Early Brunch! City Council approves 10 a.m. opening of sidewalk cafes on Sundays

June 27, 2013 Associated Press

Screen Shot 2013-06-27 at 11.16.08 AM.png

Share this:

Earlybird brunchers who fancy eating al fresco may be getting a break in New York City.

The City Council voted early Thursday to let sidewalk cafes start serving at 10 a.m. on Sundays, instead of noon. They already can open at 10 a.m. on other days.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg didn’t immediately say whether he plans to sign it.

Restaurateurs applaud the idea. City Councilman Dan Garodnick says the current rule is “a relic of the past” that’s widely ignored and purposeless.

Residents of some Brooklyn neighborhoods complained last year that cafes were opening before noon and that their operations were cluttering sidewalks while residents tried to get to church.

Lawmakers have said there’s room for both churchgoers and brunchers in the Big Apple.