7 romantic restaurants in New York for the best date night
It's not hard to find options for a romantic night in New York. The City that Never Sleeps is home to some of the most romantic restaurants in the world, so you'll have endless options for your next date night. After all, what could be better than a romantic evening with your significant other enjoying the twinkling lights of the Manhattan skyline from one of the most romantic restaurants in NYC?
Honestly, the hardest part of planning a romantic night of dining in New York is deciding where to go. That's why this list is here to help. If you're planning a special occasion in a romantic restaurant, you should definitely check out one of these great restaurants.
Of course, before you go, you need to get ready. If you're a visitor to the city, don't forget to drop off your bags at a luggage storage in New York so you can enjoy date night. And if you're local, you can also use Bounce luggage storage to drop off your work things, shopping, or anything else you're carrying before hitting up these romantic restaurants in NYC.
Gramercy Tavern
This venerable dining room in the Flatiron district of New York offers as classic a date night experience as you could possibly want. Opened in 1994, this exquisite restaurant has been serving high-end cuisine to the Romantics of New York City for more than 20 years, and it shows no sign of slowing down yet. The perfect place for a special occasion or a cozy date night, the main dining room of this restaurant is the place to go if you want to impress someone.
There's no ordering a la carte here. The only option in the dining room is the chef's tasting menu, which is constantly changing according to what's in season but is guaranteed to take your taste buds on a journey through all that's best in New York dining. Every course on the tasting menu offers two options, one for omnivores and one for vegetarians, so you don't need to worry if you're dating a herbivore. And if you really want to take your date night to the next level, consider getting a wine pairing with your meal for an additional $125 per person. The extensive wine cellar means that this restaurant will always have the perfect pairing to enhance the flavors of what you're eating.
As you've probably guessed, eating at this award-winning restaurant doesn't come cheap. But if it's a special occasion or you really want to wow someone in one of the most romantic restaurants in the city, Gramercy Tavern is hard to beat. Offering some of the best food in the city, this is the perfect choice for a fancy meal.
Our recommendation:
The menu here is always changing, so you get what you get. Just relax and let the chef take you on a journey through incredible cuisine. Reservations are most definitely recommended.
Location:
42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003
Price level:
$$$$
Milk & Roses
Milk and Roses in Greenpoint offers the right atmosphere for just about any date night. Whether it's a cozy dinner to celebrate an anniversary or a delightful first date, the candle-lit bookshelf-lined indoor restaurant creates a romantic atmosphere. The outdoor garden, which also serves as a wedding venue in warmer weather, offers a more casual yet charming option.
The perfect venue for a romantic night, Milk & Roses offers an incredible atmosphere in its dining room that nevertheless lets the food speak for itself. The focus is on American cuisine with a distinct southern Italian accent, so expect crowd-pleasing dishes like filetto di spigola for those who love fresh seafood, along with spaghetti Bolognese, quail, and beef burgers. There are also several vegetarian options, including a platter of grilled vegetables that's ideal for sharing on a vegetarian date night.
Our recommendation:
The menu here often changes according to what's in season, but you can't go wrong with the 8-ounce ribeye steak that comes with prawns, bone marrow, and grilled asparagus. However, as the most expensive thing on the menu, it's bound to set your budget back a little bit.
Location:
35 Box Street Brooklyn, NY 11222
Price level:
$$
Marc Forgione
When a restaurant has the name of a person, you kind of know what to expect. This is a high-end place that's perfect for date night, and it makes no apologies about it. The soft lighting in the dining room is mostly provided by candles, and the bare brick walls provide an understated elegance that makes this one of the most desirable dining rooms in the city. After all, doesn't everyone look better in candlelight?
This restaurant gets top points for atmosphere, but you won't be disappointed in the food, either. Operating since 2008, Forgione has taken the time to get things right, so your taste buds will be in for a treat. This restaurant celebrates elevated American cuisine with dishes like buffalo tartare, Cedar Plank Hudson Valley Trout, and a Chicken Under A Brick sharing plate.
If you're trying to plan the ultimate date night, you won't go far wrong with this exquisite restaurant. Restaurant Marc Forgione is a worthy addition to the dining scene in one of the world's most romantic cities and the perfect place to bring that special someone for an unforgettable meal.
Our recommendation:
The intriguing Chicken Under A Brick is served with Yukon gold potatoes drenched in pan drippings from the chicken itself, and this massive sharing plate is the ideal way to break the ice on a date night and enjoy something really tasty with your partner.
Location:
134 Reade Street, New York, NY 10013
Price level:
$$$
Mar's
Located in Queens, this sleek and stylish bar is a great place to start your night. Although there's no dining room in the truest sense of the word, this is an excellent place to try sophisticated cocktails or wines and have a drink or two to loosen up with your partner. They have an incredible selection of both classic and natural wine, and the cocktail menu is full of some really creative ideas, so you're bound to be able to try something different.
