Overview
So by popular demand, we have done an episode on date spot ideas. We know that the dating grind in London can be hard. The apps are hassle, people are weird, midweek dates can be tiring, and planning where to go can be a faff. The aim of this blog, and the accompanying podcast episode, was to provide a few ideas of places to go.
Now there are so many venues in London, this list is in no way exhaustive. Some of the places I will mention will be familiar, but I am hoping others are new to you. This should serve as a source of inspiration. If you think there are places we should be talking about, please reach out and let us know.
Given London is a big place, we decided to focus this episode on the North & East areas. We will certainly do future episodes on other areas.
So, before I get into the spots, what did we base these choices on? Well, firstly, we are focusing on early dates. Think dates 1 to 3, where you are still very much getting to know each other, are on best behaviour, and haven’t figured out how compatible you are. We focused on three main principles:
- People may not want to eat on a first or second date. It can be more expensive, go on too long, and potentially be messy. In this blog I will provide some non-food centred options.
- Food on earlier dates shouldn’t be too expensive if you do go for it. Who wants to spend £60 on food with someone that they haven’t validated is definitely not a psychopath yet?
- Good vibes! You want somewhere that has a bit of an atmosphere to help settle the nerves, fill any silences, and generally relax you both.
- Needs to be easy enough to either walk in to, or be able to book and get a spot a few days in advance. Dates are often set up to happen a few days in the future, so you want to know you can get a booking if needed.
So with all that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the places that Louise and I think its worth checking out.
The spots
Beers in the sun
There are loads of lovely beer gardens in the area, and in nice weather these places are invariably going to attract a crowd and have a real buzz about them.
Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick is a classic spot and always a great shout. Grab one of their tasty beers (other drinks are available) and perch up on a picnic table next to the canal. Chat, watch the boats go by, and soak in the rays. They have pizzas there too if you do get peckish. If the date is going well you can kick things on with other places in the area too. Barge East is a floating bar and kitchen 2 minutes from Crate. They have a lovely garden by the canal and also have a restaurant if you are looking for something to eat (although you may want to book the restaurant). I will talk more about it in the ‘activities’ section, but Hackney Wick also offers Four Quarters, an arcade spot where you play some games. All in all, Hackney Wick area is a solid bet with plenty of options.
Chesham Arms is one of my favourite pubs in Hackney. It’s got a great beer garden, which can be covered when there is rain, and has a lovely traditional indoors area too. In the winter they have roaring fires, they serve great beer, and if you want food they do Yardsale Pizza. It has always got a buzz, people are friendly, and it’s on a beautiful street.
Another Hackney stalwart is The Spurstowe Arms. Now this is a great boozer with a lovely hidden away beer garden. They do decent food if you want it too. However… I think best avoided on a weekend night as it can get absolutely rammed, and pretty lively. It will be loud, hard to get a spot, and generally a bit awkward for a first date!
A spot of food
If you do want food, we think places that are tasty, not too expensive and not too stuffy are key. We recommend a few spots that we think are good because you can sit and order more plates of food if you want to extend the date, but can also eat a few bits and finish up if you are not feeling it.
Morito has a spot in Exmouth markets and another in Hackney. They do Spanish and Lebanese influenced tapas and the food is fantastic. It is a spot that Louise and I keep going back to because it’s so good, and doesn’t break the bank. Being tapas you can sit there and order as many or as few as you want whilst you drink your wine and chat. It’s always popular, and can be booked, but I have never had a problem walking into the Exmouth Markets joint.
Copita is another tapas restaurant (we think tapas are great for early dates) and is based in Soho. Again they do wonderful food at prices that are reasonable for London. I recommend booking here, but we have previously found it easier than other places. Have some Spanish beers or wine, order tapas as you go, and have a great time. If things go well, you are in Soho with hundreds of options for places to continue on to.
Everyone loves Trullo. Delicious bowls of pasta in the £15 region, and then some slightly pricier meat dishes if you want to splash out. Located in Islington, this is a place that will need a booking because it is tremendously popular, but would make for a nice slightly more formal sit down dinner. If you haven’t been, and aren’t in the dating scene, still go because it’s great. However, I question why you are reading this blog post…
Game on
Some of you may be looking for activity based dates. These are often a good social lubricant, giving you something to focus on when conversations are flowing a little less freely at the beginning. Also, in my opinion, games are fun! Here are a few spots I think are great (and no I am not going to suggest Flight Club).
The Colonel Fawcett is a fantastic pub in its own right. Based in Camden, it is traditional, has a good range of beers, serves interesting food (think home made gnocchi) and has a beer garden. Upstairs however, it has interactive dart boards. These have games in the style of Flight Club, but you aren’t paying an arm and a leg to go and you will actually be able to get a booking!
I love The Wapping Tavern. It would be way more popular were it not in Wapping… If its location isn’t too much of an issue for you then this is a great spot. They have all sorts of games here. They have interactive darts, shuffleboard, pool tables, ping pong tables, fussball, arcade games and video games. Honestly such a great range of activities. You can book some of teh stuff online if you want to guarantee a spot, but it’s normally quite easy to do so. They serve standard pub food and pizzas. If it’s convenient, then go!
As mentioned earlier, Four Quarters is an arcade bar in Hackney Wick. Their original spot is also still going in Peckham. They have all sorts of classic arcade games including Pacman, Time Crises and Crazy Taxi.
Cute drinks
So I will start this section with a cliche spot, but a cliche spot that is great and deserves to be acknowledged. Gordon’s Wine Bar is London’s oldest wine bar. Located under the railway near Embankment, you feel like you are in a cave. It is undeniably a cool venue with a nice atmosphere. Low lit, with most light delivered by fluttering candles, it feels very date-esque. They have an extensive wine list, with a good selection of reasonably priced bottles. They have wines by the glass too, although these are always going to be a little less economical. They also have charcuterie boards for those feeling peckish!
Bambi in Hackney Central is a really cool wine bar. They do a lot of natural wines as well as serving tasty cocktails. They are also a small plates restaurant that serves great food. Check out our dedicated blog post here. They described themselves as a music inspired venue and this is evidenced by their wall of vinyl and the record player always playing great tunes. It’s a really nice atmosphere and is a slightly more upmarket spot for drinks, food, or both.
If you are after cocktails in low lit bars T.T London in Hoxton or Highwater in Dalston are both great options. Low lit, delicious cocktails and relaxed vibes make these fantastic spots for close quarters conversations. Cocktails are going to cost £12 and up, so this isn’t the cheapest of date spots, but both spots have other bars close by that you can retire to if you like.
The Auld Shillelagh is a fantastic pub. I only mention it here because my friend wanted to go on a date to somewhere that serves a great pint of Guinness. This is the place for that. Located in Stoke Newington, this narrow pub is described as the best Irish pub outside of Ireland. They often have live music at the weekend, and it gets very busy, so may not always be the best spot for a date. Up to you!
