Why spend any part of a beautiful weekend indoors when you’ve got all week to stare at a screen? If you’re not checking out food-as-art installations or skipping town to head to Puerto Rico, we know how you can handle your free time. Here, our favorite spots that allow us to spend an entire weekend in the sun.
Saturday
Morning: Kick if off at the tables outside Dante. Sip a Garibaldi—a frothy blend of Campari and fresh orange juice—and munch on housemade hazelnut granola, baked eggs or one of their sourdough flatbreads. You’ll feel very Italian, and isn’t that all anyone really wants?
Afternoon: Go over to Chelsea Market and pick up hummus from Dizengoff to eat on the High Line. Sure, it’ll be packed with tourists, but it’s still very nice. Then go drink at The Standard Biergarten and enjoy a nice pretzel, because you’re enjoy this weekend to the fullest and that means a lot of bread.
Evening: You’ve been eating a lot, so walk across town to Superiority Burger, where you should pick up every single special they have on offer—dessert included—and then go sit at a bench in Tompkins Square Park to enjoy it.
Nightcap: Right nearby the park is Empellón al Pastor. If the weather is nice, the doors will be open, and you can sip on their weirdo take on the Long Island Iced Tea, the Amity Island Iced Tea, which features white whiskey, white armagnac, cachaça, mezcal and lemon.
Sunday
Morning: You’re going to head uptown on Sunday. Do brunch at Uva on the Upper East Side. It’s worth the wait for a table to open up on their patio out back. Trust us: you’ll feel like you hopped a plane to an Italian garden. Once settled in you can order sweet or savory with their menu that includes chocolate crepes and Italian-style omelets.
Afternoon: It doesn’t get much more outside than La Marina, which is right on the Hudson River. Enjoy rum-spiked “Uptown Sangria” and, of course, a big selection of seafood.
Evening: Up in Inwood, check out Garden Café, which was “once dirt -filled garden space.” They now serve an expansive menu and often have live jazz. If you’re in the mood for something more Latin, head to Las Tapas for arroz con pollo and churrasco.
Nightcap: For a beer garden, go to Harlem Tavern, where you can also stuff your face with burgers and mac and cheese. End this outdoor weekend big.
