Combining a romantic scene and a flirtatious atmosphere, these romantic NYC restaurants are your best choice any day of the week.

Antique Garage Restaurant - Tribeca

The team at Antique Garage Restaurant has put together a delicious menu of Mediterranean-inspired meze and main courses together with what has to be one of the most stylish dining rooms in the entire city.
If you are looking for a restaurant with that all too elusive wow factor for your next date night, look no further than Antique Garage Restaurant.
Just about everything here is vintage Victorian, from the silverware, plates and elegant tables and chairs to the ornate chandeliers, oval mirrors and quaint candle-holders that adorn the walls. Enjoy a cocktail or two, with your date, ensconced in a cozy corner red velvet banquette.

The prim and proper British decor, however, is offset by notes of industrial chic like the gold-plated pipes that run along the exposed brick walls and onto the ceiling. There's a tangible, vibrant energy going on here; a feeling that will make you wish that the night would last forever.

Tucked away towards the back of the restaurant, up a short and elegant flight of stairs, is a cute, alcove dining area with a couple of tables. Try to score a reservation here. This setting is perfect for reconnecting with your love after a long, arduous work week where you've probably barely seen each other.

Adding to the festive vibes is some great live music. The two of you can enjoy live jazz every evening. Eclectic talents such as the Melanie Marod trio, the uber-talented Nick Hempton and Ryo Sasaki perform in the bar area, by the front of the house.

 
The cuisine here can only be called Mediterranean fusion as the dishes are an interesting blend of Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine with a little bit of Serbian flair thrown in for good measure.

Can a plate of food be considered romantic? Of course, it can, especially when you find yourself dining at a restaurant like Antique Garage. Get your smartphone ready so you can share the tables' delights with your friends. because these dishes are beautifully presented.
The palette of colors on your plate are out of bounds and the ingredients are fresh and wholesome.

The kitchen is all about meze (small plates). These are perfect for sharing at the table or you can order a trio of them for a light meal that both you and your date will adore. Food doesn't have to be heavy to be comforting.

The zucchini spring rolls and eggplant salad are both excellent choices as is the Borek, which are pastries made out of phyllo dough that is stuffed with feta cheese and parsley. You can also order another version of these delights, called Manti, that are filled with minced beef and yogurt sauce.

Entree selections are extensive and present diners with a veritable rainbow of vegetable, meat and seafood choices. The chef is very careful with his seasonings, using just enough to accent the flavors of the main ingredients without overpowering them in any way.

Antique Garage's signature dish is the savory grilled meatballs that are accompanied by Bulgar Pilaf, french fries and Tzatziki sauce.

Artichokes and bell peppers lend flavor and zest to the succulent seared yellowfin tuna. Another very popular selection is the al dente fusilli pasta with shrimp and octopus in a light tomato sauce. Nothing makes an evening out extra-special like a great cocktail. The bar at Antique Garage Restaurant may be a bit on the small side but their libations are larger than life.

Take the Bosphorous. This creative and tasty drink is made with Aperol, fresh berry lemonade and champagne. The refreshing Berry Smash Whiskey is a blend of Knob Creek bourbon, muddled berries and lots of lemon juice. These drinks pair up well with the light Mediterranean fare being served here.

Location and Hours

313 Church Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 226-0066
www.antiquegaragetribeca.com

Hours

Monday to Thursday 12 PM to 11 PM
Friday 12 PM to 12 AM
Saturday 11 AM to 12 AM
Sunday 11 AM to 11 PM

Restaurant Marc Forgione - Tribeca

The name says it all. Restaurant Marc Forgione is all about innovation, unexpected but welcome tastes and a warm, cozy ambiance. Take your love to a restaurant that is run by a celebrity chef where the food, not the TV personality, shines brightest. A down to earth chef who knows how to cook, Marc Forgione feels most at home in the kitchen.
That feeling of comfort and joy started at the age of sixteen when Marc started working in the kitchen of his father Larrys' restaurant, An American Place. Renowned for his groundbreaking culinary style Larry Forgione taught his son to always be creative and take chances in the kitchen.

After leaving An American Place, Marc went on to study under a diverse array of chefs like Kazuto Matsusaka, Patricia Yeo and Laurent Tourondel. Refusing to be stereotyped as one particular culinary style chef Marc's cooking contains elements of Italian, French and Southeast Asian cuisine.

In 2010, at just thirty years of age, Marc became the youngest chef in NYC to earn a coveted Michelin star. On the Food network, Marc competed against some of the best young chefs in America and went on to earn the title of Iron Chef. It was only a matter of time until Marc decided to strike out on his own and open a restaurant that would be devoted solely to his culinary style and vision.

