There are a lot of things you can discover together as a new couple, and that includes food. Here are some great dinner ideas you can try.
When you start dating, you can’t wait to try everything with your new partner. You want to go everywhere, do everything, and, a lot of the time, eat everything! As many as our choices are in the places we live, it can be a bit difficult to find something new to do on your dinner dates.
You go to the same places, see the same people, and end up eating the same things. It can get pretty old, but there are still a lot of things you can do to *literally* spice things up.
How to choose the dinner date that works for you
Of course, you and your partner can’t just leave whatever it is you’re doing to go on a food crawl. You have to be sensitive to each other’s schedules, as well as your eating habits.
It’s also good to note what your partner can and can’t eat. They may be allergic to certain foods and they might not like some types of food. Some people don’t like sweets, while some people hate eating fish. Some love Japanese food, while others go crazy for Greek.
And it’s not just their palate preferences you should consider; your partner might enjoy cooking their own food or prefer the excitement of looking for new food. All you have to do is find out what the other likes and go from there. If you still can’t decide where to eat, you can make it a bit more fun by thinking outside the box.
Dinner date ideas for new couples
Show your adventurous food-loving side to your new partner by suggesting these dates:
1. Make your own dinner
There’s something to be said about reaping the rewards of your efforts, and cooking your own food does just that. Take a cooking class with your partner, or find something new to cook online. Not only did you learn something new *about food and each other*, you get to eat, too! [Read: 10 ideas to make cooking with your partner more fun]
2. Go food truck or stall-hopping
Some of the best food can be found at your neighborhood food stalls and food trucks. It could be hotdogs, burritos, bagels, or whatever else you can find around the corner. The best ones are found in exotic locales, but you can make do with the ones found in your hometown.
3. Indulge in some grocery cuisine
Go to your nearest grocery, and see who’s serving delectable new samples. We’re not urging you to get cheap with your date; you can actually find food servers and stalls in your local grocery stores that serve amazing food.
4. Find a restaurant celebrating its anniversary
The best thing about restaurant anniversaries is that you get huge discounts, and they also prepare never-before-tasted dishes. Some restaurants even shell out for free entertainment, so you really get your money’s worth.
5. Get some bar eats
No one ever tells people this, but some of the best cooks and chefs are hidden away in the rarely-used kitchens of bars. Order a huge plate of the house special, and have a drink while you’re at it.
6. Stick to the classics
Subway, Chipotle, Wendy’s–the possibilities are endless. After splurging on so many fusion dishes at high-end restaurants, a return to the good, old fast-food chains can be refreshing for a new couple. Who knows? It might even open up a conversation about your memories in those food chains when you were kids.
7. Look for water
Eating near a body of water can be a wonderful experience. Why do you think restaurants by the waterside, or penthouse dining rooms with stellar views of the ocean have such high real estate value? Because it’s pretty, and dinner’s always worth it with a view like that.
It doesn’t have to be an expensive experience, either. You and your partner can just drive up to the coast, and find the nearest crab shack. Fresh seafood is always yummy, no matter who cooks it. [Read: 10 fun and romantic summer date ideas]
8. Read a book
Getting food references from TV shows and movies can be disheartening, especially when you arrive at the location and see hundreds of fans trying to see what the fuss is all about. If you read a book–any good book–about your town, you can find a place that’s not as popular, but just as good as the ones on TV. If it’s from your partner’s favorite book, you’ll get even more brownie points.
9. Go restaurant scavenger hunting
Compile a list of random restaurants that you think might be worth going to. Make sure neither of you have ever been there and that the reviews say they’ve got good food. Make a day out of it, fill yourselves with appetizers, and save the best restaurant for last.
10. Eat with other people
There are a lot of restaurants that promote mingling with diners by placing tables side-by-side. You and your partner can make new friends.
Your fellow diners might even become food buddies that will go with you to search for new co-mingling food spots in town. [Read: Why you should try going on a double date]
11. Dance before eating
Work up an appetite at the local salsa bar. If that’s not your genre, we’re sure you can find a place that caters to any type of music you and your partner like. The best part is that these places have amazing food that goes well with the theme of the party.
12. Catch your own food
Go to a fishing farm, hunt some deer *legally, with a permit!*, or chase some chickens *in a farm that allows you to*.
Some people love the idea of catching their own food in the great outdoors, because of the sense of accomplishment and the quality of the freshly-caught food. It might end up being a bonding experience for you and your partner, as well.
13. Take a long drive
If you can’t find any new places near you, you can set aside a day where you go out of town to visit the next county’s culinary options.
No two restaurants are alike *unless they’re a franchise*, so you will definitely find something new to sate your cravings with your partner. ROAD TRIP.
14. Pop on over to a pop-up
Some food businesses don’t have stalls or addresses where you can go to get food. They usually advertise for delivery, but sometimes they will have pop-up food events around the city. Just Google “pop-up food,” and you’ll get the nearest results.
15. Learn how to eat something new
Learn how to drink wine with cheese and meat. Find out how to open or slice fruits at a farmer’s market. Know which coffee to pair with certain pastries. The possibilities are endless. Just ask the people who work at these establishments, so they can teach you and your partner how to enjoy your food the right way.
If we could put all the wonderful suggestions we have here, we would. But this list is still a great way for you and your partner to enjoy dinner and each other’s company while you’re in the early stages of dating.
[Read: 13 most romantic dinner date ideas to try]
With that being said, you don’t have to stop doing this as your relationship progresses. Eating together can always be something new and exciting, as long as you put in the effort to make it an adventure.
