Drinks, then dinner: Normally that’s a great date-night combo, but in Manhattan in high summer, it’s a sweaty schlep. We took the sweaty out and put the sexy back by pairing these bars with nearby restaurants — no multiple subway hops, no parking nightmares, no added cab hailing.
Arrive, drink and dine without hitting hot pavement. Center Bar opened in October on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center and is still a hidden oasis for drinks and bar bites. Michael Lomonaco, executive chef at the Michelin-starred Porter House down the hall, oversees this sleek semi-circular bar, so nibbles are exquisite. Overlooking a leafy city skyline, the bar has a calm open-plan design that’s very relaxing. After a classic champagne cocktail or two, take the elevator down one floor to Landmarc, a modern Italian-inspired eatery. The most romantic table is the small pod, a capsule that separates from the bustle. Pastas are the thing here, but there’s grilled salmon with ratatouille, or, perfect for summer, a chopped salad of celery, cucumber, hearts of palm, tomatoes and beets. Cute desserts are bite-sized: The espresso-rich tiramisu is the perfect pick-me-up.
For a downtown vibe and a touch of romantic old Vienna, Edi & the Wolf, a tavern in the East Village from Michelin-starred chefs Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban, makes for a cozy destination. Start with drinks at its newish sister bar, The Third Man. It’s named for the 1949 Hitchcockian thriller, so forgive them for naming a lime-laced, prosecco-topped mescal cocktail after Orson Welles’ character Harry Lime.
If it’s a super-special night, book ahead at one of the newest names in the Michelin guide, Atera. Start with drinks at The Lounge at Atera, located directly beneath the restaurant (now we’re talking tip-toe distance!). The vibe at both is very now, echoing chef Matthew Lightner’s modernist ideals.
Deal for you
Meemo (735 10th Ave., 212581-0400), a Spanish-style tapas sports bar — who knew such a thing existed? — offers a 20 percent discount to customers dining before or after a Broadway show. Just present your tickets to your server.

Why these spots?
Atera, The Lounge at Atera: This is the most quietly smoldering coupling since Bogart and Bacall. Put your lips together and blow. 77 Worth St., 212-226-1444

Center Bar: It’s all about conversation, and the only noise likely to bother is when a pianist plays — and that’s a bother how? 10 Columbus Circle, fourth floor, 212-823-9482

Edi & the Wolf: Inspired decor, including a leafy conservatory, and an old-world vibe bring out the vamp … or wolf. 102 Ave. C, 212-598-1040.

Landmarc: Sleek and sexy, yet not so financially stressful: The wine mark-up is often as low as retail. 10 Columbus Circle, third floor, 212-823-6123.

The Third Man: After a couple of Harry Limes, date night should be swinging! 116 Ave. C, 212-598-1040.

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Loopy Doopy at the Conrad Hotel
102 North End Ave., 212-945-0100

Tucked away in Battery Park City, Loopy Doopy is the perfect escape for those looking to avoid the Midtown crowds. The seasonal rooftop bar 16 stories up offers views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor. Nibble on bites like pickle peppers with white bean hummus and olive oil kettle chips, and dive into the roof’s signature prosecco-ice pop hybrid, which dunks a popsicle into a fishbowl-sized glass of bubbly. The cocktail is available in five new flavors this season: appletini (with Absolut hibiscus vodka), orangeade (with Cointreau), morello cherry (with 10 Cane rum), lime margarita (with Sauza blue agave tequila) and pina colada (with Malibu coconut).

Sky Terrace at the Hudson Hotel
356 W. 58th St., 212-554-6217

Once you’re up the neon-lit escalator and in the swanky hotel’s wood-paneled lobby, take the elevator to the 15th floor for this sunny spot. Beat the heat with specialty sangria, in flavors like pear limoncello and kaffir lime-sake. The views span the Hudson River, all the way to the Statue of Liberty.

Upstairs at the Kimberly
145 E. 50th St., 212-888-1220

Take in a 360-degree view of Manhattan on top of the Kimberly Hotel: The 3,000 square-foot space features three separate indoor and outdoor areas, replete with tufted banquets, twinkling lights, a retractable glass ceiling and plenty of greenery. The space purposely stays away from outdoor lounge-type furniture in favor of a grander, more elegant setting (think tufted leather banquets and heated hardwood floors). Sample small plates from chef David Andrews, who honed his skills working alongside Marcus Samuelsson, and sip cocktails by mixing maestro Alex Ott of SUSHISAMBA fame.

