Best Places To Go On A Date In Leamington

For a town that is called Royal Leamington Spa, much of the class and grandeur that this name evokes is really not apparent for those of us who are lucky enough to live here.

With the slim pickings of acceptable restaurants and bars we have to choose from, living in Leamington is definitely not conducive to romance. How are we supposed to impress our dates with our sophistication and charm when we have to settle for Wetherspoons as our romantic backdrop? Here are The Tab’s picks for venues that will make your date swoon:

Leif

A little gem nestled in North Leam, Leif is half tea-room, half cocktail bar. Come for a cute afternoon tea session, maybe some tapas (eating with your hands – supposedly very sensual). However, the highlight here is their cocktails, especially their namesake, the Leif. Massive glass, packed with alcohol but also tastes delicious, just in case you need something to calm your nerves. There’s also a piano, sometimes with a professional pianist but there is also the opportunity for you to impress your date and get her imagining you tickling her ivories…

Wilde’s

Famous for being named as one of the top 50 wine bars in the UK, this is definitely the place to go if you want to pretend to be a suave wine connoisseur and impress your date with your sophisticated palette. With the rustic, candlelit interior, the place definitely has a romantic feel to it, and sharing a bottle of wine between two can always lead to inhibitions, and maybe later even clothes, being stripped away.

La Coppola

If you feel like a romantic dinner is more your scene than just drinks, then La Coppola is a winner, although maybe a little extravagant for a student budget. If they’re worth the overdraft, then why not go all out at this Italian ‘ristorante’ – pizzas, pastas and steaks are all served here, with an authenticity that you just don’t get at Pizza Express. For a date that’s a little more serious than a booty call, this is the place to go.

Zizzi’s

Good food, nice interior, and, the real deal-breaker, a 25% discount for students (Sunday – Thursday). Your date will love your thriftiness (especially if you’re going Dutch). Who cares if it’s part of a chain? Your date will appreciate that you’re not trying too hard to be edgy, and that you’re comfortable in the mainstream (unless they’re a humanities student, then you might want to reconsider the options above). You might be put off by the families dining nearby, with the obligatory screaming baby in a highchair, unless you’re too absorbed in your date’s eyes to notice.

Vialli’s

Simple. Refined. Gourmet cuisine. What is not to love about this Leamington institution? Just because we all happen to visit it when we’re smashed and craving greasy fried food doesn’t mean that it’s taboo to go there sober (what do you think the seats are for?). Even better, if you really want to show him/her that you care, personally deliver it to them when they’re hungover in bed. The thoughtful gestures count. Plus if you still like them after seeing them destroy a filthy kebab, you know it’s love.

And there you have it. Now you have the perfect venue lined up, put down that Fleshlight and ask out that Warwick 8 you’ve had your eye on!