Additionally, you can whet your appetite by ordering some oysters from the raw bar to share with your date. The classic tunes from the 1930s playing softly over the speakers only add to the old-world charm of this popular spot, and it's guaranteed to get you and your partner in the mood for an excellent dinner and whatever else the night holds.
Our recommendation:
This is a place to start your date rather than end it. So don't be afraid to show up early, grab a couple of cocktails, and get to know each other a little better before heading out to dinner somewhere else. After all, it's what this bar was made for.
Location:
34-21 34th Ave, Queens, NY 11106
Price level:
$$
August
August is a Michelin-starred French-American restaurant featuring a menu of classic French dishes with a modern twist, utilizing locally-sourced ingredients. The atmosphere is upscale and elegant, with a wood-floored dining room that transitions effortlessly from bright and breezy lunchtime vibes to a more understated evening elegance at night.
The restaurant is located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, about a 20-minute walk from Grand Central Station. Reservations are required, and it is recommended to book well in advance as the restaurant is highly sought after.
Critics have praised August for its impeccable service and creative, expertly executed dishes. The famous August burger uses dry-aged Angus beef, but there's also a NY strip steak if you want to go with something a bit more classically Empire State. They also have an impressive selection of fresh seafood to sample, including Ahi tuna on crispy rice and sole meuniere served with marble potatoes.
The options for drinks are just as impressive as the food, too. If you can't find anything to your taste on the extensive wine list, the handcrafted cocktails are sure to satisfy. All in all, this is an excellent option for a classically romantic night with some classic French cuisine.
Our recommendation:
If you're a fan of seafood, don't miss the charred octopus starter, which comes with crispy potatoes and is just the right size for sharing with your date.
Location:
791 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10065
Price level:
$$
Black Mountain Wine House
This restaurant may be located in busy Brooklyn, but as soon as you step into the rustic-themed dining room, you'll feel like you've gone a long way from the city indeed. Adopting a kind of log cabin aesthetic, this restaurant features Adirondack chairs and a mountain cabin vibe, making it one of the more memorable dining rooms in Brooklyn.
Notably, this restaurant doesn't accept reservations. Like many places in Brooklyn, they're way too cool for that. That means you'll need to show up early and be prepared to wait in line to get inside. Just think of it as more time to get to know your date and practice your conversational skills.
And once you do get inside, Black Mountain is worth the wait - especially if you're a wine fan. As you might guess from the name, this restaurant makes wine the focus of everything they do, with the food a pleasant accompaniment to the drinks rather than the other way around. With that said, the food menu here is certainly not an afterthought. Dishes like tuna Nicoise salad, the Black Mountain Mac 'n Cheese, and salt cod and artichoke are carefully designed to perfectly complement the bottles available from the extensive wine cellar. This bar also offers a great selection of natural wine, and there is also a small but careful selection of beer and cocktails on offer if wine isn't your thing.
Our recommendation:
The salt cod and artichoke makes an interesting combination, with the strong flavors of each component playing off the other quite beautifully.
Location:
415 Union Street Brooklyn, NY 11231
Price level:
$$
One If By Land, Two If By Sea
Named after the famous poem about Paul Revere, this West Village institution is one of the most beautiful restaurants in the whole city. Located in what was once a carriage house, the dining room features bare brick walls, multiple fireplaces, and exquisite French windows looking out onto well-manicured grounds. In fact, don't be surprised if you see some fellow diners drop to one knee and propose during the course of your dinner; this place is just that romantic.
The dishes here are as classic and historic as the setting, with options like beef Wellington, grilled octopus, and lamb sausage. You can opt for a four-course or a seven-course prix fixe meal, with or without wine pairing, and you'll be able to choose each course from the menu so you can customize your own meal.
Our recommendation:
To really impress your date, contact the restaurant ahead of time to order a special dish made just for you. This extra course will likely arrive under a silver dome and surrounded by rose petals, making for an incredibly thoughtful and memorable addition to a prix fixe menu.
Location:
17 Barrow St, New York, NY 10014
Price level:
$$$$
Conclusion
New York is, of course, one of the world's great food cities. It's also one of the best places in the world to go for a romantic dinner. Start off your night at one of the best rooftop bars in New York so you can enjoy the iconic Manhattan skyline, then head out to dinner knowing that you have some of the world's best restaurants at your fingertips.
Whether you're looking for an exquisite tasting menu at a Michelin-starred establishment or would rather keep things low-key and casual-cool with the best street food in the city, New York has everything you need for an unforgettable date.