Pod 39 Hotel
145 E. 39th St., 212-865-5700

What the microhotel lacks in room size, it makes up for with a roof deck. Decorated with brick arches and terracotta columns, the two-story open space boasts views of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and East River. Enjoy an abbreviated menu from the April Bloomfield-led Salvation Taco, whose permanent digs are downstairs.

The Press Lounge at Ink 48
653 11th Ave., 212-757-2224

What do Midtown, the Hudson and New Jersey look like from 16 stories up? Visit The Press Lounge and you’ll find out. The sister joint to the hotel’s well-received PRINT. Restaurant, The Press Lounge carries a bit of refinery — no flip-flops, baseball caps and athletic tees allowed. But once you’re in, prepare to be dazzled: Cool your feet in the rooftop’s narrow, shallow pool, take a seat in a wicker pod near the portable fireplace or span the crowd from the glass-walled enclosed space. Bonus: The roof provides eye-level views for Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks.

Follow Meredith Engel on Twitter @MeredithAtMetro.

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Community Board 4 has apparently initiated a midnight curfew on Sundays for Bushwick bars, according to a report from DNAinfo.

The board reportedly issued new liquor licenses with the rule this month for new bars and existing venues renewing their licenses.

The board’s district manager, Nadine Whitted, and the chair of the public safety committee responsible for the rule apparently did not provide comment to explain the decision, but a board member, local artist Deborah Brown, blamed a “dramatic influx” of area bars.

“I can’t go out on my street without seeing one,” Austin Martinez, another resident and board member told DNA. “They’re opening up everywhere.”

Bar owners are apparently criticizing the rule as “weird” and arbitrary.

“It would affect me significantly,” said Jeff Pan, the owner of a cafe and bar called Skytown. “The majority of our alcohol sales occur after midnight.”

Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat.

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Think the best places New York has to offer are up top? Think again — many city restaurants are transforming underground, shadowy locations in basement- or lower-level floors into cozy, intimate atmospheres. Instead of walking downstairs into a building’s underbelly, these spots offer an underground sense of a hidden secret. And winter is the best time to visit: When icy winds are howling, step down into these warm, cozy spots.

Cherry
355 W. 16th St., 212-929-5800
A red door opens to a long set of stairs that leads you to this sprawing lair. The wine-colored, velvet-clad space screams romance, with a theme of getting low — tables and chairs are closer to the floor than normal, creating intimacy. Jonathan Moor introduced this spot in January, and some of his BONDST staples are on the Japanese and French fusion menu, like the tuna tart. Other items to order? The lobster tacos are the perfect mix of light crunch and succulent seafood, and the seabass has a sweet, crunchy miso glaze.

Irving Farm
71 Irving Pl., 212-995-5252
Walking down the few steps into this popular, garden-level Gramercy haunt, cross your fingers that you’ll get a spot by a window, where you can peek outside as you enjoy a chai latte and green-tea cookie. The coffee shop, whose beans are sold around the city in other cafes, is a favorite for neighborhood locals, as well as celebrities like Rufus Wainwright. The lighting is dark, but the eavesdropping is worth it — artsy types seem to use it as a brainstorming hub.

The Place
310 W. Fourth St., 212-924-2711
At The Place, tucked between trees along a West Village street, the tops of the chairs are level with the sidewalk, giving you a sense that you are peeking upwards for your people-watching. The date-night restaurant has candlelit stone walls and a roaring fireplace. It makes use of its underground rooms, built more than a century ago, by decorating window-like cutouts in the wall and adding warm candelabra lighting. Entrees to savor by the fire include hangar steak, pappardelle duck pasta and winter squash chowder.

Comedy Cellar
117 MacDougal St., 212-254-3480
For underground jokes and drinks, stop in at the Comedy Cellar, which regularly hosts bold-face names. The West Village spot has shows every night of the week. And if the nooks (or the jokes) get too dark, visit the Olive Tree Cafe on the street level, above, for a quick bite or cappuccino.

Sotto 13
140 W. 13th St., 212-647-1001
Sotto 13 mixes a low-ceilinged bar with a back room that opens up into a surprisingly airy dining space. The basement-level Chelsea eatery greets customers with a low-lit bar and cocktail tables, but walk past the kitchen and the space’s high ceilings feature a funky chandelier and plant-adorned skylight. The Italian tapas-style spot boasts crispy wood-fired pizza and flavorful, Italian-style tapas and pastas. Signature cocktails include a refreshing, citrusy mango margarita.

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