Around Scalinatella
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.7 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2
0.7 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Morelia Ice Cream Paletas - Upper East Side
Dessert Shop
1435 1st Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
Upper East Side
← Best special-occasion restaurants in New YorkDate night guide · New York
A big night out in Upper East Side
For the anniversary, the birthday, the big news.
6 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 6 special-occasion restaurants in Upper East Side. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
Make a night of it
Routes around the top spots on the list, with the best-rated places nearby for the rest of the evening.
Around Sant Ambroeus
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.5 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2
0.6 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Around Tang by Mr. Sun
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.5 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2nd Floor Bar & Essen
Bar Food
1442 1st Avenue (enter on E 75th St), New York, NY 10021
Upper East Side
4.7
2
0.3 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Special-occasion restaurants in Upper East Side
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Scalinatella
4.7(21)Upper East Side · $$$$
Sant Ambroeus
4.6(15)Upper East Side · $$$
Tang by Mr. Sun
4.3(4)Upper East Side · $$$
AKIMORI
4.2(23)Upper East Side · $$$$
Le Veau d’Or
4.2(22)Upper East Side · $$$$
Campagnola
4.2(10)Upper East Side · $$$
Good to know
- What's the best special-occasion restaurant in Upper East Side for a date?
- Our top pick is Scalinatella, rated 4.7 out of 5. Sant Ambroeus and Tang by Mr. Sun round out the top 3.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for AKIMORI and Le Veau d’Or.
- 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.