The Resy Guide to the Best Restaurants on New York’s Open Streets

Open Street: East 20th St. between Broadway and Park Ave., Manhattan

Focused on the cuisine of northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna, and homemade pasta, Rezdôra was awarded its first Michelin star this year (and its chef, Stefano Secchi, honed his culinary skills at three-star Osteria Francescana in Modena). Don’t stress if you can’t decide between the taglini al ragu and the anliolini di parma — there’s always the regional pasta tasting option, even better outdoors.

Open Street: West 114th St., between Frederick Douglass Boulevard and Manhattan Ave., Manhattan

Since 2005, Melba Wilson (niece of Sylvia’s founder Sylvia Woods) has continued the family tradition of serving excellent soul food to Harlemites and travelers from across the city and around the world. Fill up on their Southern fried chicken and eggnog waffles, battered country catfish, and Lowcountry collard greens.

Open Street: Doyers St., between Bowery and Pell Streets, Manhattan

The 101-year-old Nom Wah Tea Parlor launched a frozen dumpling delivery service during the pandemic, but it’s worth a trip to Doyers Street, which has become something of an outdoor dining oasis, to savor them in person. Pair with some pork buns, turnip cakes, and one of their updated egg rolls.

Open Street: Bond St. between Lafayette St. and Bowery, Manhattan

Drawing inspiration from Thailand’s coastal cities, chef-brothers Chat and Ohm Suansilphong serve up bold flavors in a seafood-focused menu, including dishes like coconut crab curry, prawn karee, and po tak. The same goes for their cocktail list, which includes a martini with garlic chile brine and the S01 38, a Bourbon cocktail with black cardamom and white peppercorn.

Open Street: Vanderbilt Ave., between Atlantic Ave. and Park Place, Brooklyn

Olmsted is the quintessential farm-to-table, Brooklyn neighborhood restaurant — except it’s a James Beard finalist run by Stone Barns alum Greg Baxtrom. Come for the fine dining twists on American classics — a Wagyu beef corn dog, Nashville hot fried soft shell crab, s’mores with homemade marshmallows — stay for surprising standouts like the carrot crepe and kale and crab rangoon.

Open Street: 5th Ave, between President St. and 3rd Street, Brooklyn

A recent Michelin bib gourmand winner, Chef Jenny Kwak’s Haenyeo showcases Korean seafood (and is named after the women free divers of Jeju Island) through dishes like spicy bouillabaisse and ojingeo bokkeum. Don’t sleep on the dukboki fundido, the ultimate multicultural mashup.

Open Street: Grand St., between Marcy Ave. and Roebling St., Brooklyn

Earlier this year, this playful all-day café upped their baked goods game by hiring Melissa Weller — alum of Per Se, Roberta’s, and Sadelle’s — as their baker-in-residence, adding stellar bagels, lemon poppy rugelach, and chocolate marzipan babka to its menu. In the evenings, minimal-intervention wine flows along with more “Jewish-ish” bites, like matzo-crusted wings and a sweet-and-sour brisket sandwich.

Open Street: Nassau Ave., between Banker St. and Lorimer St., Brooklyn

This new, mostly vegan Mexican spot from Oxomoco chefs Justin Bazadrich and Alan Delgado is a great spot for a brunch of masa pancakes and scrambled egg tostadas, or a dinner of green “chorizo” (a mix of smoked pecans and roasted oyster mushrooms) or purple potato tacos.

Open Street: 31st Ave., between 31st and 36th Streets, Queens

Enjoy some Latin American-inspired tapas and drinks at this Astoria cocktail bar. Bites include chicharron, maduros and tacos, and the cocktail list is perfect for summer, featuring drinks like a guava caipirinha and frozen banana coconut daiquiri, as well as an extensive Tequila and mezcal list.

Open Street: Ditmars Blvd., between 33rd and 36th Streets, Queens

This Peruvian restaurant and pisco bar features a menu of bright ceviches and other classic dishes like lomo saltado and roasted chicken with aji verde. They also host frequent live music nights, and in good weather, open the garage doors of their plant-filled dining room to the street.

Open Street: Minthorne St., between Bay St. and Victory Boulevard, Staten Island

While creative Neapolitan pizzas — like cacio e pepe and carbonara pies — are the focus of this Italian restaurant, homemade pasta also stands out in the spaghetti alla chitarra and a tagliatelle with veal ragu. And conveniently, it’s located next door to the taproom of Flagship Brewing, one of two breweries on Staten Island.

Open Street: Arthur Ave., between East 188th St. and Crescent Ave., Bronx

Every weekend, the main drag of the Bronx’s Little Italy is transformed into a piazza, just like in the motherland. It’s worth a stop at Enzo’s, a red-sauce joint with a menu full of Italian-American staples like Chicken Parm, clams oreganata, and acclaimed fried meatballs.