What's on tap at NYC's best outdoor beer gardens

am New York

April 30, 2019

You don't have to wait for Oktoberfest to enjoy a cold, bold brew outdoors. From spaces that offer intimate environments to those that are filled with plenty of games and activities, these outdoor beer gardens are the ultimate spots to hang out this summer.

Sylvester Schneider opened up this beer garden because he was homesick for his native Germany. Zum Schneider is the perfect representation of what Sylvester was missing. Everything from the authentic German food to the 100-year-old beer hall chairs from Munich make this one of the best German beer gardens in NYC. The restaurant is cash only, and it has a diverse selection of brews and wine, including Schneider Weisse, Andechs Vollbier, Traunsteiner Pilsner, Grüner Veltliner and Bembel Apfelwein.

What to plan for: Zum Schneider’s 19th annual Mai-Fest celebrates the beginning of May. Festivities start at 5 p.m. May 1 and include oompah band Moesl Franzi and the JaJaJa’s, DJ Volka Racho, a pig roast, and Maibock beers on tap.