”A date can be a life-changing moment, it can change your life forever,” says First Dates presenter and all-round Cupid Fred Sirieix. And while you could re-create the First Dates experience at Paternoster Chophouse (where the TV show is filmed) or Galvin at Windows (where Fred works the room as maitr’d), London is full of restaurants that offer the opportunity to stare into someone else’s eyes for two hours while impressing them with your knowledge of the best places to eat and drink in the capital.
So whether you’re new to the dating game or you’ve had more first dates than Drew Barrymore, here’s our pick of where you could be telling the grandchildren was the place you first met.
Albertine, Shepherds Bush
What: A cosy bar and restaurant serving over 20 wines by the glass, over the road from Westfield
Why: Candlelight, church pews and lots of wine by the glass mean the downstairs bar of this west London restaurant and wine bar is a failsafe bet for old-fashioned romance. There’s cheese and charcuterie to nibble on, while the upstairs dining room serves modern European food in a cute setting. Date going well? The 150-bin wine list is available to take home from Albertine’s wine shop so you can keep the romance going. You’ll have to provide your own candles, though.
Where: 1 Wood Lane, W12 7DP
Barrafina, Soho
What: The best tapas in London washed down by glasses of pink bubbly
Why: Everyone knows that you have to wait for ages at the original Barrafina, but the queue can be a brilliant first-date ice-breaker. There’s a counter by your elbow on which to rest a glass of rosé and a plate of tapas as you get ever closer to your seat at the marble counter, by which time you’ll know if your date is going well. If it is, bonanza! You can look forward to brushing fingers over chorizo and croquetas while your thighs touch under the counter. And if there’s no spark, you can make your excuses and leave before you sit down.
Where: 26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL
Berenjak, Soho
What: Posh kebabs and Persian sharing plates from the guys behind Gymkhana
Why: Berenjak is no bookings which, unless you get there when the doors open, means you can expect a lengthy queue if you show up at a time that people might actually want to eat. Show off your knowledge of cool London while you wait for a table by heading two doors up to Kettners Piano Bar, now owned by Soho House and with the vibe of a members’ bar without having to fork out for membership. Back at Berenjak, warm lighting will make you look your best while the Tehran café vibe will have you planning your first holiday together.
Where: 27 Romilly Street, W1D 5AL
Brasserie Zédel, Piccadilly Circus
What: Gallic classics served for low prices in glitzy surrounds
Why: For razzle-dazzle on a budget, this sibling to the swanky Wolseley and Delaunay is hard to beat. Rendezvous for retro cocktails in the dreamy art-deco interior of Bar Américain before moving next door to the restaurant for the ooh-la-la likes of escargots and entrecôte served in a cavernous former ballroom dripping with marble-clad charm. Worried that your chat isn’t enough entertainment? See what’s on at the Live at Zédel cabaret club.
Where: 20 Sherwood Street, W1F 7ED
Burger and Lobster, Oxford Circus
What: Central branch of the limited-choice chain, now accepting reservations
Why: Relationships are all about learning the art of compromise so whether you live west and your date is based out east, or your fledgling romance is a classic tale of north and south, meet in the middle at Oxford Circus to show that you’re all about being flexible. And who doesn’t like either burger or lobster? (If your date likes neither, we’d put money on the relationship not lasting.) B&L’s food offering has expanded since the burger/lobster/lobster roll trio that comprised the short menu when the chain launched: veggies get a black bean burger and there are seafoody starters of calamari, oysters and panko-crumbed prawns.
Where: 6 Little Portland Street, W1W 7JE
Counter Culture, Clapham
What: Tiny BYOB chef’s counter with a pretty view over Clapham Common
Why: If your budget extends to either eating or drinking but not to both, book a couple of stools at this counter-cum-open kitchen from chef Robin Gill’s Dairy and Sorella stable. Corkage is charged at £10 a bottle, so hit the wine aisle of the Clapham Sainsbury’s beforehand and then enjoy your supper safe in the knowledge that whatever else happens on your date, you won’t have to worry about the size of the drinks bill. Another bonus: two people can eat (and share) every dish on the short menu, so there’s no awkwardness about who orders what.
Where: 15 The Pavement, SW4 0HY
Homeslice, Covent Garden
What: Wood-fired pizzas in a whitewashed dining room with a vintage industrial vibe
Why: We love the Neal’s Yard branch of the wood-fired pizza chain. Neal’s Yard is super romantic in itself and you can pop in for a tipple at Compagnie des Vins if you have to wait for a table at Homeslice. Plus pizza is great first-date food (not like spaghetti or tacos that fall all over the plate and stain your face/clothes). And it’s perfectly unfussy, meaning you can step it up for your next meeting. As Andy Warhol said, “the idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting” – a quote you can impress your date with.
Where: 13 Neal's Yard, WC2H 9DP
Pique-Nique, Bermondsey
What: A real-deal French bistro with outside seating in summer
Why: When your romance has blossomed into anniversaries territory, Casse-Croûte on Bermondsey Street has all of the classic French ingredients for a recipe for love. Start as you mean to go on with the restaurant’s casual offshoot round the corner, Pique-Nique, where the house special black leg-chicken with roasted potatoes is designed for two to share. Pique-Nique is especially lovely in summer, when outside seating soaks up the carefree buzz of Tanner Street Park, but wraparound windows make it a pleasure even in the middle of winter.
Where: 32 Tanner Street, SE1 3LD
Quo Vadis, Soho
What: Ultra-seasonal British food served in one of London’s smallest dining rooms
Why: If you’re after something a little more sophisticated than the usual Soho offering (or you’re too old to faff around with queuing), this legendary dining room is a name to remember. The building’s history (Karl Marx wrote Das Kapital here in the 1850s, Marco Pierre White and Damien Hirst owned it in the 1990s) will give you small-talk material over expertly mixed cocktails, while with only six tables, intimacy is guaranteed. Chef Jeremy Lee’s daily-changing menus, meanwhile, mean that you and your date will have a truly one-off experience. And if you ask nicely, they might let you into the members’ bar upstairs to continue the evening.
Where: 26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL
Wright Brothers, various locations
What: Seafood specialists with branches in loads of useful places
Why: Is any aphrodisiac more famous than the oyster? If you’re concerned your date might need an extra injection of culinary Viagra, this classy seafood chain is one of the best-value places in London to order the stimulating bivalve. Try them au naturel on the shell, or Rockefeller – breadcrumbed and baked with parsley butter. Too clichéd? Dressed crab and fish pie are also good shouts. Our top-pick for lovebirds is the Battersea Power Station branch, where dinner can be followed by a romantic walk along the Thames or a riverboat home.
Where: 26 Circus West Village, SW8 4NS