OUTDOOR DINING
In this creative city, dining restrictions inspire unique eating experiences. Some favorite family-friendly destinations; see what else is open to NYC for more adventures plus over-the-top dessert destinations.
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Manhattan: Midtown/Uptown
The Standard Biergarten
MeatpackingA street-level beer garden serves traditional German fare including sausages, pretzels and beer. Swing by Happy Hour Wed-Fri from 4pm-6pm for 25 cent wings. A children’s menu is available every Sunday, and tots under 12 eat free.
Also play Ping-Pong in the open air courtyard plus fuseball, pool and other games in an indoor gameroom.
Wednesday 4 pm – midnight
Thursday-Saturday 2 pm – 1 am
Sunday 12 pm – 10 pm
Chelsea Market
ChelseaChoose from doughnuts, tacos, hand-pulled noodles, lobster rolls, gelato to eat at covered outdoor tables along 15th and 16th Streets. Find fun Chinese merchandise & food at Pearl River Mart.
Look for art installations among twinkling lights and cool decor at this always happening historic market.
The narrow walkway of the former factory can get very crowded, so best to visit earlier in the day and/or on weekdays.
See our guide to Chelsea/Meatpacking.
Eat Pretty
Upper East Side-80sThis adorable coffee shop/restaurant has pretty pink, chic details indoors and out. The croissants, eggs, paninis, tacos coffee and more are good, but the main draw is the on over-the-top Pretty Hot Cocoas, currently with gingerbread men or 2022 stars on top.
Only two tables indoors with a few more on the sidewalk.
Mon-Sat 7:30 am – 7 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 5 pm
Food at Bryant Park
Midtown-40sTo-go kiosks feature favorite savory and sweet treats in one lovely location. Choose from bureks and chocolate Babka from Bread Bakery, salad and mint lemonade from Le Pain Quotidien and wafels and ice cream from Wafel and Dinges (or all of the above). Lots of tables and chairs available or picnic on the lovely lawn.
If the weather is not cooperative with al fresco dining, take the food to the leaf-covered lobby of the Citibank on the northwest corner of 42nd Street & Sixth Avenue or visit Danish bakery Ole & Steen and French patisserie Angelina Paris across 40th Street at Sixth Avenue.
Relax and recharge at outdoor restaurant The Porch, located near the southern end of the Fountain Terrace. Dine on burgers, salads and more (plus a full bar for grown-ups) on swings and lounge furniture (daily 12-9 pm, weather permitting).
The more formal Bryant Park Grill features New American-style dining set behind the New York Public Library on the park’s Upper Terrace Bryant. Reservations suggested for the dining room, but the outdoor patio garden and rooftop garden are first-come-first-service. From mid April to November (weather permitting), the adjacent Bryant Park Café features a more casual new American-style menu and bar (daily 11:30am-8:30pm).
SERRA by Birreria
Flatiron/GramercyEataly’s rooftop greenhouse restaurant SERRA by Birreria has bloomed for Spring with immersive floral decor, rustic dishes with peak spring ingredients from the local farmers markets and handcrafted cocktails
Several other sit-down and to-go options throughout the Italian emporium include Napoli-style pizza, delicious gelato and a mix & match Venchi chocolate bar.
Bryant Park Reading Room, Games & Art Cart
Midtown-40s* Read books, newspapers, and magazines for all ages in the Reading Room open-air library among pretty flowers.
* Borrow chess, Connect Four, Sorry and other board games on the Fifth Avenue Terrace and play on ping pong tables, pétanque courts and putting greens.
* Get inspired by the urban life, flowers, and monuments of Bryant Park and create with free drawing and craft supplies for kids and adults. Materials are always changing, but drawing pencils, brush pens, charcoal, erasers, and sketch boards are generally available plus craft supplies, including crayons, colored pencils, markers, ribbon, glue, construction paper, stencils, beads, yarn, and coloring sheets.
See our guide to Bryant Park.
Manhattan: Downtown
Ladurée Soho
SohoEscape to Ladurée’s pastel Parisian wonderland, where the only stress is choosing among the 25+ colorful flavors, from salted caramel to strawberry marshmallow – plus chocolate covered macarons, gelato and more sweet treats.
Get your treats to go or dine on casual yet sophisticated French fare including salads, sandwiches and croissants in h ornate dining room or magical garden.
Other, smaller locations include 864 Madison Ave (at East 71st Street) and a cart in Hudson Yards.
