5 Restaurants That I Always Run To As Soon As The Weather Warms Up In NYC

Spring in New York City is one of the only times of year that the whole town takes on the romantic comedy quality so many people imagine. I've seen it happen fast in my nearly two decades covering food and drinks in New York City: One minute, you're scaling snow banks in all your Michelin Man finery, and the next you're twirling through cherry blossom blizzards under the warmth of the sun. Then, summer brings frozen drink season proper, the crowds catch on, and all the best outdoor dining options become totally packed. 

All my time reporting on the hospitality business has led me to excellent dive bars near Times Square, exquisite turkey sandwiches in Brooklyn, my favorite rooftop spots, and this very list of restaurants I rush to as soon as that first hint of spring floats in, but before the crush of tourists collides with previously cooped up residents. You should also get a head start so you, too, can enjoy the finest al fresco options in New York City.

Red Hook, a charming peninsula neighborhood in Brooklyn, boasts some of the city's best waterfront acreage — and the top of three-story Brooklyn Crab is a particularly scenic perch to enjoy it all. The titular crab, fried shrimp, lobster rolls, and fun cocktails (shaken and stirred by one of my favorite bartending crews in New York City) enhance an already terrific view.

There's obviously tons of space across the sprawling restaurant's trifecta of altitudes, but even these hundreds of seats seem to go fast on peak summer weekends. Although I test the waters come June and July, I make April and May visits more of a priority to ensure my choice of tables. The tableau from the roof deck includes a peek at the Statue of Liberty and the New York Bay. Brooklyn Crab is also great for celebrations because you can cram in a ton of friends and order large-format items, such as steam pots for the table and sharable shellfish feasts.

Brooklyn Crab is located at 24 Reed St, Brooklyn, New York 11231.

This is one of my favorite romantic restaurants in New York City thanks, in part, to a choose-your-own-adventure quality that can quicken one's pulse. For another, it's BYOB, an uncommon boon in NYC that lets you find your own next favorite bottle of wine before you even arrive (and, of course, for cheaper than the standard restaurant markup). It also, somewhat famously, does not provide printed menus. Instead, you peer at the seafood case up front for a glimpse of what they might be grilling that day. You can also grill your server for a bill of fare known to include exceptional saganaki and lemon potatoes, alongside fresh seafood such as whole branzino and fried sardines.

The deck is what pushes it over the edge into effortlessly swoony territory, and the nascent spring is the best time to enjoy it. That I've been visiting with my husband since we first started dating many years ago obviously gives the place a sentimental patina, but I'd also recommend the breezy, casual locale to anyone aspiring to fall in love. A crisp bottle of (retail priced!) Sancerre and a plate of oysters might even be enough for you to fall for the city itself.

Elias Corner for Fish is located at 24-02 31st St, Queens, New York 11102.

Popina is a peaceful retreat from the roaring traffic and weirdly shade-free industrial landscape that is the Columbia Street Waterfront District. Its back yard feels even further from all this despite being set only a few hundred feet back. This back yard outdoor configuration, walled but open to the sky and with a bit of greenery that the greater surroundings are otherwise lacking, just makes it oodles more appealing than other arrangements that make it feel like you're in the middle of an intersection. This is also the rare space that feels simultaneously transportive from New York City, but also characteristic of the best of what this metropolis offers.

I like to pop in for Popina's brilliantly curated wine list, excellent martinis, and plates influenced by Italy and the American South. Reserve a table just in case, and order the sensational hot chicken Milanese and the locally unique pappardelle with ham hocks and collard greens.

Popina is located at 127 Columbia St, Brooklyn, New York 11231.

Colloquially known as The Waverly, this bit of shorthand truncates the tremendous appeal detailed in this West Village restaurant's formal name, The Waverly Inn and Garden. Said garden (or unsaid I guess), which The Waverly calls "the conservatory," takes what's universally understood to be a lovely, almost magical neighborhood and imbues it with its own brand of verdant enchantment. Lush ivy climbs up brick walls toward a greenhouse-like ceiling in a semi-enclosed space that I'm keen to visit for boozy lemonade and eggs Benedicts at brunch, or Manhattans and country pâté or duck two ways at dinner, before it gets too hot outside to truly enjoy any of it.

The whole place is a little bit easier to get into today than it was during its early aughts celebrity hotspot heyday, but there's still a modicum of nuance. The (also special) dining room and the conservatory accept reservations, and there are some sidewalk seats out front that are only available for pop-ins. These streetside seats more closely align with what most folks consider outdoor dining, and The Waverly's coordinates mean even these unbookable seats make for a pretty pleasant place to break bread.

The Waverly Inn and Garden is located at 16 Bank St, New York, New York 10014.

Far above even Upper Manhattan, crowning the northeasternmost Bronx, City Island is a nautical respite from the bustling boroughs below. The lovely hamlet packs a lot into its relatively small footprint: historic architecture, a must-visit ice cream shop unknown to most tourists, and this fin-sational seafood spot. It's only open from roughly March through November, and the picnic tables on the large self-seated waterside patio seem to fill up quickest in the middle months — so I like to make the hike a little earlier.

This is another spot that's great for groups; just designate one pal to secure your space outside while you order cafeteria style inside. Choose from tons of fried selections (such as shrimp, clam strips, tostones, and frog legs), steamed bites (such as littlenecks and lobster tails), and a couple of chowders for chillier days. The Henny Colada is also among New York City's most essential drinks. Here, the classic piña is zhuzhed up with a tip of Hennessy for a frozen sip that tastes like the Big Apple at its best, during what also happens to be the best time of year to sip it.

Johnny's Reef is located at 2 City Island Ave, Bronx, New York 10464.