First Date Ideas in NYC

The Shops at Columbus Circle is an upscale retail and dining center housed within Manhattan's Time Warner Center, attracting more than 16 million annual visitors. The 2.8-million-square-foot complex, originally opened to the public in 2003, is located along Columbus Circle at Central Park's southwestern corner, offering stunning views of the city's Upper West Side district. More than 50 boutique and specialty retailers are offered, including the East Coast flagship location of culinary retailer Williams-Sonoma, along with retailers such as Amazon Books, Hugo Boss, H&M, Coach, J. Crew, and Whole Foods Market. Dining choices include the Michelin three-star restaurant Per Se and Masa, which is reputed to be Manhattan's most expensive dining destination. Nightlife spots include Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, overseen by internationally-acclaimed musician Wynton Marsalis.

10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019, Phone: 212-823-6300

Mayfield is an acclaimed casual New American restaurant in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood, opened in October of 2012 by owners Jacques Belanger and Lev Gewirtzman. The trendy restaurant is perfect for an intimate first date, offering a laid-back ambiance and wood-forward design elements in its hip dining room. Diverse menus highlight casual and upscale fare alike, ranging from patty melts and Cuban sandwiches to a full raw bar and elegant entrees such as steak tartare, buttermilk fried quail, and organic chicken liver pate. At brunch, diners can choose from create-your-own omelettes, brioche French toast, shrimp and grits, or corned beef tongue hash, available with homestyle sides such as spoon bread and collard greens with bacon lard. Drink selections include an extensive list of craft beers on draft and in cans, along with fine wines and clever house cocktails.

688 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238, Phone: 347-318-3643

David Benrimon Fine Art is one of Manhattan's premiere art galleries, founded in 2002 by David Benrimon to showcase the works of Impressionist, modern, and contemporary artists from around the world. Top names from the art world on display include Impressionist legends such as Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, while modern and contemporary luminaries showcased include Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol. Rotating exhibitions on display at the gallery focus around a single artist or theme, rotating through the gallery's extensive artist-focused collections. All pieces are for sale, with dedicated advisors on site to guide patrons through every step of the purchasing process.

41 E 57th St 2nd floor, New York, NY 10022, Phone: 212-628-1600

QXT's Night Club is the longest-operating alternative dance club in New Jersey, originally opened in 1991. The club has become a haven for alternative music fans to dance the night away each Friday and Saturday night, open each weekend from 10:00pm to 3:00am. For more than 25 years, the club has spun a wide variety of hits across genres such as new wave, alternative rock, punk, goth, and industrial music, with themed nights highlighting top alternative genres throughout the month. A spacious main dance floor gives patrons ample space to spread out and dance, with two additional more intimate venues offered, known as The Crypt and Area 51. Bars are offered at each dance floor for patrons 21 years of age and older.

248 Mulberry Street, Newark, NJ, Phone: 201-983-9397

Amelie Wine Bar is a charming Upper West Side wine bar and restaurant originally opened to the public in December of 2017, showcasing elegant French cuisine and an extensive European wine list. The romantic restaurant serves up an extensive customizable cheese and charcuterie program alongside excellent French entrees such as escargots gratinés, baked camembert de Normandie, coq au vin, and steak à l’échalote. A constantly-changing list of specials is offered, along with sides such as pommes frites, gratin de pommes, and sauteed wild mushrooms. Extensive red and white wine lists feature more than 50 selections, focusing on French favorites with additional options from regions such as California, Chile, South Africa, and New Zealand.

566 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024, Phone: 646-422-7167

Elsie Rooftop is a stylish restaurant near Manhattan's Bryant Park, opened in 2018 and helmed by executive chef David Burke. The restaurant is housed within a 25th-floor penthouse, designed in honor of American actress and interior decorator Elsie de Wolfe, the creator of New York's first penthouse suite. The restaurant's rooftop villa vibe is meant to evoke the splendor of New York City's 1920s-era socialite society, recreating the vibe of elaborate parties of de Wolfe's that hosted guests such as Coco Chanel. A seasonally-focused menu of light bar fare highlights international snacks such as hummus, lamb sliders, and guacamole de fruta, while craft cocktails pay homage to New York in the Roaring Twenties with names such as the Windsor and the Colony Club.

1412 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, Phone: 646-834-2291

Industry Kitchen is a chic New American restaurant at Manhattan's South Street Seaport, opened to the public in 2015 by restaurateur Abraham Merchant, known for his work on restaurants such as Clinton Hall and Watermark Bar. The Financial District bar and restaurant offers spectacular views of the East River from floor-to-ceiling windows, featuring beer-hall-style tables and a 12-seat chef's counter and open kitchen floor plan. Menus emphasize wood-fired plates, pasta, and seafood dishes, including unique signature pizza flavors such as the Thanksgiving, which is topped with cranberry sauce, stuffing, and pulled turkey, or the dessert-style Pop Candy Land, which features a rainbow swirl crust, cream cheese frosting, Pop Rocks, and cotton candy. For a once-in-a-lifetime decadent experience, the restaurant's Guinness World Record 24K pizza is infused with foie gras, caviar, truffles, and 24-karat gold leaves. Craft brews are served up alongside nautical-themed cocktails from the restaurant's horseshoe-shaped bar.

70 South St, New York, NY 10038, Phone: 212-487-9600

Mustang Harry's is a legendary sports bar institution near Manhattan's Madison Square Garden, owned by Irish brothers and entrepreneurs Ian and Niall Conroy. The two-story bar is home to New York City's longest bar, which stretches for 99 feet along its main floor. American and Irish-style gastropub fare is served up, including entrees such as 18-hour slow-cooked short ribs, prime hanger steak frites, shepherd's pie, and fish and chips. Shareable appetizers include include flatbreads, sliders, beer cheese pretzels, and Jersey-style disco fries, with a selection of clever sandwiches and burgers also available throughout the day. Draft beers, red and white wines, and craft spirits and cocktails are also available, with growler service available to go.

352 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001, Phone: 212-268-8930

Loi Estiatorio is a Manhattan offering from acclaimed Greek chef Maria Loi, best known to American audiences as the author of the bestselling culinary book and diet plan The Greek Diet. The restaurant, which is owned and overseen by the Greek Hospitality Group, adheres to the Greek cultural philosophy of philotimo, which emphasizes pride in one's accomplishments and respect for one's community. A delicious menu of health-conscious Greek fare is showcased at the restaurant throughout the week, with a focus on traditional Greek entrees such as lasagna, spinach pies, and stuffed eggplant. Lunch service is available on weekday afternoons, with full-service dinner served up Mondays through Saturdays.

132 West 58th St, New York, NY 10019, Phone: 212-713-0015