Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Should Public Drinking Be Allowed?
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 8, 2008
Modified Jul 8, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 8, 2008
Modified Jul 8, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Drinking in New York has long been reserved for private homes or establishments with liquor licenses (or speakeasys!), but how well is the law enforced when it comes to drinking on a stoop or in a public park? Apparently, and unfortunately, the law is still being upheld very well. A few years back the tabloids wondered why cops looked the other way when it came to Chardonnay swilling audiences listening to the symphony in Central Park, while the beer-drinking crowd at a 9/11 memorial in Rockaway incurred plenty of fines.
Have the cops stopped turning a blind eye to imbibers, no matter what their class? OTBKB points to a Park Slope Parent message board posting about an allegedly tame group of picnickers busted for an open bottle of wine in Prospect Park; four cops doled out tickets for the illegal deed, and now "a friend" of the fined is questioning how hard it is to fight.
Meanwhile, someone at the NY Press was recently hassled for savoring a caramel Middle Ages IPA in public view on a friend's Brooklyn stoop. He questioned why open air and sidewalk drinking is allowed at bars and restaurants, but imbibing on one's own stoop is illegal. While there's always Pocket Shots and To-Go margaritas, is it time to allow drinking in designated public spaces around town? After all, other cities allow it (though in London they just banned it on public transport), and public drinking at the city-leased Pier 17 in South Street Seaport hasn't yet led to anarchy. Just bad dancing.
Tagged
alcohol
drinking in public
fine
illegal
legal
park
pier 17
public drinking
stoop
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .