Best date spots: Financial District and Tribeca

Kitsch is king at this South Street Seaport spin-off of the West Village’s Cowgirl. Antlers and wagon wheels hang from the ceiling, and the frozen margaritas arrive in mason jars bobbing with umbrellas. Views of the Brooklyn Bridge are sure to inspire a romantic mood.

The bright lights and linoleum-topped tables may not be sexy, but the alluring fragrance of South Asian home cooking will draw you in. The chicken tikka, meltingly tender pieces of the poultry soaked in a creamy, masala-spiced sauce, is our favorite dish in the house. Afterward, linger over paper cups of chai and grab some dessert.

Deal a coup de grâce to a demure date at this cocktails-and-jazz joint, located at the bottom of a dim stairwell inside a majestic 19th-century townhouse. For an easy opening salvo, challenge him or her to identify some of the portraits of jazz greats hanging on the wall. Then let the excellent drinks (bartender’s choice is our suggestion) and sultry live music weaken what’s left of his or her resolve.

Splurge on a fancy dinner at the sleek, airy spin-off of the original Tamarind in the Flatiron District. The sprawling menu features sophisticated Indian cuisine drawn from all corners of the subcontinent, with the most consistent pleasures coming out of the twin tandoor ovens visible from the main dining room.

Overlooking the New York Harbor, this glass-enclosed space hosts performances, films, exhibitions, installations and festivals all year long. Watch the venue’s website for the latest happenings. Your dilettante date will be equally impressed with your cultural and thrifty sides: All events at the WFC are free, including the annual Bang on a Can Marathon.