Best Outdoor Dining Restaurants in Lower East Side (10002)
8 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Jajaja Mexicana
All-vegan Mexican menu with big flavors and a party-ready room.
Notable Picks
8.8
Jajaja Mexicana is a plant-based Mexican restaurant where colorful plates, creative tacos, and a deep mezcal list pull in crowds from beyond the neighborhood. The space feels bright and social, leaning more toward fun group dinners and brunch than quiet, lingering meals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grande Nachos, Buffalo Flower Tacos, Chorizo Burrito
What makes it special: All-vegan Mexican menu with big flavors and a party-ready room.
8.6
La Contenta LES is an intimate Lower East Side mezcal and tequila bar where polished versions of classic Mexican dishes share the stage with a serious cocktail program. Crowded tables, loud music, and a compact room make it feel more like a lively night-out spot than a quiet neighborhood cantina.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fish Tacos, Enchiladas Suizas, La Contenta Nachos
What makes it special: Cocktail-driven Mexican spot where tacos, enchiladas, and mezcal share top billing.
#3
Kopitiam
8.5
Kopitiam is chef-owner Kyo Pang's fast-casual Nyonya cafe, where Malaysian breakfast plates, snacks, and coffee anchor an all-day menu on a busy Lower East Side corner. Outdoor sidewalk tables make it one of the more relaxed places in the neighborhood to linger over kaya toast, nasi lemak, and kopi while watching the foot traffic on East Broadway.
Must-Try Dishes:
Nasi lemak, Kaya butter toast, Pan mee noodles
What makes it special: A Nyonya cafe from chef Kyo Pang bringing Malaysian coffee-shop culture downtown.
#4
Sonnyboy
8.1
Sonnyboy brings Australian cafe culture to Rivington Street with all-day dishes and spritzes that extend to a busy run of sidewalk tables. Brunch plates, burgers, and natural-leaning wines make the outdoor seats especially popular on mild weekends when the block feels like a daytime hangout.
Must-Try Dishes:
Harissa Folded Eggs, Ricotta Hotcake, Breakfast Burrito
What makes it special: An Australian brunch hangout with strong coffee, fun cocktails, and lively energy.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Comfort Food Classics
Hidden Gems Heaven
Wu’s Wonton King is a BYOB Cantonese spot where roast meats, wonton soup, and seafood platters land on lazy Susans for rowdy tables. It’s a go-to for birthdays and family-style celebrations when you want a full table of classics without white-tablecloth formality.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shrimp and Pork Wonton Soup, Crispy Roast Duck, Steamed Razor Clams with Garlic Vermicelli
What makes it special: Lively BYOB Cantonese banquets with standout roast meats and seafood.
#6
Le Dive
7.9
Le Dive is a French-inspired natural wine bar in Dimes Square where a zinc bar and sidewalk tables channel Parisian tabac energy. Outdoor cafe seating is prime real estate for people-watching over charcuterie, tartare, and bottles, especially on warm evenings when Canal and Ludlow feel like a downtown stage.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mushroom pate, Steak tartare, Baby gem or niçoise salad
What makes it special: A Paris-style natural wine bar with sidewalk tables that double as front-row seats to Dimes Square.
7.8
Vibes:
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Brewery & Beer Garden Republic
Group Dining Gatherings
Happy Hour Hotspots
Loreley Beer Garden has spent roughly two decades turning a Lower East Side courtyard into a German-style outdoor drinking and dining space with long tables, pitchers, and hearty pub food. In warm weather and around holiday pop-ups, the garden fills with groups working through pretzels, sausages, schnitzel, and steins under string lights.
Must-Try Dishes:
Giant Oktoberfest pretzel, Pork schnitzel sandwich, Sausage Party platter
What makes it special: A long-running German-style beer garden with one of the neighborhood's largest outdoor courtyards.
7.6
The Bowery Beer Garden is an open-air sports bar attached to the Wyndham Garden Chinatown, with a covered courtyard, big screens, and a menu that mixes wings, sliders, and ramen from Shinka. Its outdoor setup makes it one of the few spots in the area where you can watch games outside with full table service and pitchers.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crispy fried chicken wings, Bowery Boys sliders, Shinka ramen bowl
What makes it special: An open-air sports beer garden with TVs, taps, and hearty bar food in a courtyard setting.