Outdoor dining season is upon us!
Sun-starved New Yorkers flock to alfresco bars and restaurants as soon as the weather starts to heat up, and even though they are shivering on some cooler nights, city restaurants are happy to oblige with heat lamps, special menus and even a Ping-Pong table or two.
Click through the slide show to see some of NYC's hippest outdoor spaces that are sure to be as hot as the Big Apple's quickly rising temperature.
The Standard Plaza
848 Washington St.
The Standard Hotel is your one-stop-shop for outdoor revelry this season, with at least four alfresco areas to choose from (all of which are as hip as the last).
Of course, you can hit the old standards and hang with the cool kids at Le Bain, grab a table and nosh outdoors at The Standard Grill or play a game of Ping-Pong at the Biergarten (assuming the lines aren't too long).
This year an attractive new option is The Plaza in front of the hotel, which is operating as a first-come, first-served pizza restaurant with wood-fired pies from Frank Pinello of Best Pizza in Williamsburg. On Fridays and Saturdays, the eatery stays open until 1 AM if you're jonesing for a bite post bar-hop.
ReiOpen at the Refinery Hotel
63 W. 39th St.
Opening in June, the roof deck at the Fashion District's spankin' new Refinery Hotel promises to be one of the season's biggest draws, with 3,500 ft. of space, views of the skyline (notably the Empire State building) and a retractable glass roof that will keep the venue open rain or shine.
The building used to house a hat factory, which is reflected in the industrial-chic vibe, and cocktails come from mixologist Alex Ott. Though it wasn't open for a peek at press time, this is the outdoor imbibing space that most intrigues us.
The High Line
Everyone's favorite elevated park is elevating its culinary options this year with the addition of SmokeLine, a standalone barbecue stand from BrisketTown founder Daniel Delaney that you'll find at 15th Street.
Just be warned that the fare you'll get here isn't exactly bathing-suit friendly - one of the options is a sandwich called The Mess, which is a combo of grilled Vermont cheese, brisket, pork, pickled onions and chile sauce served on a buttered roll (we're already full just writing that).
Adjacent to the barbecue stand is Terroir on the Porch, which is back for another season and will be open seven days a week until 9:30 PM starting today, May 15.
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