"Vanguard is one of the best first-date spots on the Upper West Side. It’s a big French wine bar, and even on weeknights it gets pretty full of couples talking about their siblings, and where they went to college. That said, it’s equally good for a drink with a few coworkers, or a catch-up with a friend. Just be aware that the whole place might smell like truffles, since they serve various truffle- and non-truffle-related snacks." - will hartman, bryan kim, neha talreja, matt tervooren