenue for restaurants. She also criticized the previous system, saying businesses were forced to spend money setting up and dismantling their outdoor spaces every year, while many had nowhere to store their equipment during the winter.
Restaurant owners have also complained about the city’s permitting process. More than 3,600 outdoor dining applications were reportedly still awaiting approval last year, with business owners describing the process as unnecessarily complicated.
Brooklyn Councilman Lincoln Restler, who introduced the changes, said the seasonal restrictions placed a heavy financial burden on restaurants that had invested in outdoor dining structures.
The Council also pointed to a decline in complaints about outdoor dining. Only 11 related complaints were filed through the city’s 311 system so far this year, according to officials.
Under the new rules, restaurants will be permitted to install coverings over outdoor dining areas from November 30 through March 31. Sidewalk cafes must close by 11 p.m. and can lose their outdoor dining privileges after three violations for the same offense within a two-year period.
Restaurants will also be required to keep outdoor structures clean and free of garbage, debris, graffiti, food waste and vermin.
The Council approved the winter-covering provisions by a 38-4 vote and approved the expansion to roadway cafes 37-5.
The move marks a major shift in New York City’s approach to outdoor dining, bringing back a popular pandemic-era feature while attempting to establish clearer rules for restaurants, pedestrians and surrounding neighborhoods.
Year-round outdoor dining is coming to New York City thanks to the @NYCCouncil.
Today, legislation was approved to expand the Dining Out NYC program, which will give City restaurants the opportunity to offer outdoor seating on sidewalks and roadways all year long.…
— Speaker Julie Menin (@SpeakerMenin) August 13, 2026