Johnny's Reef

Let everyone else fly south to white sand beaches with crystal clear water. You do not need such things, because you have Johnny’s Reef. This City Island institution may not be Turks and Caicos, but it does have a massive concrete patio where you can suck down a frozen cocktail a few feet from the water. Order your food inside from one of the cash-only counters selling everything from fried scallops to steamed lobster tails, then claim a picnic table in the sun. Your battered shrimp will not be the best (or second best) you’ve ever had, but you aren’t really here for the food. You come for the breeze, the view, and the Henny Coladas.

photo credit: Noah Devereaux

photo credit: Noah Devereaux

photo credit: Noah Devereaux