Best special-occasion restaurants for a date in New York
For the anniversary, the birthday, the big news.
123 spots · Jump to the list
For the anniversary, the birthday, the proposal. Every restaurant here sits at the top of the price range and treats dinner as the whole event. Book well ahead, mention what you're celebrating when you do, and plan for a longer meal than usual.
This guide ranks 123 special-occasion restaurants in New York, from Midtown Manhattan to Flatiron / Gramercy and West Village / Greenwich Village. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
44 & X Hell’s Kitchen
4.4(7)Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Via Trenta Osteria & Wine Bar
4.4(5)Astoria / Long Island City · $$$
The Office of Mr. Moto
4.4(5)East Village / LES · $$$$
Ginny's Supper Club
4.4(5)Harlem · $$$
The Victoria
4.3(25)Harlem · $$$
Bartolo
4.3(24)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$$$
Valerie
4.3(22)Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Kelang
4.3(22)Williamsburg · $$$
Tiny's & The Bar Upstairs
4.3(18)Tribeca · $$$
Gage and Tollner
4.3(16)Fort Greene · $$$$
Sant Ambroeus
4.3(15)Upper East Side · $$$
Chelsea Living Room
4.3(14)Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen · $$$
ABC Cocina
4.3(4)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$$
Butter
4.3(4)Midtown Manhattan · $$$
VIDA SteakHouse NYC
4.2(26)Astoria / Long Island City · $$$$
Crevette
4.2(25)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$$$
Lafayette
4.2(23)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$$
Massara
4.2(22)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$$$
One If By Land Two If By Sea
4.2(17)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$$$
Jupiter
4.1(20)Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Frena
4.0(17)Midtown Manhattan · $$$$
The Fulton by Jean-Georges
4.0(10)Lower Manhattan / FiDi · $$$$
Meduza Mediterrania
4.0(5)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$$$
Sushi of Gari 46
4.0(4)Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Showing 97–120 of 123 spots
Good to know
- What's the best special-occasion restaurant in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is 44 & X Hell’s Kitchen in Midtown Manhattan, rated 4.4 out of 5. Via Trenta Osteria & Wine Bar and The Office of Mr. Moto round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best special-occasion restaurants?
- Midtown Manhattan (6), Flatiron / Gramercy (3) and West Village / Greenwich Village (3) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for The Office of Mr. Moto and One If By Land Two If By Sea.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a big night out: drinks first, then the big dinner, then something sweet. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.