Booze for NYC outdoor dining gets green light after fears restaurants would be dry for summer
It's bottoms up after all.
New York restaurants with 'conditional approvals' for outdoor dining will be able to get liquor licenses, the city announced Wednesday — ending fears it would be a boozeless al fresco season for most Big Apple eateries.
The State Liquor Authority had required restaurants already have an outdoor dining permit before they could even apply for a liquor license — but a massive backlog of al fresco dining applications under a new city policy created chaos this year.
Only seven outdoor liquor licenses had been granted out of 3,000 restaurants hoping to offer outdoor dining this year, many of them with conditional approvals for al fresco while the city worked through the backlog
'We are pleased that the State Liquor Authority worked closely with us to also allow businesses that have received conditional approval to serve alcohol while their applications remain under review,' the DOT said in a statement shared with The Post.
'We applaud their decision, which benefits restaurants and all New Yorkers who love outdoor dining.'
The NYC Hospitality Alliance, which represents the city's restaurant and nightlife industry, also praised the decision, with executive director Andrew Rigie calling it a 'reasonable process that ensures outdoor dining remains uninterrupted for restaurants, workers, and New Yorkers and visitors.'
Since the DOT began reviewing applications in March 2024, it has fully approved just 47 restaurants.
The agency has blamed its hundreds of outdoor dining permits in limbo on the city's mew 'cumbersome' and convoluted process for outdoor dining approvals – which include approvals from the DOT, local community board and city comptroller's office.
For sidewalk dining, that process also requires a thumbs-up from a local council member.
The process became so drawn out that the DOT began doling out the 'conditional' licenses in February.
The estimated 600 roadway dining setups and nearly 1,850 sidewalk setups were operational by April 1 'thanks to NYC DOT's efforts to cut red tape by granting conditional approvals,' the agency said last month.
More conditional approvals are expected for restaurants in the coming weeks, the DOT added, though it's unclear when full approvals will be issued.
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