New York City has let outdoor dining — a lifeline to restaurants during the pandemic and since — stagnate, issuing less than a fifth as many permits this spring as it did during the height of the program. Six weeks into the 2026 outdoor dining season, only 2,100 Big Apple eateries have permits — down … Read more
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s radical policy proposals have prompted high-profile restaurateur Stratis Morfogen to cancel plans to open new businesses. He told Side Dish he’s pulling the plug on three new establishments, including one in Midtown West. “I waited for the election before signing and now I’m not signing,” he said. Stratis Morfogen … Read more
Well, that’s rich. Humble comfort foods are now dangerously close to becoming unaffordable luxuries for many New Yorkers in the age of menu-flation. With rising food and labor costs, restaurant owners risk biting off more than they can chew, leaving customers to make up the difference. “You must ask yourself, ‘Sacrifice quality and keep price … Read more