New York City’s first-ever Curbside Dining Restaurant Week launches September 5-12, bringing exclusive deals to four Upper East Side restaurants.
Why It Matters: The pandemic-era curbside dining program that helped thousands of restaurants survive has drastically shrunk due to cost, complexity, and seasonal limitations in the permanent version passed by City Council in 2023, according to the event’s organizer, the anti-car advocacy group Open Plans.
What’s New: The week-long celebration features 38 participating restaurants across the five boroughs, with Upper East Side establishments offering special promotions to on-site diners.
Zoom In: Four neighborhood restaurants are participating with exclusive deals:
- The Mansion (1634 York Avenue) offers 20% off meal bills
- Orsay (1057 Lexington Avenue) provides 10% off entire bills
- Bar Italia (768 Madison Ave) gives 10% off with mention of the event
- La Goulue (29 E 61st St) offers 10% off when mentioning Restaurant Week
What They’re Saying: “New Yorkers are hungry for vibrant public space; the immediate success of curbside dining proved that. But today, the program is floundering,” said Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of Open Plans.
The Big Picture: Open Plans is campaigning to reform Dining Out NYC, calling for year-round dining, simplified fees, flexible design guidelines, streamlined applications, and expansion to underserved neighborhoods.
