With its cobbled waterside streets, eye catching architecture and quirky eateries, Bristol offers quite a few spots to woo. However, with so many fabulous restaurants to choose from, you'll need to know your stuff to find somewhere that'll really sweep someone off their feet.
Not sure where to start? Here's a selection of six to kick things off, starting with budget choices and ending with more opulent options:
A cappella
With just five or so tables, Totterdown’s cosy and highly rated pizzeria is a sure-fire winner for an intimate evening, with friendly staff and a hearty authentic menu with plenty of veggie options.
Two medium pizzas and two desserts will cost you around £25, and if you’re on a tight budget a large pizza to share is definitely enough to fill you up. Plus, it's definitely more romantic, so snuggle in a candlelit corner and dig in. Be sure to book ahead for a Friday or Saturday night though, space is limited.
A cappella, 184c Wells Road, Totterdown
Assilah
Sweet fruit tagines, crisp falafel and sticky baklava await in Assilah, Totterdown’s authentic Moroccan diner. There’s a good veggie selection, as well as traditional grilled meats marinated in Moroccan spices. Be sure to finish off with peppermint tea served in traditional silver Arabic serving set.
Moroccan food-lovers north of the river should check out Clifton’s newly opened Souk Kitchen 2 (the original is in Southville).
Assilah, 194 Wells Rd, Bristol BS4 2AX
Bellita
A trendy little tapas bar from the owners of Bell’s Diner, with a Spanish, Middle Eastern and North African themed menu.
Bellita serves tasty little sharing plates with excellent veggie options and a seasonal menu, with dishes ranging with light roasted chicory salads to more opulent clams in pernot. This place is small and popular, so book ahead or turn up early to secure a place.
Four sharing plates, a desert each and a bottle of wine will cost you around £65. It's a little noisier than the other restaurants on this list, but that just means you'll have to get extra-close to hear each other.
For a cheaper tapas option, check out the nearby Bravas - a boisterous little restaurant that’s well suited to a second or third date.
Bellita, 34 Cotham Hill, Bristol, City of Bristol BS6 6LA
No Man’s Grace
One of Chandos Road’s newest eateries has gained a reputation for excellence over the year or so it’s been open. Winner of the Bristol Good Food Awards’ Best Newcomer and a Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee, it whips up excellent British sharing plates in a bohemian setting, with head chef John Watson (a previous Casamia chef) leading the way.
Those with a sweet tooth can skip the main course and head straight to the desert bar, where it serves sweet brulees and mouth-watering panna cottas, puddings and ices with desert wines to match.
Date gone better than expected? It also serves an excellent breakfast/brunch and one of the best flat whites in town.
No Man's Grace, 6 Chandos Rd, Bristol BS6 6PE
Wilks
Another Bristol favourite currently basking in the glow of its Michelin star, Wilks is nestled away on leafy Redland's Chandos Road. The menu focuses on modern dishes with surprising flavour combinations. Veggies are well looked after here, thanks to an exclusively ‘vegetable tasting menu’.
Prices are more top end, with the ‘Wilks Classic’ four course menu costing £50 a head, with an optional £30 wine flight. Lunch taster menus come in at around £25 a head.
Wilks, 1B Chandos Rd, Bristol, Avon BS6 6PG
Casamia
Hey, big spender! If you want to pull out the big guns to impress your date, look no further than Casamia, one of Bristol’s two Michelin starred restaurants. It’s tucked away in Westbury on Trym (although is preparing itself for a city centre Harbourside move January 2016), and boasts Gordon Ramsey and Jay Rayner amongst its many fans.
Its pared back menu is crafted to reflect the seasons, and dishes are made using the finest British produce available. Expect small, beautiful dishes, unique flavour combinations and amuse-bouches galore!
Casamia, 38 High St, Westbury Village, City of Bristol BS9 3DZ
Where is your favourite date night restaurant in Bristol? Let us know.
Not got much money to spend? Try some of these fab free first date destinations.