If you’re searching for special deals, you’ve found the wrong list. This is for date night on Long Island, prime time, nights to get gussied up, to wine and dine.
We’re talking white tablecloths, olive oil, oysters, water views, quaint villages, downtowns and extensive wine lists. Scroll down to start planning.
Chops Steakhouse
PATCHOGUE VILLAGE
Chops is a luxe, dimly lit downtown steakhouse with a Prohibition-era feel, all designed to keep the wine and cocktails flowing as the night gets better and better.
It’s an intimate space that was built for romance and awash in red — from the linen, to the seating, to the velvet drapes and wallpaper, highlighted with rustic wood and exposed brick.
And the food!
We would first go surf-and-turf off the appetizer menu by ordering either the Beef Carpaccio and Oysters Rockefeller or Steak Tartare and Lump Crab Cakes. Either way your endorphins will be flowing at this point, especially after that first smoked Old Fashioned arrives to the table.
Dinner options are plentiful, with traditional steakhouse selections as small an 8-ounce Petit Filet and as large as a 40-ounce, dry-aged Tomahawk Ribeye.
Then there’s the array of sides like you’d find at any NYC steakhouse, such as creamed spinach, along ones unique to Chops, such as the Hot Honey and Bacon Brussels Sprouts, along with a menu of sauces to choose from — though we always opt for the Creamy Horseradish. There’s there’s the chicken, fish and pork options, and a complete raw bar.
On the service end, Chops is all about experience, with a front-of-the-house team that treats everyone like a celebrity. This is where you go to make some great memories on Main Street.
Avino’s Italian Table
BELLPORT VILLAGE
In the heart of this historic seaside village you’ll find Avino’s Italian Table, which has taken up residence in an 1856 farmhouse worthy of a Currier and Ives painting. Our favorite time to visit is the fall and winter, when the Avino family keeps three fireplaces burning through dinner service.
And we all know there’s nothing like that fiery reflection in a wine glass to get date night started.
Within their southern Italian menu you’ll find an array of antipasti options, salads, and pasta, fish and chicken dishes. But we say it’s a special night, so go for the Filetto, grass-fed angus tenderloin with mushroom reduction, whipped potato, vegetable and crispy onions, and add the gorgonzola crust.
We also suggest starting with Salumi e Formaggi, the chef’s selection of artisan cheeses and Italian cured meats, olives, mushrooms, artichokes and roasted red peppers. Pair all that with a half-dozen refreshing Long Island oysters.
Now you’re really having fun by the fire.
Watershed Kitchen & Inn
S. JAMESPORT
The Watershed has a distinct advantage over its date night rivals here. That’s because after dinner and drinks, you’ll be able to spill upstairs and spend the night.
And that’s likely after a day of sipping wine with your beau elsewhere on the North Fork.
Can a day and night get more romantic?
As for the food, we absolutely love the range of menu offerings to be enjoyed by candlelight, from the lollipop lamb chops (22) to the 40 oz. tomahawk ribeye (135).
Then there’s that gorgeous art deco bar with brass finishings, the perfect backdrop for The Watershed’s signature barrel aged Old Fashioned. Or grab a bottle of Turno de Noche malbec (52) and cozy up by the fireplace.
Both the inn and restaurant are owned by Jamesport Hospitality Group.
Click here for the menus. Here to book a room or cottage.
To be sure: You don’t have to be a hotel guest to dine at The Watershed Kitchen & Inn.
The Farm Italy
HUNTINGTON, WESTBURY
The Farm Italy Restaurant & Bar, which opened to immediate fanfare in Huntington in 2023, now brings the simplicity, artistry and seasonal freshness of local Italian dining to both Suffolk and Nassau counties.
Whether you’re in Huntington, or the new Westbury location (or even Mohegan Sun), you’ll experience delicious food served alongside a collection of alluring cocktails in a transportive yet welcoming space with impressive art lining the walls.
All Farm Italy locations are elegant yet comfortable, romantic yet welcoming, bright yet perfectly lit in the evenings — truly a space for every occasion.
Stunningly sophisticated in its simplicity — and known for using only the freshest ingredients — The Farm Italy creates dishes that ignite the palate, warm the heart and create moments you and your special someone will both taste and see.
The idea is simple in its execution: offer food you want to eat every day with simplicity and freshness, bold flavors and a warm and spirited ambiance.
It’s not about not being fussy; it’s about being where you want to be and eating food you want to eat.
Here’s a pro tip: The Farm Italy is in very high demand. Make reservations early out.
ROSLYN, HUNTINGTON, WEST ISLIP
Isn’t upscale Mexican such a great choice for date night? And few do it better than Besito, which means “little kiss,”in English. How appropriate for this list! Each of Besito’s three locations offer an elegant and dimly lit, yet vibrant atmosphere where the service and every detail of the dining experience is crafted with care.
Every dish and salsa is made from scratch using only the freshest of ingredients, down to the dessert (order the Tres Leches cake). Even the quality of cocktails rival any elevated cocktail bar or lounge in the region. We’d be looking to spice things up on this particular night, starting with their spicy margaritas, which are second-to-none on Long Island.
If you’re looking to flirt across the table, order the iron skillet tacos, then share and mix and match. But be warned, you might end up fighting over that last scrape of baked queso Chihuahua that’s sure to be stuck to the bottom of those hot skillets.
Besito turns lovers into regulars. So if you give them a try, you’re sure to be back.
It’s no wonder they were recognized as one of OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in America,
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Top: Malfadine Pasta at The Farm Italy
– jumbo lump crab, gremolata butter, toasted breadcrumbs, and a hint of Fresno chile heat
