Every year when the weather starts to warm up after a long and painful winter, we New Yorkers get really excited. Everywhere you turn there are light jackets, sundresses, cardigans, and glorious comfortable hoodies running rampant in the city to celebrate the beginning of spring. And after so many months under the weight of winter, the most important question on everyone’s lips is “where can we go to hang out, be merry, and most importantly enjoy the warm weather with an adult beverage?”
1. Mulberry Project – Tucked away down a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it staircase in Little Italy is a cocktail den that’s worth a trip any time of the year. But once the warmer weather hits you’ll want to live in their back patio. Not only is there a bar set up outside but that bar makes pitchers of bespoke cocktails. That’s right – pitchers. Perfect for a girl’s night out or a casual date night on a warm evening. And on top of the perfectly custom crafted cocktails they have a stellar tapas style menu that will keep you coming back for more.
2. The Frying Pan – Let’s be honest, you can’t have a list like this and not include the Frying Pan. This ever popular Chelsea Piers dive bar is located on a salvaged lightship built in 1929 – can you get more charming than that? It’s basic booze and burgers at their very best all summer long at this hotspot. If someone were smart they’d have a slew of barge bars all over the Hudson and the East River, much like you see in river towns all over Europe, but for now The Frying Pan is the only one so be prepared for the crowd. Don’t worry, between the fun atmosphere, the killer breeze, and the glorious people watching, it’s totally worth it.
3. Chateau Cherbuliez – Just because spring and summer bring the sun doesn’t mean you can’t have a stressful day, and there’s no better place to alleviate NYC stress than Chateau Cherbuliez’s beautiful patio and garden. Nestled in the shadow of a gorgeous Gothic Revival church, Chateau Cherbuliez’s patio is what French dreams are made of. Order a bottle of wine, a plate of cheese, and see how quickly your stress will leave your body. Full dinner service is available in the garden, but if you’re trying to go easy on your wallet it’s always a great option for a group of friends to just order a bottle of wine (or three – let’s be honest) and call it a day. So relax, sit back, and escape the hustle and bustle of Manhattan for the quaint and quiet perfection of Provence.
4. West 79th Boat Basin Café – Perfectly situated in Riverside Park on the Hudson River this café is a neighborhood favorite for outdoor fun in the warm weather. This Upper West Side escape is more family friendly than trendy but what New Yorker doesn’t love grilled food, cold beer, dogs on leashes, and a beautiful view at sunset? Much like the Frying Pan it can get very crowded so be prepared to fight for your spot there, but once you get it you’ll be hard pressed to leave.
5. Maison Premiere – There are many bars in Williamsburg worth your while but not many offer a picture perfect garden, a selection of a dozen plus absinthes and $1 happy hour oysters to go with it. The 1920’s speakeasy vibe is alive and well here and, unlike some overly conceptualized bars in the area, it’s still as charming as ever. Maybe it’s the gorgeous outside space or perhaps it’s the absinthe haze from their well-crafted cocktail selections that make it all so seductive. Regardless, it’s a great place to sit back, relax, and enjoy Brooklyn on a warm evening.
Contributed by Adrienne Mansard
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
