Design and hospitality guru James Gardner has opened his latest Gitano location following his F&B hits of the same name in Tulum, Miami (a locale in Dubai is up next). Located on Governors Island near the similarly sybaritic QC NYC Spa, a swift five-minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan, Gitano Island is a 27,000-square-foot sand-covered oasis for mezcal margaritas and tacos set amid palm trees and sparkling disco balls. The lush tropical space, with views of the water and a harbor breeze, is open seasonally in summer, and provides a welcome vacation-style retreat from the city’s never-ending heat waves. Gardner’s design is open but still protected from the natural elements with a custom 40-by-40-foot black Bedouin tent and giant twin 60-foot pergolas made with zapote wood imported from the Yucatan jungle. There are myriad spaces to gather, from a sheltered open-air dining area lit by rattan pendants to a beach club complete with striped cabanas and day beds set against the NYC skyline. It’s slice of Tulum minutes from the concrete jungle.
Indulge in an Urban Escape at Gitano Island
Leafy palms and a sandy path signal a shift into Gitano Island’s topical oasis.
Striped sun shields enable visitors to relax in the restaurant’s lounge area.
A disco ball sparkles in the sun near the bar, which is shaded by a 40-by-40-foot black Bedouin tent.
A sampling of the menu’s offerings.
The open-air dining area features views of Manhattan.