From Classic to Quirky: Some of the Best Date Spots in Cambridge
Whether it's a first date or 31st date, choosing a place to take a potential, new or established lover can be tricky. Do you go for cocktails, a nice meal, an experience or an activity? It's ultimately all down to what you and your partner enjoy, but with so many possibilities, it can be a little daunting.
That’s why at Compendia we’ve picked out a few of the best independent date spots in Cambridge. So you can focus on the other things, like how you’ll ask them out. Sorry we can’t help you there.
196 Cocktail Bar
For intimate cocktails with a sultry vibe head to 196 on Mill Road. Inside the bar is small and dimly lit, creating a romantic atmosphere that encourages you to get close. However, if you’re going for a more casual date, then the option to sit outside offers a more relaxed alternative in which to take a deep breath.
This bar also has its quirks, with a handwritten cocktail menu adding to the rustic intimate feel. Offering an impressive range of cocktails, from classics such as Espresso Martinis to lesser known tipples such as pineapple caipirinha, the cocktails are renowned by locals for being some of the best in the city.
Tu Casa
If it’s a dinner date you're planning, then tapas can be a great option. Each picking a selection of tapas to share and sample together is a sure-fire way to get the conversation going. For this we recommend heading to Tu Casa, also located on the buzzing Mill Road.
The vibe inside is low-key with a romantic edge, and the menu features an array of traditional Spanish dishes, each expertly crafted using the freshest, highest-quality ingredients.From classic patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo, to contemporary twists on Spanish favourites, their tapas is best paired with a glass of sangria made with their own secret recipe.
Parker’s Tavern
Parker’s Tavern, or ‘P’Ts’ as it’s affectionately known by locals, is a great spot for dinner and drinks with a healthy dash of that Cambridge wow-factor. Located in the recently-renovated University Arms Hotel, the vibe at Parker’s Tavern is self-described as ‘university hall meets velvet-upholstered club’.
The cocktails themselves are even named after the city’s impressive history, including ‘The Secret of Life’, named after the discovery of the ‘double helix’, and ‘Blushing Byron’, named after one of the University’s famous undergraduates, Lord Byron.The menu itself offers homely British classics, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, described as ‘a love letter to the incredible produce found in East Anglia’.
The Cambridge Gin Laboratory
If the thought of sitting across a table whilst eating a meal with your date sounds a little daunting, then why not try an experienced-based date instead? Enter The Cambridge Gin Lab, an interactive experience space in the centre of Cambridge, dedicated to the appreciation of gin.
The Gin Lab offers a variety of classes through the year that will allow you and your date to discover diverse aspects of the Gin experience from how to taste like a professional to how to blend your very own bottle. Guaranteed to be a unique and memorable date.
Small & Green
If you and your date aren’t into drinking, a great alcohol-free date idea is to get hands-on with a creative workshop. Known to increase your sense of wellbeing and happiness, getting back to nature for a plant-based activity can surely only make for a positive date experience.
Local plant shop Small & Green sits as a green oasis amidst the bustling Mill Road, offering their very own Terrarium Workshops. A date here means that not only will you and your partner have a fun and unique experience, you’ll also have a memento to take home and remember it by. What's not to love!