Sidewalk Cafe

A business must have a Sidewalk Café license and revocable consent if it operates a portion of a restaurant on a public sidewalk. You must be cleared of debts owed to the city before the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) can issue you a license.

New Business Acceleration Team (NBAT) assists individuals and groups opening food and beverage establishments by navigating City agency processes and reducing the time needed to open. NBAT provides client management services, an accelerated plan review process, and coordination of necessary inspections by regulatory agencies. New restaurants, bars that will serve food, bakeries, supermarkets, and butcher shops may be eligible.

Before you apply for a license, you must prepare the following:

  • Current Food Service Establishment Permit OR Permit Application from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • Sales Tax ID Number OR Certificate of Authority
  • You must confirm with the Department of City Planningthat your proposed sidewalk café meets the zoning requirements
  • You must ensure that the distance from the property line to the curb is at least 12 feet wide for the entire length of the proposed sidewalk café
  • Employee Identification Number
  • Business Certificate based on your business’s legal structure

The following documents must be completed and submitted along with your application in order to file for a DCA License. Once you click the link, you will be directed to a PDF format where you may print and complete all of the necessary forms.

Please note that if you file in person, every document that has (7) before it, requires that you submit 7 copies of that document.