Best Outdoor Dining Restaurants in Upper East Side-Yorkville
4 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Bluestone Lane Upper East Side Café
Australian café staples and serious coffee poured at sidewalk tables across from Central Park.
Notable Picks
Bluestone Lane’s Upper East Side café faces Central Park and offers Australian-style coffee, avocado toast, and light brunch plates with plentiful sidewalk seating. It’s a daytime outdoor option where park-goers linger over flat whites and brekkie dishes steps from Museum Mile.
Must-Try Dishes:
Avocado Smash Toast with poached eggs, Brekkie Board with granola, fruit, and toast, Flat White with single-origin espresso
What Makes it Special: Australian café staples and serious coffee poured at sidewalk tables across from Central Park.
8.1
Lex Restaurant is a longtime Carnegie Hill Italian where pastas sit alongside crab cakes, seafood risotto, and mussels in a candlelit room with sidewalk seating. Neighborhood regulars lean on it for relaxed dinners that feel classic Upper East Side rather than scene-driven.
Must-Try Dishes:
Maryland crab cakes, Seafood risotto, Steamed mussels in white wine or marinara
What Makes it Special: Long-running Italian dining room where seafood plates feel comfortably old-school.
#3
Avoca
8
Avoca is a pubby brunch-and-dinner spot known for its fenced backyard beer garden, bottomless brunch, and pet-friendly patio. The outdoor space feels almost hidden from First Avenue, with brunch plates, smash burgers, and cocktails running late into the night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Egg Slut breakfast sandwich, Avoca All American brunch platter, Avoca Ultimate Smash Burger
What Makes it Special: A back garden beer patio with bottomless brunch and a dedicated dog menu.
Worthy Picks
#4
Barking Dog
7.7
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Brunch Bliss Spots
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Barking Dog is a casual, dog-centric American spot where all-day brunch plates, burgers, and pancakes fuel families and pet owners near Carl Schurz Park. The food leans hearty and straightforward, with the draw split between the comfort menu and the busy sidewalk patio.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chocolate chip pancakes, Country breakfast platter, Burgers and fries
What Makes it Special: Dog-welcoming brunch and comfort-food standby with a busy patio and kid-friendly menu.