9 romantic restaurants for date night in New Orleans

Swipe right, then impress the hell out of that first date by bringing them to this modern Mexican place in the burgeoning South Market District. The sleek spot isn’t the usual south-of-the-border restaurant. Chef and owner Akhtar Nawab is well known for his Brooklyn restaurant Alta Calidad, which earned a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand award in 2018. Nibble on small plates such as queso and guac and share the roasted mojo oysters, char-grilled with hot sauce butter. The crispy tempura shrimp tacos spiced with chipotle is a fine choice, as is the carnitas tostada topped with silky avocado. Don’t miss the deep menu of mezcal- and tequila-fueled margaritas.

At Copper Vine, dinner is a relaxed yet sophisticated affair with wine on tap and tastings galore. Start your date with a drink at the handsome bar, or touch knees under a table for two by the window overlooking the verdant patio. Although Copper Vine is a swish wine bar, there’s nothing stuffy about it, thanks to a varied list that pours 30 wines from the tap and a cellar menu that can be tasted 2.5 ounces at a time. Amy Mehrtens, a seasoned, CIA-trained chef (who worked most recently as a sous at Commander’s Palace), offers bites including bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Creole cream cheese and black truffle bites. If your evening together is going exceptionally well, graduate to heartier plates, such as saffron and shrimp risotto with sherry sabayon.

It’s hard to imagine a sexier setting than the Peacock Room at the Hotel Fontenot, an inviting lounge loaded with romantic appeal. The restaurant sets a scenic stage for getting to know a date better thanks to riotous prints, rich velvets, rolled leather banquettes, and a collection of gilded cages and feathered birds. Chef Samuel Peery’s menu is filled with enticing shareables such as spicy chicken bao buns, chorizo-stuffed dates, and pork meatballs with burrata. Sip on classic cocktails, along with an impressive collection of madeira and rum. Reserve a table on a Thursday night and you and your date will be treated to a sultry R&B performance.

The Bower gets two things right before you even kick off an anniversary feast: The lighting is soft and flattering, and the acoustics are made for murmured conversations. A modern American menu with ties to a local farm spotlights the talents of chef Marcus Woodham; many of the small plates are inspired by flavors from Southeast Asia and the sun-kissed Mediterranean. As an homage to its name, which refers to a kind of garden trellis, plants hang from the Bower’s ceiling. No matter where you and your sweetheart sit, natural beauty abounds.

When a relationship hits a milestone, it’s worth celebrating. Consider toasting each other at Vyoone’s (pronounced VEE-ahns) in the Warehouse District. An enchanting courtyard lies behind an unassuming brick façade and modest signage. Owner Vyoone Segue Lewis brings her French, African, and Creole heritage to the table, offering plates such as escargot with garlic butter, French onion soup, and coq au vin, along with brunch and happy hour treats. Dine in the courtyard or climb the curvy staircase to a table with leafy street views.

Channel the sun-kissed Amalfi Coast with a festive feast at San Lorenzo, a sophisticated spot in the Hotel Saint Vincent. Celebrate your relationship over southern Italian cuisine and a suave European setting that serves up pasta and seafood, with an emphasis on seasonal, sustainably line-caught, and bycatch fish. Must-orders include the oysters, available raw or grilled with parmesan butter. Dress up for this and remember to wear your sexiest shoes, Italian-style. Stretch your special evening with an after-dinner drink at the aptly named Paradise Lounge.

Plan a double date at this French Quarter classic, a century-old brasserie on Decatur Street. Sbisa is an atmospheric beauty with original wood, patio dining, and a staircase that harks back to a golden age—the spot traces its roots to 1899, when a ship chandlery first became a restaurant (it’s enjoyed many avatars since). If Sbisa’s fascinating past doesn’t give your group something to talk about, the outstanding French Creole dishes will. Chef and partner Alfred Singleton, who worked his way up from busboy to chef, commands the kitchen, turning out decadent plates of Louisiana blue crab cakes, fried oysters Sbisa served over creamed spinach with Tabasco hollandaise, and rich turtle soup laced with sherry.

Bring your SO to Yō Nashi for an omakase experience with a New Orleans accent. Chef Mackenzie Broquet’s otherworldly tasting menu changes frequently, pairing local ingredients and flavors with Japanese techniques in five nigiri courses. The results could include picturesque starters such as kombu-cured scallop with beet vinaigrette, black sesame togarashi cracker, purple radish, and crab roe bottarga. Yō Nashi’s jewel box-like interiors are dressed in blue and orange, with metallic leaf, stone, and shell accents. The intimate setting, pristine ingredients, and fit-for-royalty plating adds up to one transportive and unforgettable date.

There’s no better way to woo your beau than with steak and a martini at Crescent City Steaks. For many locals, the iconic Mid-City restaurant’s bacon-wrapped filet, sizzled in butter, is the gold standard. Founded by Croatian immigrant John Vojkovich in 1934, the family-owned restaurant was the first to serve slabs of prime-aged beef in New Orleans. There’s seafood, too. Say yes to lobster tail and broiled salmon along with a slew of veggie sides. Ask for a table along “lover’s lane” in one of the snug, six-seat tables surrounded by drapes for the ultimate privacy—and the ultimate question.