Our 15 Best Date Spots in New York City
So you finally worked up the nerve to ask out the person you've been pining after. Or maybe you scored a first date with your person 25 years ago, got married, and are still looking for new ways to impress. Whether you're fielding first-date jitters or crafting anniversary plans, we've got you covered for the perfect night out in New York.
Photograph by Brent Herrig1/15I Sodi, West Village
There’s something so understated and stylish about this little restaurant on Christopher Street. You can always depend on the simple, classic Italian food—not Italian-American, but Italian from Italy—and super professional waiters. It’s one of those places where you feel transported, like you’re in Milan or something. It’s at once uniquely New York and a total escape from New York. —Adam Rapoport, editor in chief
Photo by Steve Freihon2/15Dante, West Village
When choosing a date spot, you’re often faced with two choices: Find somewhere that’s cool but packed, or find somewhere more accommodating with mediocre vibes. Dante somehow manages to rise above these choices. The vibe is mellow in a good way (you won’t be screaming over a dude in loafers with his insert-name-of-bank-here gym bag) and the drinks are damn good. Order the on-tap Negroni and maybe some salami (I'm a big proponent of first date charcuterie). And if you really like the person, head next door to JG Melon for dinner. Sure, it’s not the original JG, but after three Negronis, it’ll do. —Rachel Karten, social media manager
Photo by Edoardo Mantelli3/15Saraghina, Bed Stuy
Saraghina has been my go-to date spot for first dates, third dates, and three-year anniversaries. It somehow manages to be totally unpretentious and totally romantic at the same time. Start with a white negroni and the fava e cicori—a luscious, Italian answer to hummus—then split a pizza or two. Feel free to linger: you can't hurry love, after all. —Amanda Shapiro, Healthyish editor
Photo by Alex Lau4/15Relais de Venise L'Entrecôte, SoHo
The French chain once found only in Paris and Geneva now has two locations in NYC, but the company's commitment to serving only steak frites has never wavered. There’s no menu—you just tell the servers how you'd like your steak, which they write on the paper tablecloth, and then they’ll serve you salad, French bread, steak, and French fries. The best part is right when you think you’re done with your steak frites, they come around to serve seconds. The house wine (served by glass, bottle, or half-bottle) is great to share, as are the profiteroles for dessert. It’s a good place to go to feel French and sophisticated, and the price is very affordable—especially if you’re going Dutch. —Elaheh Nozari, e-commerce editor
Photo by Emily Eisen5/15Ops, Bushwick
There is nothing inherently romantic about Ops, but it’s a great place for a casual date. The food is as tasty-yet-low-key as it comes—it’s pizza (plus a calzone if you’re smart). The wine is delicious—a really nice selection of natural wines, presented with enthusiasm but not pretension. A date at Ops is like one of those great nights at home, where you order in and open a bottle of wine and maybe another, except this time someone else does the dishes. —Meryl Rothstein, senior editor
Photograph by Philippe Masson and La Grenouille6/15La Grenouille, Midtown
If you and your special someone are out to mark an occasion, there’s no better place than La Grenouille for old-school French-meets-NYC charm. The red velvet banquettes, the mood lighting, the ceiling-high floral arrangements, and the table-side flambé action make it a classic celebratory date spot. —Claire Saffitz, senior food editor
Photo by Alex Lau7/15Wildair, Lower East Side
The seats at Wildair aren't the most comfortable. There are no true two-tops. The lighting isn't romantic, and yeah, it's a little loud. But if your modus operandi is picking a date spot that's just as fun as it is cool, Wildair is the move. Fabian Von Hauske and Jeremiah Stone’s menu of indulgent, perfectly executed small plates should be ordered frequently and with abandon. They'll invoke just as much conversation as the natural wine list, which in my opinion, is the best (and most reasonably priced) in the city. It’s a vicious and delicious cycle of exploration. Every time I go to Wildair (whether I'm on a date or not), I feel lucky to be there, from the minute I glimpse the fashionable patrons through the window to the last bite of the pork Milanese. —Alex Delany, assistant web editor
Photo by Peden + Munk8/15Buvette, West Village
Everything about Buvette makes it feel like you’re in Paris. Never is this truer than in the winter, when the (very shareable) coq au vin warms your bones and the chocolate mousse is good enough to make you cry. A heads up: It may not be ideal for a first date, because there's always a wait and the tables are very, very close together and small. But with someone serious, any seat will do. I like the table at the top of the stairs or at the little counter in the window looking out at the snowy street. —Emma Wartzman, web editorial assistant
