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Il Violino
Jen Chung/Gothamist
Last week, the State Liquor Authority (SLA) and New York City released updated guidelines about outdoor dining to clarify what is and isn't allowed in the city while indoor dining is paused. This has, inevitably, resulted in more questions about the elaborate outdoor setups many restaurants have constructed in their desperate attempt to stay afloat this pandemic winter. And that includes an important detail about what constitutes a legal outdoor structure.
According to the SLA, a structure "may only be considered outdoor if it has
two sides which are open air. A structure with one open side or no open sides is considered inside space and may not be used during the effectiveness of this guidance. Sides are not considered open if covered with clear plastic or other materials that restrict air flow."