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I recently found out the guy I’m dating took a girl to Marea last year on a first date. If you’re not privy to New York City dining, it’s a white tablecloth restaurant on Central Park South where you can choose from items like $100-per-ounce caviar, $41 scallops, or $54 sirloin. Impressive, right?
Wrong.
Unsurprisingly, they never went out again. That’s because you have to make a woman feel comfortable on a first date, and while Marea is lovely, it just doesn’t suit the occasion.
Restaurant choice can make or break a date, whether it’s your first, second, or 192nd time going out with a woman. To ensure you don’t make the same mistake this guy made, I called in the two music industry exec cum gastronomy geniuses behind Immaculate Infatuation for some help.
Maybe you’re looking for an intimate spot to get to know a woman on your third date. Perhaps you want to wow your girlfriend with a spectacular food/mind/body experience on your anniversary. Or, god bless you, maybe dinner is just a time-filler until you get her in bed. Whatever your needs, we’ve got you covered.
(PS: Be sure to check out their website or download their app for thousands of other delightful options.)
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First/Early In the Game Dates
Jamie's Pick: L'Artusi
Address: 228 West 10th St., New York
Phone: (212) 255-5757
I thought the guy I’m dating was special when he secured seats at the chef counter for our second date. I didn’t know it at the time, but anyone can walk in and request those seats. It’s the perfect first or early in the game date because sitting next to each other on high stools is more comfortable and less formal than sitting across a table from one another. We didn’t feel rushed, and the menu is designed for sharing, which fast forwards the intimacy just enough. The range of food here is also key since you don’t want to box her into one specific type. Added bonus: there are a ton of bars nearby for before or after dinner.
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Andrew's Pick: Sorella
Address: 95 Allen St., New York
Phone: (212) 274-9595
I love this Lower East Side Italian wine bar because you’re immediately going to drink, get tipsy, and get to know each other. It’s low-key, which is good for hanging out and taking your time. The mix of food is excellent, too. The only problem is that there can be a wait because it’s a little small, but by the time you get your table you might not even need to eat, if you get my drift. There’s really good music, too, so you'll hear a song you like and say to the woman you’re with, “Oh, my god, I love that song,” and she'll say, “Oh, my god, me too—let’s have sex.”
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Chris' Pick: Perla
Address: 24 Minetta Ln., New York
Phone: (212) 933-1824
You go to this visually appealing, sexy restaurant and there’s no chance you'll have a boring meal. It’s a good room, filled with good people, with a good wine list, and good food options for everyone. There’s heavy and light stuff, with a wood burning oven to set the mood. It’s a little hard to find, so know where you’re going, walk your date in there, and look like a king.
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Runner-ups:
Address: 26 Bond St., New York
Phone: (646) 329-5836
Jamie: My in-depth, hard-hitting foodie review of this quaint, below street level spot: so mellow, and so, so YUM.
Anfora
Address: 34 8th Ave. # A, New York
Phone: (212) 518-2722
Jamie: I love this little neighborhood wine bar because the servers know their way arond every bottle, and though the food is not only easily shared, it is memorable.
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Pure Food and Wine
Address: 54 Irving Place, New York
Phone: (212) 477-1010
Andrew: Take your woman here if she’s a raw foodie or vegan. Sex is on the menu, thanks to Sarma.
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Picca
Address: 9575 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles
Phone: (310) 277-0133
Chris: What David Chang did for Korean, this chef is doing for Peruvian.
General Date-Night Go-Tos
Jamie's Pick: Spotted Pig
Address: 314 West 11th St., New York
Phone: (212) 620-0393
You can walk into this famous New York gastropub any day, at any time, with anybody, and be guaranteed perfection across the board—food, service, scene. It’s busy and fun, but still quiet enough for conversation with your date. They don’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait at the bar. Or, if you put your name down and head somewhere nearby for a drink, they’ll happily call you when your table’s ready. I don’t even eat the famous Roquefort burger and I'm still in love with this place. That should say it all.
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Andrew's Pick: Freemans
Address: 8 Rivington St., New York
Phone: (212) 420-0012
This Lower East Side spot has been in heavy rotation since my wife and I met. A date night go-to should have that emotional connection to your life. Drinks are great here, and the vibe is fun because you can make a whole night of it. Put your name down, go across the street for a beer at Loreley, then head back to eat.
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Chris' Pick: Colonie
Address: 127 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn
Phone: (718) 855-7500
Colonie has a lot of the qualities I like about Perla, but it’s more mellow. You can sit at the bar and face the grill with the chef right in front of you. The food is terrific, and Brooklyn is boyfriend/girlfriend friendly, so go and make a day out of it if you don’t live there.
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Runner-ups:
Address: 217 Eldridge St., New York
Phone: (212) 253-9199
Jamie: When I interviewed these guys for this column, Chris called the skate dish one of his favorites in NYC. I went that night to try, and it’s now one of my favorites too.