Photo by Alex Lau9/15Bar Goto, Lower East Side
Ostensibly, Bar Goto is a place to drink and have okonomiyaki, which is a little off-center for a date, but makes a good litmus test: If your partner is awesome enough to want okonomiyaki for date, they’re a keeper. The miso-glazed wings are the best drinking snack in New York and the chips and dip served with spicy cod roe and sour cream are delicious. It’s dark and sexy and reminds me of Japan… even though I’ve never been. —Matt Duckor, executive producer
Photo by Tukka Koski10/15Estela, Nolita
Welcome to Serious Date Night, when you do things like make a reservation, feel confident that the service will be on point, and trust that the lighting will have just the right glow. For this, and for many other reasons, we are lucky to have Estela, from the brilliant chef Ignacio Mattos. Go the snacky route with olives and ham and a bottle from co-owner Thomas Carter's deep wine list, or go all in and share beef tartare, the now-iconic endive-walnut salad, and mussels escabeche. —Julia Kramer, senior projects editor
Photo courtesy of Barboncino11/15Barboncino, Crown Heights
In a Brooklyn neighborhood that has no shortage of date spots, the bar at Barboncino is one of my favorite under-the-radar nooks to take a promising first date. It’s more low-key than sitting down at a table for dinner (terrifying!), but you can still order the full menu in addition to the inevitable couple of cocktails and an olive snack. If things are going well, you can order a pizza—if they’re going really well, get two and take the leftovers home for late-night snacking. —Christina Chaey, associate editor
Photo by Ashley Sears12/15Don Angie, West Village
The FDA may try to tell you that "love" is not a legitimate ingredient, but it's definitely got something to do with all the good things going on at Don Angie. Chefs Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito, who married in Italy in 2015, always dreamed of opening up their own restaurant to showcase a totally unique spin on Italian-American food. And indeed, from the tight swirls of rolled-up lasagna to their stuffed garlic bread, this is anything but your typical red sauce joint. (Not to mention the soft-lit Art Deco accents and tropical fronds that are more Instagram influencer than Italian grandma.) Kick things off with a pre-dinner “Nonna’s Little Nip” before sharing a few extravagant dishes—the best of which is the “DA PEPI” veal, topped with speck, mustard seeds, and rye. With any luck, Tacinelli and Rito's kitchen romance will prove contagious. —Julia Black, associate web editor
Photograph courtesy of QuallsBenson for Essex Crossing13/15Eastwood, Lower East Side
Eastwood is one of the first bars in New York where I knew the bartenders by name, so it holds a special place in my heart. It’s incredibly vibey, with tons of candles, small tables, and vinyl spinning constantly. It only has a wine and beer license, but you can choose from a seemingly endless selection of local craft beers and wine on tap. Whether it’s Saturday night or Thursday afternoon, you’re guaranteed a seat, and the fries are really freaking good. (If we’re not ordering fries, I’m not going out with you again.) —Emily Schultz, associate social media manager
14/15Lois, Alphabet City
Any place can be a first date spot if you do it right. But if there was one spot that fit the platonic ideal of a first date spot in NYC, it would be this Alphabet City wine bar. Split a carafe of Gruner, order a bunch of small plates, and bask in the perfectly moody glow of the incredible light fixtures as your jokes inspire laughs from across the table. Also… this place gets incredible light in the afternoon. A little tipsy Sunday afternoon date with a soundtrack from the likes of SZA, Grizzly Bear, Frank Ocean, and Frankie Cosmos is a near-guarantee that feelings will be caught. —Alex Delany, assistant web editor
Photograph Courtesy of Danielle Adams of BeccaPR15/15Zadie's Oyster Room, East Village
You kind of know what you’re getting when walking into the typical oyster bar: happy hour specials with mediocre dollar oysters, a pale lemon, some cocktail sauce. Maybe some mediocre Chardonnay to boot. But Marco Canora’s Zadie’s Oyster Room breaks the mold. Here, you get oysters baked in brown butter with smoked kelp, cured egg yolk, and prosciutto cotto. You get toasted brown bread with anchovy butter. You get Brandade (salt cod mashed potatoes). And yeah, you get incredible raw oysters. It’s incredibly intimate, backed by straight-through plays of albums from The Shins or Arcade fire, and never crowded. And at the end of the day, the declarative exterior neon ("EAT Oysters"), the mismatched, vintage china, and the pint cans of Narragansett lager all make it seem like Cape Cod has something to learn from the East Village. —Alex Delany, assistant web editor