Monday- Tuesday 10am – 6pm
Wednesday-Friday 10am – 11pm
Saturday-Sunday 9am – 11pm
Maman
SohoStop in for brunch or grab a quick bite to-go at this lovely café with rustic décor touches around every corner & beautiful floral installations indoors and in the gorgeous garden.
Warm cookies, including a large legendary chocolate chip, are baked all day. Plus enjoy an assortment of pastries, excellent coffee, hot chocolate (look for special seasonal flavors), salads, inventive beverages, and more French/North African yumminess.
Monday-Friday 7:30 am-6 pm
Saturday-Sunday 8 am-6 pm
Kitchen closes at 4pm daily
Other locations include UES (E 81st & 3rd ave), UWS (W 81st & Amsterdam, midtown (601 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street), Bryant Park (11 West 41st Street), Rockefeller Center, NoMad(22 West 25th Street), West Village (28 Greenwich Avenue), 67 University Place, 275 Hudson at King, 205 Hudson, Tribeca (211 West Broadway), Cobble Hill and Greenpoint.
Le District
FidiMangez on freshly made croissants, crepes, frites and more delicious treats in a French shopping district within happening Brookfield Place. Take your treat to the terrace for a view of the French-in-origin Lady Liberty.
Adrienne’s Pizza Bar
FidiEat thin-crust square pies (plus classic round pies, salads, pastas and more) on indoor and outdoor seating overlooking historic, cobbled Stone Street at this casual yet classy pizzeria.
Le Village de Lafayette
Noho/NolitaEnjoy brunch, dinner, fondue and more French fare in charming private heated snow chalets outside Chef Andrew Carmellini’s market-driven bistro. Reservations recommended.
For the chalets. choose from limited prix fix options for $55-$65 or fondue for $70-$90 per person. Cocktails and other beverages available to order a la carte. Dietary restrictions & allergies can be accommodated.
The corner boulangerie-patisserie is open all hours offering artisanal breads, croissants, Stumptown coffee drinks, a light breakfast or lunch to go.
Lots of cool architecture, art and stores nearby – see our guide to NoHo.
Koneko
Lower East SidePlay with roaming (adoptable) cats in three cat-centric spaces: the sunlit Upper Cattery, the warm and cozy Lower Cattery, and a first-of-its-kind outdoor Catio. Food from a Japanese- influenced menu, house-made desserts, plus beer, wine, and sake available for purchase.
Wednesday-Sunday 11 am – 3 pm & 4 pm – 8 pm
Brooklyn/Queens
Industry City Food Hall
BrooklynFrom Korean comfort food to an avocado-focused cafe, Industry City hosts a huge range of Brooklyn-based purveyors. BBQ, pizza, bao buns, French pastries, artisanal ice cream, tacos, Mediterranean mezzes – whatever you’re craving you’ll probably find it here. Most of the vendors or in a central Food Hall but other shops can be found around…
Time Out Market New York
BrooklynSample some of the best NYC food: fluffy pancakes from the venerable Clinton Street Baking Co., thin-crust pizza from Patsy Grimaldi’s Juliana’s, Middle Eastern bites from Miss Ada, fried chicken from Jacob’s Pickles, Japanese comfort food from Bessou, cookie dough scoops from DŌ and more amazing eateries—all cherry-picked by Time Out New York. 21,000 delicious…
Events Search and Views Navigation
List of Events
Wednesday, January 1
Wow in the World
Join hosts Guy Raz and the hilarious Mindy Thomas on a journey into the wonders of the world. Go inside brains, out into space and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology - with lots of wacky fun along the way. One of our family's faves.
Circle Round
Hear sound- and music-rich radio plays based on folktales from around the world. Explore important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity with guest stage and screen stars. Each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups. My daughter's favorite at bedtime.
Here Wee Read
Find great books recommendations for all ages in all sorts of diverse & inclusive categories, from Harlem Renaissance picture books to graphic novels talking about race. Includes themed collections like Halloween, Weddings,, Kids with Disabilities and RBG. Find links to buy at bookshop.org, an alternative to amazon that supports independent bookstores.
Kobra Street Art Gandhi & Mother Teresa Mural
Humanitarians Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi Brazilian are depicted facing each other in street artist Eduardo Kobra’s colorful harlequin-pattern mural.
Kobra Street Art Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein is a NY-loving graffitist in street artist Eduardo Kobra’s colorful harlequin-pattern mural.
