Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Park(ing) Day

NYC Restaurants in Search of Foot Traffic Can Apply to DOT

pop-up

A few months after launching the city's first "pop-up café" on Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan, NYC DOT is putting out a call to other businesses who might be interested in reclaiming curbside spaces to make way for seasonal sidewalk extensions, tables, and seating. The department announced today that it's seeking applications [PDF] to expand the pop-up café program to as many as 12 locations throughout the five boroughs next year.

Implicit in the program is the message that foot traffic and high-quality public space have greater value for street-level businesses than car storage. The two restaurants who sponsored the Pearl Street project, Fika Espresso Bar and Bombay's, say business is up as much as 14 percent since the pop-up café was installed in August, according to DOT's press release.

“Small businesses are the backbone of New York City’s economy and we need to do everything we can to help them through today’s difficult economic climate,” said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan in a statement. “The City’s first Pop-up Café has been both an innovative public space and also an economic boon, and now enterprises across the city can buy in to this cost-effective, creative use of our streets.”

In San Francisco, where curbside reclamation projects are called "parklets," the planning department released a similar request earlier this year after piloting the idea in two locations. The original inspiration for both programs, of course, is Park(ing) Day, which was recently observed for the fifth year in cities around the world.

The NYC public space expansions will be available to restaurants on streets where regular sidewalk café licenses are not permitted, and which have the support of the local community board to reclaim the curb. Restaurants have to apply by December 3 to be considered for next year's program.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Fixing Canal Street Means Rethinking the Manhattan Bridge Itself: Experts

Canal Street needs a fix, but the city must go straight to the source.

July 24, 2025

Lower East Side Panel Joins Growing Chorus Against Tisch’s E-Bike Criminalization

Another New York neighborhood is calling for an end to the “disproportionate consequences” that e-bike users face under the NYPD’s sweeping crackdown.

July 24, 2025

Restaurant Row: Cars Need to Go

“People like to sit outside and not be bothered by the cars,” said one restaurant manager. 

July 24, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Double Vigil Edition

With this much carnage, Wednesday featured two rallies for safe streets. Plus other news.

July 24, 2025

‘King’ Trump’s DOT Secretary Is Acting Like A Child on Congestion Pricing: Legal Scholar

The Transportation Secretary's claim that the federal government has "sovereign prerogatives" is a silly kid's argument.

July 23, 2025

Eyes on the Street: UPS Blows Off DOT’s ‘Microhubs’ Delivery Pilot

"Microhub" parking zones reserved for e-commerce firms to offload parcels from trucks to cargo bikes and hand-carts routinely go unused.

July 23, 2025
See all posts