Best Special Occasions Restaurants in Murray Hill & Kips Bay (10016)
8 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Atomix
Two-Michelin-star Korean tasting menu that leads the city’s fine dining conversation.
Essential Picks
#1
Atomix
9.3
Atomix is a counter-style Korean fine dining restaurant in NoMad serving a tightly choreographed multi-course tasting menu that reimagines classic flavors through modern technique. Reservations are hard to land, but the experience—down to the course cards and ceramics—feels like a full immersion in next-generation Korean cooking.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tteok-galbi with chocolate and chopi, Halibut with sea urchin rice porridge, Ganjang gejang marinated raw crab
What makes it special: Two-Michelin-star Korean tasting menu that leads the city’s fine dining conversation.
Notable Picks
The Flatiron Room’s Murray Hill location pairs a deep whiskey list and nightly live music with a polished menu of share plates and tasting-menu dishes. It’s used for dates, client drinks, and special occasions where you want a loungey setting and serious spirits.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Tartare, Burrata Tart, Oysters with Shallot Mignonette
What makes it special: Whiskey-focused jazz lounge with a legit kitchen and nightly music.
8.9
Tempura Matsui is a quietly luxurious counter focused on tempura omakase, where a chef fries each course to order in front of you. Diners come for precise technique, pristine seafood, and a rare opportunity to treat tempura as a full tasting menu rather than a side dish.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tempura omakase menu with seasonal seafood, Shrimp tempura with shiitake and vegetables, Tendon bowl with tempura over rice
What makes it special: Tempura-focused omakase that treats frying like fine dining.
#4
Scarpetta
8.7
Scarpetta, in The James New York–NoMad, is a polished Italian dining room known for handmade pastas, polished service, and a softly lit atmosphere that reads as classic New York date night. It’s a go-to for anniversaries and big milestones when you want white-tablecloth energy without old-school stuffiness.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti with tomato and basil, Creamy polenta with truffled mushrooms, Braised short ribs
What makes it special: Modern Italian icon with famous pastas and a refined, romantic room.
#5
Moono
8.4
Moono pairs a sleek, dimly lit dining room with a menu that runs from traditional dishes to modern snacks and bar platters. It’s become a go-to for groups who want soju, banchan, and a broader look at Korean classics beyond BBQ.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mung bean pancake (nokdujeon), Beef tartare yukhoe with Korean pear, Spicy fried chicken with gochujang sauce
What makes it special: Modern Korean dining room balancing bansang-style sets, anju, and cocktails.
#6
Tara Rose
8.4
Tara Rose is a cocktail-driven Irish bar with a New American menu of burgers, pastas, and hearty plates that works as well for brunch as it does for late-night drinks. Regulars treat it as a go-to for upbeat gatherings where the bar program is as important as the food.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tara Rose Burger, Irish Chicken Curry, Fish & Chips
What makes it special: Lively cocktail bar energy wrapped around a comfort-heavy American menu.
8.1
Villa Berulia is a long-running, family-owned Italian-Croatian restaurant in Murray Hill, known for old-school hospitality, generously sauced pastas, and hearty mains served in a softly lit dining room. It feels more like a neighborhood living room than a scene, with regulars returning for decades for consistent plates and personal attention from the owners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Osso buco over risotto, Shrimp or seafood buzara, Housemade strukli (baked cheese dumplings)
What makes it special: Family-run Italian-Croatian spot with decades of loyal regulars.
#8
Borgo
8.1
Borgo is a Mediterranean-leaning trattoria at the edge of NoMad where wood-fired cooking, low lighting, and a back garden make it feel tailor-made for a slow, wine-heavy date night. It’s less flashy than big-name Italian spots nearby but rewards couples who want a more intimate, grown-up room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Focaccia Borgo, Saffron arancini, Beef bolognese
What makes it special: Candlelit trattoria with hearth-cooked pastas and a leafy rear garden.