The atmosphere here is just as memorable and distinctive as is the chef's delicious food. With rustic-chic decor, this is the type of restaurant that one might expect to find upstate in a quaint Hudson Valley town like Sleepy Hollow or Montgomery.
Sturdy wooden floors, earthy brick walls and glass vases with beautiful floral bouquets, on the tables, all contribute to re-creating a Colonial-era tavern. One that also happens to have a very cool edge going for it.

Eclectic and eminently satisfying, Marc's menu is one that you'll want to explore time and time again.

The snacks and apps section contains treats such as Laotian style sushi, grilled bologna with pistachios and Hiramasa, an intriguing dish that contains pine nuts, avocado slices, Saratoga chips and a Szechuan button.

By far, Marc's most requested dish is the Snowdance farms chicken under a brick. The fall-off-the-bone white and dark meat, Yukon potatoes and broccoli rabe are covered in juices from the pan. You will not leave even the tiniest morsel on your plate. That's how good this is.
 

The duck with polenta. mushrooms and spaghetti squash is right up there, as well. If you are in the mood for fish, then order the Halibut en croute with cauliflower. You'll thank yourself!

While many chefs tend to not give their full attention to desserts (or just leave that part of the menu to a sous or pastry chef), that is not the case at Restaurant Marc Forgione.

Almost everyone who is a regular here seems to opt for the very delectable ten-minute cookies that are made fresh to order and are topped with ice cream. You are also sure to like the poached pears with gingerbread as well as Marc's scrumptious pumpkin cheesecake.

What better way to put the finishing touches on a romantic evening out than with a sweet ending courtesy of Iron Chef Marc Forgione?

Location and Hours

134 Reade Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 941-9401
www.marcforgione.com

Hours

Monday to Thursday 5 PM to 10 PM
Friday and Saturday 5 PM to 11 PM
Sunday 11 AM to 10 PM

August - Upper East Side

No matter what time of the year it may be, romance is always in season at this inviting Lexington Avenue restaurant.

The decor and overall ambiance at August will transport both you and your date into a carefree, cozy world far removed from the chaos and noise of the city's streets.
Who needs an expensive session at a spa or a psychiatrist when the calming and, dare we say, charming, environs of August are just a phone call or click the mouse away.

Polished wood, leather chairs and soft lighting definitely set the scene. Framed, modern works of art decorate the exposed brick walls with a display of playful whimsy that is certain to be a conversation-starter.

Your servers will make you and yours feel like a million bucks. Isn't it nice, for one evening, at least, to take a break from cooking or eating the same old take-out and treat your love (not to mention yourself), to a first-class dining experience; one where you don't have to lift a finger? Except, of course, when it's time to enjoy some of chef Mark Mata's delicious dishes.

A veteran of establishments like Bice and the Mermaid Inn, chef Mark also had the pleasure of honing his competitive skills on Chopped, where he was one of the competing chefs.

Mark's specialty is blending ingredients that, at first glance, you might not think would go together and then pleasantly surprise your taste buds. Clearly, this is not just food to be eaten, but savored, bite by bite.

What's good tonight? Just close your eyes, point at the menu and you're sure to come up with a dish that you'll love.

But if you're not feeling particularly adventurous, simply read through chef Mark's menu and get hungrier with each description!

Most everyone likes soup, but it's easy to get tired of the same three or four soups that seem to appear on the menus of most restaurants.
Chef Mark, though, has the perfect antidote to soup boredom; a bowl of his mushroom and artichoke soup with pancetta and mascarpone cheese.

Salad lovers will enjoy the beet with Mandarin orange salad. The fruit blend really offsets the slight saltiness of the feta cheese.
A simple but highly effective dish is the rock shrimp in a skillet that is dressed in Spanish olive oil, parsley, and garlic.

The pan roasted Branzino with zucchini and chickpeas is both light and flavorful. The chef also does a beautiful sole meuniere in a sauce of lemons, capers and brown butter.

Most couples find a dish of chicken to be the perfect compromise between an all veggie dish and the hearty beef classics like steak that guys love. Here, though, you will not be compromising on flavor or culinary thrills when you order the roasted organic chicken.
Chef Mark's extraordinary chicken is enveloped with, not only squash and baby bok choy, but tart cherries and a touch of Sherry.

Desserts do tend to be a little more basic, but they still have their own personality. Homemade banana ice cream lends a light note to the warm and decadent chocolate lava cake.
Fresh fruit with more than a hint of crunch is what you will find in chef's honey roasted peaches with fresh granola and mascarpone flavored ice cream.

Location and Hours

791 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10065
(212) 935-1433
www.augustny.com

Hours

Monday to Thursday 11:30 AM to 10 PM
Friday and Saturday 11:30 AM to 10:30 PM
Sunday 11:30 AM to 9 PM