“Places is the restaurant and travel discovery app created by the team behind Raya, the ultra-selective dating and networking app that is reported to accept only about 8% of applicants, making it, infamously, more selective than Harvard.”
The Restaurants and Bars Winning over Exclusive Dating Communities like Raya.
Ask an in the know New Yorker where they’re taking a date this summer, and there’s a good chance the answer falls inside one particular pocket of Midtown South, the stretch running from the edge of Times Square down through the Garment District and Koreatown, and from Bryant Park to Eight Avenue. Some locals have started calling it “42BELOW,” and the restaurants, bars, and cafés packed into it are quietly becoming favorites among one of the city’s most discerning denizens.
The following recommendations come from Places, the restaurant and travel discovery app created by the team behind Raya, the ultra-selective dating and networking app that is reported to accept only about 8% of applicants, making it, infamously, more selective than Harvard. Rather than relying on algorithms or crowdsourced reviews, Places is built around recommendations from a global network of curators—including chefs, designers, and cultural tastemakers like Eric Ripert, David Gelb, and Laura Kim—who share where they actually like to go. Originally launched as a members-only Raya perk before expanding into its own standalone subscription app, Places has earned a reputation for insider-approved discoveries.
Ten Spots to Take a Date in 42BELOW
The Places picks for those looking to make an impression — whether the move is a well-made highball, an L’Impensable (Aux Merveilleux de Fred’s coffee-cream merveilleux), or a bite of otoro at the counter:
- Akoya — “Intimate rooftop sushi and cocktail bar offering inventive Japanese bites and skyline views, featuring a 13-seat hand roll bar and a menu of seasonal drinks.” 6 Times Square
- Aux Merveilleux de Fred — “French bakery renowned for its airy merveilleux pastries and buttery cramiques, set in a charming space adorned with an oversized crystal chandelier.” 37 W 30th St.
- da Toscano — “Warm, brick-walled venue for comforting Italian plates including chilled seafood and pasta.” 49 W 44th St.
- Gabriel Kreuther — “Sophisticated French cuisine in chic interiors featuring salvaged-wood beams, with a menu highlighting Alsatian influences and meticulously crafted tasting options.” 41 W 42nd St.
- Keens Steakhouse — “Historic steakhouse since 1885 famous for mutton chops and dry-aged USDA Prime steaks served in clubby, wood-paneled rooms lined with over 90,000 clay pipes from former patrons.” 72 W 36th St.
- Peppercorn Station 青花椒 — “Classic Sichuan noodle, rice and vegetable dishes, some with a modern twist – the mapo tofu with fermented black beans and fish fillet in numbing golden broth are standouts.” 66 W 39th St.
- Sushi Sho — “Traditional Edomae-style sushi counter from renowned Chef Keiji Nakazawa, featuring aged and fermented fish during the omakase portion, plus an okonomi section where diners can order additional pieces a la carte.” 3 E 41st St.
- The Parlour Room — “Whiskey emporium with 400+ labels and a refined American menu, set in a plush, 1920s-inspired room with velvet booths.” 70 W 36th St.
- Togyushi — “Contemporary Japanese restaurant featuring a fine dining omakase counter that highlights G1 Zao wagyu beef and innovative cocktails in a stylish, modern setting.” 37 W 37th St.
- Valerie — “Art Deco cocktail bar and American kitchen near Bryant Park, known for its 90+ gin library and burlesque-mural backroom.” 45 W 45th St.
“The ultra-exclusive matchmaking agency, The Bevy, has a plugged-in team that often make reservations at the hottest spots in the city on behalf of their clients.”
The neighborhood is also a favorite for the city’s top matchmakers. Nikki Lewis, co-founder of The Bevy (the members-only matchmaking service the Observer called a “high-touch matchmaking service with a 98 percent success rate”) points to a couple of go-tos in the area for her own clients. “Osamil Upstairs (5 W 31st St) is my pick for a great first date, while Keens Steakhouse (72 W 36th St) with its more eclectic crowd, is better suited to a third date, ideally paired with a show,” she says.
The Bevy’s plugged-in team often makes reservations at the hottest spots in the city on behalf of their clients. ‘We send the gentlemen to where their dates are located, certainly for the first date, and we are seeing a lot more women living in this area, so we make a lot of reservations these days in the 42BELOW neighborhood,” Lewis says.
Luckily, it’s still Restaurant Week — until August 16th and some places are extending it through Labor Day (September 7) — and a bunch of the recommendations from Raya and The Bevy are participating; book now before tables fill up. Togyushi offers a $60 three-course prix-fixe menu through August 16, Akoya serves a $60 three-course dinner 17 floors up on its rooftop, and The Parlour Room offers its own $60 three-course prix-fixe menu in its plush, 1920s-inspired dining room.
