Year-Round Roadway Dining Is Back. But It’s Future Remains Uncertain

Roadway dining remains one of the most visible and lasting changes COVID brought to New York City. Across the city, restaurants offer outdoor dining in temporary structures occupying spaces once reserved solely for parking. Adams-era legislation passed in 2023 limited those structures to a seasonal schedule, and while these reforms addressed several of the main complaints from opponents of the program, participation has also fallen sharply, with roughly 80 percent fewer restaurants applying than at the peak of the pandemic. In August, Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed legislation that lets roadway structures stay in place and operate year-round, pending new city rules for winterizing. “I’m not sure how many will winterize their roadway structures or not.

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