Since receiving a star rating from Michelin, Dressler has been doing very well.

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Dressler
149 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY
Tel: (718) 384-6343

If you want to go someplace a little boisterous, Dressler is an excellent option that offers a very detailed dining space with metal work designed by Brooklyn Navy Yard sculptors. Owner Colin Devlin, who also owns Dumont and Dumont Burger created a small menu, which presents fish, chicken, and meat with standouts being the Roasted Free-Range Chicken with confit crepinette, house made dumplings, Swiss chard, Portobello mushrooms and pearl onions ($20) and the Braised Domestic Lamb Shank with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, roasted tomato and baby carrots ($25). While entrees are in the mid-twenties range, the quality is top-notch and being within walking distance to Williamsburg’s bars makes this place great for a first-date and worthy for a second.

Location: East Village, NYC
Moustache
265 E 10th St, New York 10009
Tel: (212) 228-2022

Let’s face it, a good first-date restaurant is a place that’s not too loud, where not too many people are around to bother you. A relaxed place to talk helps, especially if the food is pretty damn good. Moustache serves up excellent Middle Eastern food that won’t break the bank, while serving up healthy portions. This place is not decked out in anything fancy by any means, but is quiet and cozy to get along. There’s even an outdoor backyard garden to relax in when the weather is nice. While the service is nothing amazing, the food is. The pitzas are crisp and I’d recommend trying the Moustache Pitza (roasted red bell peppers, tomato, onion, parsley, chili and fresh mozzarella $11) or the Chicken Kebab Plate (chicken breast with cilantro, garlic and lentil puree $9) as the people here put their own spin on Middle Eastern favorites.