Where to Eat Outdoors Near Union Square Before the Patios Close

Outdoor Dining Near Union Square Before the Season Ends

Outdoor dining near Union Square doesn’t last as long as the calendar suggests. Sidewalk tables and open-air patios start thinning out through October as restaurants pull furniture in ahead of the cold, and by late November most of what’s left is heated or enclosed rather than genuinely open-air. This is where the Italian outdoor seating actually is right now, from a full open-air patio at the Flatiron Building to a handful of sidewalk tables a few blocks south.

Quick answer: The most reliable open-air option near Union Square right now is Il Patio di Eataly, the outdoor space at Eataly’s Flatiron marketplace. Several smaller sidewalk setups are scattered between 12th and 21st Streets, but they’re seasonal and weather-dependent, so confirm before you walk over expecting a table outside.

At a Glance

• A true open-air patio: Il Patio di Eataly, at the Flatiron Building.
• Sidewalk tables, seasonal: Giorgio’s of Gramercy, East 21st Street.
• A patio built for a long lunch: Ribalta, East 12th Street.
• Sidewalk seating in warmer months: Leon’s, near East 12th Street and Broadway.
• Sidewalk tables further west: Da Andrea, West 13th Street.

Il Patio di Eataly: The Real Open-Air Option

Il Patio di Eataly sits at the base of the Flatiron Building, part of Eataly’s Flatiron marketplace at 200 Fifth Avenue, and it’s the most genuinely outdoor of everything on this list — an open-air space rather than a sidewalk strip. It’s open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 9pm and Friday and Saturday from noon to 9:30pm. Because it’s tied to the marketplace rather than a single kitchen, it tends to stay open later into the season than a standalone restaurant’s sidewalk tables, though it will still close for the winter eventually.

Giorgio’s of Gramercy: Sidewalk Tables on East 21st Street

Giorgio’s of Gramercy, at 27 East 21st Street on the Flatiron and Gramercy border, sets out sidewalk tables in warm weather that fill up quickly on nice evenings. This is seasonal, weather-permitting seating rather than a fixed patio, so it’s worth calling ahead once temperatures start dropping to confirm the tables are still out.

Ribalta: A Patio Near Union Square’s South Side

Ribalta, at 48 East 12th Street, runs a patio that works well for a longer lunch or an early dinner while the weather holds. It’s a short walk from the 14th Street–Union Square subway complex, making it an easy stop if you’re already near the square.

Leon’s and Da Andrea: Smaller Sidewalk Setups

Leon’s, near East 12th Street and Broadway, puts out a small sidewalk seating area during the warmer months. A few blocks further west, Da Andrea, at 35 West 13th Street, does the same. Neither is a large patio, so they’re better suited to two or three people than a bigger group, and both depend on the weather holding up.

When the Patios Close, the Aperitivo Ritual Moves Indoors

Once the outdoor tables come in for the season, the closest thing to that same before-dinner ritual near Union Square is Isabelle’s Osteria, at 245 Park Avenue South. Isabelle’s runs a weekday Aperitivo Hour with a seasonal menu, and its dining room stays open through the winter on the same schedule outdoor seating can’t promise once the weather turns: Monday through Wednesday 11:30am to 10pm, Thursday to 10:30pm, Friday to 11pm, Saturday from 10am to 11pm and Sunday from 10am to 10pm. It’s not an outdoor pick, but it’s the honest answer to where this same crowd goes once the patios are put away for the year.

For Gramercy’s much shorter outdoor list, see where Gramercy’s Italian rooms actually let you sit outside — the neighborhood has fewer options than Union Square does. And for more on the corner where Il Patio di Eataly sits, this guide to dining right at the Flatiron Building covers the surrounding block in more detail.

Frequently Asked Question

How late in the season can I still eat outside near Union Square?

Most sidewalk setups near Union Square start closing through October as temperatures drop, with only a handful lasting into November, and those are usually heated rather than fully open-air by then. Il Patio di Eataly tends to run longer into the fall than a single restaurant’s sidewalk tables since it’s part of a larger marketplace, but even that has a seasonal cutoff.

The safest approach is to call ahead once nights start getting cold, rather than assuming a patio you saw in September is still set up in November.

Get outside while it’s still warm enough to matter, and have a backup plan once the tables come in for the year.

Editor’s note: Isabelle’s Osteria is affiliated with this publication. Restaurants were selected using the criteria described above.