Osteria Del Porto

This charming, rustic restaurant is perfect for a casual date night after a long day at work, especially if you work around South Street Seaport. You'll find satisfying Italian food and a dozen wines by the glass that are definitely better than whatever you picked up at Trader Joe’s. Start with fried baby artichokes in a crispy basket made out of parm, then skip straight to the massive, fall-off-the-bone lamb shank with polenta. (A black truffle gnocchi was too firm.) Downstairs is livelier, with a communal counter table that's ideal for solo dining. For a quieter meal, ask for a table upstairs.