Best Date Spots in Flatiron and Gramercy in New York

Danny Meyer's Gramercy Tavern is an American restaurant whose elegant but relaxed Dining Room is built around seasonal menus that change often, and the room gets livelier after dark. The front Tavern is the casual option, with brick chicken and a strong burger. Last-minute plans? Aim for a stool at the bar.

Chef Enrique Olvera's Cosme serves contemporary cooking rooted in Mexican flavors and traditions, made with local seasonal ingredients. The menu is built for sharing, with a bit of everything across the table, which makes it a good pick for a first date. We recommend finishing with the husk meringue dessert. The margaritas are a draw too.

Coqodaq brings a see-and-be-seen energy to Flatiron, making it a fit for a night that should feel like an occasion or a celebration with a bigger group. The set meal comes with two kinds of fried chicken, banchan and cold noodles, so dinner arrives as a full spread.

Step into the historic United Charities Building, an 1892 landmark, and Hawksmoor's London steakhouse greets you with high ceilings, dark wood and green leather booths. The dress code is relaxed and the bar is lively, which suits a birthday or a special occasion. The menu highlights include the filet, charcoal-roasted scallops and creamed spinach, with sticky toffee pudding for dessert. The bar also works for just a drink and dessert.

Dinner at Jua is a seven-course tasting menu of Korean cooking, served in Flatiron among brick walls and concrete floors. Jua's kitchen cooks over wood fire, and dinner opens with steak tartare and caviar wrapped in deep-fried seaweed. The restaurant holds one Michelin star, and the room works for a dressy night or a relaxed one.

Kidilum serves Kerala-inspired Indian food in Flatiron, and its fern-lined room stays as dark as dusk. It suits a flashy night out with a little pageantry, and a few dishes arrive on plates that look LED-lit. We recommend the Thayir Wada, lentil fritters under aerated yogurt, then the Paal Curry, thick with a touch of heat. No reservation? The bar takes walk-ins and offers the full menu.

The party starts at the entrance of LenLen, a stylish Thai restaurant on 20th Street, where shelves of Thai pantry goods greet you. The dining room keeps that party feel going through dinner, so the night has energy from the start. We recommend the crab and durian curry.

Oiji Mi is a creative contemporary Korean restaurant where lamps modeled on Korean hair pins brighten the corners of a pretty room. The room is a fit for people who like nice things, and a good choice for a special occasion. The dining room serves a prix fixe menu, while the bar serves à la carte. The amuse that opens every meal is pumpkin gyeran-jjim, joined by beef tartare and spotted prawn. We recommend the dry-aged duck with potatoes, then the sweet potato bingsu for dessert.

Passerine, a Flatiron Indian restaurant, has a dining room with leafy wallpaper and a relaxed mood that makes dinner feel special. The drawing room has moody floral wallpaper and couches, and it is the spot for cocktails and small plates. We recommend the beet poriyal tart to start. Cardamom and saffron flavor the beef nihari, which braises for more than 18 hours. If Gramercy Tavern next door is full, this is a good fallback.

Emilia-Romagna pasta is the whole point at Rezdôra in Flatiron, a top pick for a date night if you love pasta. Split two or three pastas, but open with gnocco fritto: dough fried until it puffs, served alongside cured meat. The gramigna with ragu in bianco has deep flavor. The black-truffle raviolo and leek-filled cappelletti are also worth ordering. The wine list is a draw, and the bar is open for eating.