A Kosher Evening on the Upper West Side

A kosher date night on the Upper West Side moves in a clear order: a light dairy course first, a full kosher dinner second, and a walk to close the night without asking anyone to wait on dessert. Effy's Cafe opens the evening near the 96 St subway station, then Talia's Steakhouse & Bar carries the meal south on Amsterdam Avenue, and Riverside Park gives you somewhere to talk once the plates are cleared. The order isn't arbitrary. Kosher practice keeps meat and dairy on separate footing, so a dairy stop works well before the meat course rather than after it. Plan for two restaurants and a stretch of walking, in that sequence, and you won't have to explain the reasoning to your date unless you want to.

The neighborhood

This stretch of the Upper West Side runs along Amsterdam Avenue and 96th Street, anchored by the 1/2/3 subway line at the 96 St stop. Effy's Cafe sits at 104 W 96th Street, close enough to the station that you can start the night there straight off the train. Talia's Steakhouse & Bar is a short walk south on Amsterdam Avenue at number 668, and has held its spot on that stretch of the avenue for over two decades. Street parking in the area is metered and limited, so anyone driving in should expect to use one of the parking garages along Broadway or Amsterdam Avenue in the 90s rather than counting on curb space. Between the two restaurants and Riverside Park a few blocks west, the whole evening stays walkable once you're out of the subway or out of the garage.

The evening, in order

Start at Effy's Cafe for a dairy course before the main event. The menu lists a Roasted Butter Lemon Salmon with sauteed kale and mashed sweet potato, a Grilled Chermoula Fish offered as salmon or branzino with grilled vegetables, and a Vegan Shawarma Entree with hummus, beets, house salad, and french fries for anyone who wants to keep it lighter. Effy's says its cafes are certified under IKC supervision. From there, walk south on Amsterdam Avenue to Talia's Steakhouse & Bar for dinner. The menu runs from a 12-ounce Grilled Ribeye to a Roasted Yemenite Chicken with yellow rice and sauteed spinach to a Prime Beef Burger with romaine, tomato, red onion, pickle, and fries. Talia's states it has operated under strict, on-site glatt kosher supervision for over 23 years, with a Mashgiach Temidi present throughout the hours it's open. Close the night with a walk through Riverside Park, a few blocks west of Amsterdam Avenue along the Hudson. Skipping a dairy dessert here isn't a compromise: kosher practice calls for waiting after a meat meal, so the park walk stands in for dessert instead of working against the order of the evening.

Something to ask each other

What's one kosher restaurant from your childhood you still think about?

If the two of you eat differently

Ask what they'd order first if the two of you came back here for a Shabbat dinner.

Bring a question to the table instead of small talk about the day. Ask what kosher restaurant from your date's childhood they still think about, or, once you're both full from dinner, what they'd order here if the two of you came back for a Shabbat dinner together. Either question does more work than a comment on the ribeye, and it gives the night something to return to later.