First dates are complicated enough. Will you like them? Will they like you? What if the conversation runs dry? Are you wearing the right outfit? The last thing you need to be worrying about is where to go. Relax, we’ve done the work for you with these fun, cool places to meet someone for the first time…
Bowling at All Star Lanes 
An old-school date idea, bowling is casual but is always fun. The fact that it is physical means that you will ward off any date nerves – and the whole point of the game is that is will spark some friendly competition. With venues in Bayswater, Holborn, Brick Lane and Stratford City, you won’t have to travel far and with plenty of home-cooked food and a fab cocktail menu to choose from….you can’t go too far wrong.
Brunch at The Delaunay
Just like its famous sibling, The Wolseley in Piccadilly, the Delaunay is a great venue for brunch. Located near Covent Garden, expect a mouth-watering display of pain au chocolats and muffins against a sophisticated and stylish backdrop. Brunch is a great way to get to know someone, minus the pressure of evening drinks or food and if things are going well, then you can go on somewhere else…
Watch a play at The Soho Theatre
You may have not entered a theatre since circa 2005 but watching a play can make a cool and different date. Somewhere like The Soho Theatre doesn’t mean a wallet-busting West End ticket, and there is always plenty of options from cabaret and stand-up to cutting-edge new writing. It’s date-friendly because it can feel pretty intimate with the main space only seating 150 people and chatting about the play afterwards can give added insight to your date’s personality. Head out afterwards to one of the hundreds of bars or restaurants on the doorstep.
Hotdogs and champagne at BubbleDogs 
Don’t expect fois gras or caviar with your bubbles here, but proper ‘gourmet’ US-style hotdogs. We love this venue for the novelty factor and hip interior. We recommend the K-Dawg, a Korean riff with kimchi and gochujang sauce – or the good, old-fashioned BLT. The prices are reasonable too, with a glass of cava starting from £6. Be warned: it can get busy in the evenings with queues snaking out the door, so maybe head there for lunch.
Explore Camden Market
Again we know you may not have been here since you hit your Goth phase, aged 15, but Camden Market is well worth a visit. Home to an array of vintage fashion, alternative bric-a-brac and second-hand books, we assure you the conversation will just keep flowing and you can meander until your heart’s content. Grab a drink at the local pub, catch a gig at the nearby Electric ballroom, or get a bite to eat at one of the many food stalls. For summer dates, we recommend trying an ice-cream from Chin Chin labs, Europe’s first ice-cream parlour.
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