As much as we love New York City (I mean duh, that's why we've made it home)– sometimes we need a break from the concrete jungle.
But we're also busy and when we need an escape, we usually don't have time to go very far.
But thanks to some pretty fantastic "secret" gardens (aka lesser-known and tourist-free patios) throughout the boroughs you can feel a world away, if only for the length of a drink.
Here are the best places to find some solitude with delicious drinks and bites to eat in NYC:
1. Society of Illustrators Upper East Side (128 East 63rd Street)
Pay attention, because in addition to learning about this blissful getaway, you're about to hear the best drink deal in NYC.
The Society of Illustrators Museum on the Upper East Side offers bottomless rosé on Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on their bamboo-lined patio. Oh, and not to mention they also serve mac and cheese doughnuts with sriracha and maple syrup. The museum has rotating exhibits and past displays have included original Spiderman illustrations and art by Will Eisner.
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If you're not into exploring, just tell them you're there for the rosé special and head straight upstairs.
2. Toby's Estate (81 East 45th Street – Long Island City)
Toby's Estate is pretty simplistic both inside and out, but it's also immediately comfortable. Try an iced chai and croissant and go outside to the patio, enclosed with a wooden wall and teeming with greenery.
3. Café JAX (318 East 84th Street)
Navigate through the narrow ground floor and order your drink before descending downstairs where you'll find ample seating. Turn to the right at the end of the stairs and walk to the french doors which open onto a secluded patio space that feels like being in your friend's backyard. You know, if they had one here.
4. Uva (1486 2nd Avenue)
Dining on Uva's patio feels like being in Tuscany and not just because of the wine and delicious homemade pasta. Ask to be seated out back and you'll be led to a covered patio, lit with lanterns and covered in vines.
5. Rooftop Reds (299 Sands Street, Building 275 – Brooklyn)
Rooftop Reds in Brooklyn is your new happy place. Stretch out on the rooftop vineyard among the grape vines with a glass of wine in a hammock and watch the sun set over the city. They also host yoga classes and move screenings with classics like Back to the Future and Casablanca, so be sure to check out the event calendar before your next visit.