Thursday, January 2
BRAINPOP
Watch short, well-written animated films on a variety of topics including antiracism & Black history, STEM, arts, math and much more starring a very funny robot. Take quizzes and play games to test what you learned. Two editions, for ages K-3 or 4th -12th Grade (which can thoughtfully address some weighty topics, so monitor…
Wednesday, April 1
Art For Kids Hub
Follow along step by step as a professional artist and his kid draw animals, emojis, people, vehicles and more. Clear, simple steps turn anyone into an illustrator.
Children’s Museum of the Arts
Children's Museum of the Arts' blog features how-to videos and detailed instructions for art projects like Paper Chains of Kindness and Collaborative Drawing Games. Projects can be adapted for different ages and made with materials around the house.
Audible Kids
Find hundreds of free audio books handpicked by Audible editors. Choose from a mix of stories to entertain, engage, and inform young people, ages 0–18. Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian selections also available.
BUSY TODDLER
Find a trove of educational, easy-to-set up creative and sensory activities from a K-1 teacher turned SAHM. So many great ideas, quick & easy to messy messy, babies to tweens plus links to useful art supplies. Follow their great instagram account for daily inspiration.
DAYS WITH GREY
An educator and mom to 3 shares daily 'Breakfast Invitations,' easy-to-set-up sensory and art activities for preschoolers and toddlers.
VIRTUAL MUSEUM TOURS
Take virtual journeys to over 1,200 museums around the world via Google Arts & Culture. See collections and gallery views of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, Mexico City's Museum of Anthropology, Paris's Musée d'Orsay and more (plus NYC faves like the Whitney, Guggenheim and MoMA).
New-York Historical Society Online
This fascinating historic museum (now partially open for visits) hosts engaging live educational programs for all ages, audio and video resources (including the inspirational We Rise) and interactive 360 degree tours drawing on its world-renowned collections. Excellent educator resources including videos, remote lesson plans, and media-rich curriculum website Women…
MOMI Moving Image Studio
Find tutorials and interactive ways to collaborate and make media art with Astoria's Museum of Moving Image educators. Create Jim Henson-inspired puppets, learn about film editing and apply to have your media art shared on their YouTube channel.
MoMA Families At Home
MoMA provides resources and ideas—from art-making activities to books and films—to spark creativity and fun at home. Explore artworks in MoMA’s collection through activities (available in English and Spanish), watch favorite kid-friendly short films with prompts to spark discussion, dig deeper into Dorothea Lange: Words & Pictures, find favorite Children’s Books about Art, listen…
Ailey All Access
The acclaimed Alvin Ailey dance company shares full length videos of past performances. Also see videos of company members dancing the landmark Revelations and other pieces together from home, join free online dance classes and check out the great Resource Guide for Educators. Find free live and on-demand classes for all ages in a variety of dance…
Carnegie Hall Music Explorers
Learn about musical culture and tradition around the world - African-American Freedom Songs, South African Zulu songs and many more - with lessons plans, music and video featuring global artists. The well-designed site features a world map to explore. Also Learn about symphony orchestras in an animated adventure in Carnegie Hall Listening Adventures.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Academy
Watch curated educated videos on the from Jazz at Lincoln Center's educational programs and learn about it's roots in African-American traditions and communities. WeBop instructors demonstrate fun activities to get families swinging and singing, members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra share performance secrets, and Middle School Jazz Academy instructors break down jazz techniques.…
Black Art Picture Books
Learn about African American art history with curated lists from Culture Type, a website exploring art by and about people of African descent. Find gorgeous books about Jean-Michel Basquiat, fashion designer Ann Cole Lowe, Jacob Lawrence and other great black artists on posts Black Art History: 10 Children’s Books Illuminate the…
FLOCABULARY
Learn about a range of subjects for grades K-12 though catchy, educational hip-hop songs. Watch videos about math, history, science and more, learn new words, take quizzes then (this is the coolest part) write short raps/songs using your new words and knowledge.
KHAN ACADEMY
Watch short videos taught by excellent instructors with an electronic whiteboard in just about any subject for preschool through college. The free Khan Academy Kids app (for ages 2-7) teaches reading, language, writing, math, social-emotional development, and more through open-ended activities and games like drawing, storytelling, and coloring guided by adorable animal characters. Also…
The Davidson Institute At Home
The educational arm of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science offers online kids science courses, videos, games, puzzles, quizzes and science experiments in fun topics like the science of soccer and (safe) homemade explosives.
