NEW YORK (VINnews) – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani on Monday signed legislation making outdoor dining on New York City roadways a permanent, year-round option for restaurants.

The law eliminates a previous requirement that restaurants participating in the city’s Dining Out NYC program dismantle roadway dining setups from Nov. 30 through March 31. The seasonal restriction did not apply to sidewalk cafes.

The city Department of Transportation will develop rules allowing restaurants to temporarily winterize roadway dining setups while maintaining access and safety requirements.

“Outdoor dining transformed our city once before, and now we are making sure it has a permanent place in New York City,” Mamdani said.

The legislation, Intro. 0655, was sponsored by City Council Member Lincoln Restler, who said the seasonal requirement had created unnecessary costs and discouraged restaurants from participating.

“Outdoor dining is great for local restaurants, great for the hospitality sector workforce and great for all of us to be able to enjoy a meal on the streets of New York City,” Restler said.

The measure is part of Mamdani’s broader effort to ease regulations on small businesses. City officials said year-round outdoor dining will allow restaurants to serve customers throughout the year while adding activity to city streets.