Romantic Restaurants in New York (2025)
The River Café
New American restaurant · Brooklyn
Old-school romance with Manhattan skyline views, live piano, and a jacket-required dining room. A perennial favorite in the Michelin Guide and frequently cited by major critics for special-occasion magic, it feels quintessentially New York.
Le Coucou
Restaurant · SoHo
Daniel Rose’s candlelit ode to grand French dining pairs Roman and Williams design with exacting technique. A Michelin-starred favorite, widely praised by The New York Times and top magazines, it’s a refined, lingering kind of date night.
One if by Land, Two if by Sea
New American restaurant · West Village
A West Village carriage house with flickering fireplaces, piano, and a storied engagement track record. Time Out and other local critics have long spotlighted its prix fixe and classic atmosphere for milestone nights.
il Buco
Italian restaurant · NoHo
Donna Lennard’s NoHo institution channels an Italian farmhouse spirit with soulful cooking and a famed cellar. Frequently recommended by The New York Times and Eater, it remains a timeless, candlelit spot for intimate dinners.
Lilia
Italian restaurant · Williamsburg
Missy Robbins’s Williamsburg hit pairs handmade pastas and wood-fired seafood with pitch-perfect hospitality. Three-star New York Times acclaim and constant Resy buzz signal a date-night winner; plan ahead or try the bar early.
The Musket Room
New American restaurant · Nolita
An intimate Nolita dining room with a Michelin star and a welcoming, neighborly feel. Chef Mary Attea’s globally fluent menu and a serene garden have drawn praise from the Michelin Guide and The New York Times.
Vinegar Hill House
New American restaurant · Vinegar Hill
A brick townhouse near the waterfront with a wood-fired kitchen and leafy garden. Loved by local critics and city guides for its seasonal, heartfelt cooking, it’s a quietly romantic Brooklyn classic.
Palma
Italian restaurant · West Village
Family-run since 2001, this West Village favorite charms with an ivy-lined garden and a carriage house used for intimate events. Regularly praised by local reviewers and OpenTable diners for gracious hospitality and romantic ambiance.
Frevo
Fine dining restaurant · Greenwich Village
A hidden gallery door opens to an 18-seat chef’s counter where a Michelin-starred team plates poetic, contemporary French courses. Consistently lauded by the Michelin Guide and fine-dining editors for intimate, artful experiences.
Francie
Brasserie · Williamsburg
In a landmarked Williamsburg building, Francie’s Michelin-starred kitchen turns out polished European-inspired plates and a famed crown roast of duck. Regularly spotlighted by the Michelin Guide and top reviewers for date-night elegance.
Clover Hill
Fine dining restaurant · Brooklyn Heights
Tiny, candlelit Brooklyn Heights dining room, Michelin-starred and now led by chef Sam Rogers. Celebrated by Eater, The New Yorker, and the Michelin Guide for elegant, seasonal tasting menus in a serenely intimate setting.
Raoul's
French restaurant · SoHo
SoHo’s 1975 bistro icon serves French standards under art-lined walls and dim lights. Listed by the Michelin Guide and adored by seasoned diners and Resy insiders, it’s a sultry, late-night kind of romance.