10 Romantic French Restaurants in New York City

Whether you’re treating your beloved to brunch or taking a date to dinner, Buvette is an ideal destination. Situated in charming Greenwich Village, the restaurant’s New York outpost (it also has a base in Paris) boasts a transporting environment. Buvette’s bustling but discreet service and decadent dishes, such as steamed eggs and caviar-topped toast, steak tartare, and more, make every meal feel like a romantic getaway.

For a high-end outing, choose Daniel as your date night destination. This two-star Michelin-rated restaurant is serving upscale eats, such as vodka-flambéed foie gras, wild rice fricassee, and meaty tuna in a red wine-port sauce. Outshining its wine list, Daniel’s cocktail selection, which features ingredients such as toasted sesame and jalapeño, is worth raising your glass to.

A traditional fine-dining atmosphere meets with contemporary French cuisine at Le Coucou. Settle in under elaborate chandeliers and crisp white tablecloths for a meal of egg and lobster crêpes, cherry foie gras, and fluffy French pancakes. Serving up unpretentious fare in an upscale environment, Le Coucou promises a unique date night experience.

Vintage theater seats, European-style tables, and a floor-to-ceiling wall of wine bottles make Amelie Wine Bar a charming date night pick. Shareable plates such as octopus and lemon yogurt crostinis, salmon tartare, and creamy white wine mussels make for excellent—and delicious—ice breakers. Tip: come thirsty to Amelie, where affordably priced wines from France, Latin America, and beyond are poured with panache.

From its menu of down-to-earth French classics to its small-batch, locally produced offerings, everything about Le Barricou gives the impression of French country dining. Here, diners enjoy brioche burgers, white wine mussels with French fries, and comforting croque madames alongside generously poured glasses of French wine and local beers. Located in trendy Williamsburg, Le Barricou is an excellent destination for dinner and a post-meal stroll.

Think you have to eat in to enjoy an intimate dining experience? Williamsburg’s Pates et Traditions invites you to think again. The spot’s kitschy décor and casual outdoor seating make for a relaxed environment where you can linger over French comfort foods such as assorted pâtés, snails and cream-stuffed crêpes, and French and Corsican beers. It’s just like eating at home, but better.

Trust the team behind cult-favorite Italian joint Carbone to make French cuisine cool again. At “New York bistro” Dirty French, culinary classics undergo modern makeovers, resulting in mouthwatering menu items such as Creole-inspired spicy pork chops, caramel-chicory beignets, and ham and egg croissant sandwiches. One tradition the spot kept? An appreciation of fine wine, as illustrated by Dirty French’s extensive wine list.

Enjoy the bonding experience of cooking together without the meal planning and shopping hassles at Taureau. Making your food is half the fun here, where sizzling, shareable meals of cheese, meat, and chocolate fondue provide both entertainment and enjoyment. If your objet d’affection is a fan of cultural cuisine, they’ll love this refreshingly laid-back take on French dining.

Looking to impress your foodie fling? Book a table for two at Raoul’s, a Soho mainstay making waves with its cult-favorite au poivre burger. Triple-crème cheese, a pepper-encrusted patty, and a basin of addictive au poivre sauce make for a memorable (and points-earning!) meal.

Understated sophistication is what’s on the menu at Raclette, a relaxed restaurant cooking up handcrafted French fare. In addition to gourmet tartines that are almost too pretty to eat, the spot specializes in melty Alpine cheeses, scraped tableside onto vegetables, bread, and meats.