French-leaning small plates can be cobbled together to compose an excellent & affordable meal here. Try the classic croque madame ($10) or the brandade ($9), a pot of featherlight whipped salt cod. Read more.
Graze on dishes like creamy mac ’n’ greens ($14)—a blend of collards, Gouda, New York cheddar & Comté—or rib-sticking dirty rice and shrimp ($11). Close with the shareable spiced chocolate cake ($10). Read more.
Get close to your date in the corner banquette at Spotted Pig alum Nate Smith’s tavern. Sample dishes from the roating menu, and pair them with a craft beer or market-driven cocktail. Read more.
Awe a new love at this New Orleans–inspired saloon, where you can sample one of 26 varieties of absinthe, or pick a selection from barkeep Maxwell Britten’s smart cocktail list. Read more.
Get cozy in a velvet booth at this mescal bar adorned with folk art, statuettes, masks and other mementos of the co-owners’ travels. Taste the namesake spirit in a flight of three one-ounce pours. Read more.
Impress your date at this intimate dinner spot, which offers shareable Asian “tapas” created by chef King Phojanakong. The small plates are also affordable, with most in the $7–$12 range. Read more.
Win major points with a beer lover at this subterranean gastropub: A selection of 12 stellar craft and microbrews is always on tap. Read more.
This East Village restaurant is outfitted with vintage wallpaper and pages from a 1915 etiquette text. Sample one of the pre-Prohibition quaffs, like the Sherry Cobbler (sherry and lemon juice). Read more.
Pick up provisions for a home-cooked Italian meal at Mario Batali’s massive retail-restaurant complex. You can also choose from one of six on-site eateries. Read more.