Address: 142 Mercer St., New York
Phone: (212) 431-7676
Jamie: Like Spotted Pig, Fishbar always makes for a fun, satisfying date night in SoHo.
The Ultimate Special Occasion Date
Andrew and Chris' Pick: Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Address: 630 Bedford Road, Tarrytown, N.Y.
Phone: (914) 366-9600
Andrew: This is the best dining experience you can have anywhere near New York City. I don’t know anyone who has had a bad time here. There are a lot of stuffy places where you’ll leave unfulfilled, but not Blue Hill. The execution of everything is perfect. It’s the experience I want to have when I’m paying that kind of money.
Chris: If you take car service there, the maître d’ will take the driver’s info and check in with the kitchen periodically to make sure your car comes back to get you at exactly the right time. It’s next-level gangster shit because you don’t tell your significant other and you look like you gave the guy a big tip to take care of you. But it’s just a service they provide, helping to make you look like much more of a baller than you probably are.
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Runner-ups:
Address: 11 Madison Ave., New York
Phone: (212) 889-0905
Andrew and Chris: This is fine dining, Immaculate Infatuation-style. (We still can’t afford Per Se).
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Address: 708 Bush St., San Francisco
Phone: (415) 391-8311
Andrew: A youthful take on fine dining, with renegades in the kitchen trying new, different techniques with lots of flavor.
Definitely Getting Laid Tonight
Jamie's Pick: Anejo
Address: 668 10th Ave., New York
Phone: (212) 920-4770
I knew I’d love this place because of my love for tequila, but their in-house Beverage Director elevated my amorous feelings to a whole new level. If sharing tequila flights (they come three in a tasting, with a delicious homemade palate cleanser on the side) and perfectly-sized tacos under sexy dim lighting doesn’t lead to debauchery, then I can’t help you. However, there is a chance you get lucky even if it’s not with your date: You may get a peek at their famous cook, Top Chef cutie Angelo Sosa.
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Andrew's Pick: Cienfuegos
Address: 95 Ave. A, New York
Phone: (212) 614-6818
This little rum bar is run by the same dudes who own Mayahuel. The food is delicious and the rum drinks super-potent, known to get girls extra frisky. If you go there and have a few drinks and you can’t get laid after that, you should give up.
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Chris' Pick: Bacaro
Address: 136 Division St., New York
Phone: (212) 941-5060
This spot is way down on the lower Lower East Side, with the majority of the restaurant housed downstairs in a basement in what I like to call "the dungeon of romance." There’s exposed brick, crystal chandeliers, and the food is pretty good too, but none of that really matters. If you can actually manage to get a date to come to this part of Manhattan, you know you’re going to close the deal.
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Runner-ups:
Address: 205 10th Ave. #1, New York
Phone: (212) 675-8805
Jamie: A bottle of Spanish wine at this teeny, intimate tapas place will help with your goal, but the food is spectacular too. Always remember: a girl’s gotta eat.
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Address: 298 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn
Phone: (347) 335-0446
Andrew: This is an absinthe/oyster bar, which means it's a sex/sex bar.
Immaculate Infatuation
So, who is Immaculate Infatuation?
Well, you know the trusted friends you turn to when you need a solid restaurant suggestion?
In our circle, that's us... and we don't disappoint. We know New York City as well as anyone, and have finally decided to make something of it. Our real jobs are in the music industry, which is part of the reason why we're always out and about. When artists are in town, you want to make sure you're taking them to the best places so that they get the most out of their visit. We've got shows every week at venues all across the city, and what's a good show without some good food beforehand?
We're not real food critics, so you're not going to hear any pretentious foodie hobnob from us. If you want those kinds of shenanigans, hit up the Times, Time Out New York, or New York Magazine and see what the "experts" think. We just like to eat well and advise our friends of where they should spend their money. In a city with so many great choices, is there any reason to eat mediocre food? No dice.
For Double Dates
Jamie's Pick: Empellon Taqueria
Address: 230 West 4th St., New York
Phone: (212) 367-0999
On a double date, I want both the food and conversation to be easy to share. This place nails both. The different kinds of guacamole, salsa, and tacos all live up to the hype.
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Andrew's Pick: Ciano
Address: 45 East 22nd St., New York
Phone: (212) 982-8422
This Gramercy Park date-night spot is a little more elegant and stuffy than the downtown chill spots, but the fireplace provides good vibes and the chicken for two is really like chicken for four. It’s expensive but if you have the people you can tackle that chicken.
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Chris' Pick: Prima
Address: 58 East 1st St., New York
Phone: (646) 559-4823
A lot of people don’t know about this little East Village spot with big, raised-up communal tables that sit 4-6 wide. You’re never cramped; the atmosphere is quiet but never boring. The room is cozy and the menu is small, but you can mix it up and everyone can try everything.
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Runner-up:
Address: 53 Great Jones St., New York
Phone: (212) 837-2622
Jamie: Another great spot for sharing a variety of dishes, and if you run out of gossip, the décor and general store up front give you plenty to talk about.