Lincoln Center At Home
Watch short #concertsforkids recorded (at home) by world-class artists including musician Etienne Charles celebrating a cross-section of cultures from the African Diaspora, Soul Science Kids weaving soul, funk, hip-hop and educational themes and many more diverse voices. Learn puppetry, dance, songwriting and other art forms with simple materials found at home with Lincoln Center Pop-up…
The Super Secret Hive
Join a former Disney duo on a musical adventure for the whole family. A cast of quirky characters navigate timely challenges to help kids save the world. Explore topics like honeybees and pollinators, plastic in the oceans, germs and our immune system, inclusion and kindness vs. bullying (as expressed by a T-Rex!) and…
Dav Pilkey At Home
Get creative and have fun with the creator of cult favorites Dog Man and Captain Upderpants. Watch short videos of Pilkey drawing and reading aloud and download printable activity sheets, drawing guides, comic book creators, games and more.
Kennedy Center Education
Explore music, dance, theater, opera, visual and media arts through informative and engaging Kennedy Center Education interactive lessons with music videos. Learn about African-American History, US President's Favorite Music, all sorts of dance, popular American songs and more. Designed for grades K-12.
TATE KIDS
Play art-inspired games, take cheeky quizzes, find art activities, and share your art on a fun website from British museums Tate and Tate Modern. Find detailed instructions for activities such as "think like the artist Alberto Giacometti" and create interesting portraits and landscapes.
NYSCI At Home
Find tons of games, activities, experiments and projects from Queen's New York Hall of Science. At-Home STEM resources encourage open-ended exploration and imaginative learning. Learn about physics, engineering, design, biology, math, chemistry and more with videos, instructions for experiments and art projects, interactive graphic novels, engaging apps and more.
Story Pirates Podcast
This absurdist sketch comedy show based on stories written by kids features original music and celebrity special guests. Young listeners are invited to submit their own stories that might be brought to live in the podcast or a future live show. Find comprehensive activity guides for each episode online with recipes, poetry lessons, and more.…
Ear Snacks
Kindie musicians Andrew & Polly and their friends consider music, science, art and culture in a fun-filled family-friendly podcast enjoyable for kids and grown-ups. Developmentally appropriate & absurdist but never untrue.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
Learn about extraordinary, inspiring women women in a podcast based on global best-selling book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (a great purchase for all ages). Features famous leaders like Harriet Tubman and RBG as well as lesser known heroes from around the world.
Noodle Loaf
Explore music in an interactive podcast and video series born from the brain of a music education teacher and his goofball kids. Each approx. 10 minute episode features inventive sing-alongs and activities. Geared for kids 3-9 years old but all ages get into it.
Cooper Hewitt Online Learning
Follow along with design activities (with clear, well-designed instructions) to create protoypes, chairs, zines, posters and more. Also explore design case studies, remarkable female and LBGQT+ creators, the digital mansion, and museum exhibitions. Great graphics, video and easy-to-understand text for all ages.
Greeking Out
Hear kid-friendly retelling of classic ancient Greek myths as featured in the Nat Geo Kids book Zeus the Mighty. Zippy and fun retellings with all the inappropriate parts glossed over.
Radiolab for Kids
Find family-friendly content from Radiolab, one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. From “What do dogs see when they look at the rainbow?” to “Do animals laugh?” the topics are squeaky clean (mostly) and all about science and curiosity.
Pajama Program
Help kids in need have a loving bedtime and restful good night by collecting new pajamas and/or books to donate. Here’s info on starting a drive. A great solution for birthday or holiday presents for the kid who already has too much. Party guests still get to shop and have something fun to bring to…
Volunteer
Search for in-person and virtual family-friendly volunteering opportunities at New York Cares, Volunteer New York (includes Westchester & Long Island) and Doing Good Together. Find opportunities for specific dates/times or ongoing with a range of non-profits including city parks and senior centers.
Tuesday, November 3
Support Museums
In a win/win for all, refresh your library/playroom at expertly curated online shops of local museums. Find great toys, books, crafts and games for at-home entertainment and consider becoming a member of your faves - so many perks all year round (including store discounts and the ability to visit in person whenever). Some favorite…
Friday, January 1
Krispy Kreme Times Square Flagship
Get hot, fresh addictively delicious doughnuts 24/7 at Krispy Kreme's Times Square Flagship store. The 4,500 square-foot shop features a doughnut-making theater, a Glazed Waterfall with digital projection, a giant conveyor belt that runs throughout the store and and a doughnut themed seating area. Choose from a variety of flavors, including an exclusive Big Apple…