The Joys of Outdoor Dining

Outdoor dining is one of summer's greatest pleasures, a tradition stretching from the Via Veneto in Rome and the Champs Elysee in Paris, all the way to five restaurants lining Purchase Street and Purdy Avenue in Rye.

That local quintet includes Aurora, Frankie and Johnnie's Steakhouse, Ruby's Oyster Bar & Bistro, The Rye Grill & Bar and Town Dock.

Each of those restaurants has their own style, from Aurora specializing in Northern Italian cuisine served in a Venetian-inspired setting minus San Marco Square and the canals, to what Westchester Magazine calls the "Best Steak in Westchester" at Frankie & Johnnies, to Ruby's, a seafood bistro serving Continental food with a French flair.

Yet diners who enjoy their meals outdoors may not know some of the hoops these restaurants have to jump through to provide patrons with this summer luxury.

Each member of the Rye outdoor quintet must submit to the same set of rules in applying for their annual outdoor permit, rules that include among other things, providing the City of Rye with an insurance certificate naming the City as additionally insured in the amount of $2 million, while also providing Rye with a signed and notarized indemnification and hold harmless agreement if any outdoor customer seating is located on city property.

Outdoor seating is only allowed from April to October and restaurants must reapply for a new permit each year. They must also pay an annual application fee of $500 and a license fee of $100 per table (applicable to applications located on City property), according to the rules posted by the City of Rye Planning Department on the city's website.

In reviewing applications for outdoor seating, the City also has to weigh factors such as the number and size of the tables and chairs—and even the material type and color of these pieces of furniture.

This is the second year that the Planning Commission has considered outdoor customer seating applications. In 2009, it approved two applications, one for Ruby's and the other for Rye Grill and Bar, both of which are located on private property.  

"This year the Commission has approved two applications on private property (Rubys and Rye Grill and Bar) and three on City sidewalks (in front of Frankie and Johnnies, Aurora and Town Dock)," according to Rye City Planner Christian Miller.  "All applications have met the requirements of the City Code and there have been no denials."

Indeed, there are almost as many other rules as there are items on the respective menus, but each of the Rye eateries and their customers have their own reasons for wanting outdoor dining.

"Outdoor dining gives a nice feeling of being part of the great outdoors, seeing what's going on and being at one with all that's going on while also enjoying a good meal," said Harrison resident Kristin Riise, dining with a friend, Birche Otten, outside at Ruby's. "Of course, our love of dining out may have something to do with the fact that we're European, married to Europeans, and we're used to outdoor dining."

 Over at Town Dock, the thought process was less complicated.

"Eating outside is a great way to grab a hamburger and get a breath of fresh air at the same time," said a Rye resident who declined to give his name.

Restaurant owners said that outdoor dining adds an additional flair to the atmosphere their establishments provide to customers.

"Outdoor dining changes the whole feel of the place, gives it the atmosphere of a French bistro with those outdoor tables, and it adds to the people-watching pleasure of watching passersby stroll by close up," said Lisa McKiernan, a managing partner at Morgans Fish House on nearby Elm Place.

"So it all adds up to more than adding additional table space—outdoor dining also adds a colorful personality touch," she added.

Eduardo Maia, general manager at Aurora, also said this summer luxury gives Purchase Street a more sophisticated feel.

"Outdoor dining gives a European feeling to Purchase Street. It gives a small city like Rye the flavor of Paris or Rome, and it brings a sense of European sophistication as well as gives a psychological uplift to Rye at a time when so many businesses are closing and stores remain vacant on Purchase Street," Maia said.

"It adds a sense of life and personality to the street."