Where to go on a Date Night in Leeds

A bustling northern metropolis, Leeds is brimming with independent restaurants, bars and entertainment venues, making it the perfect place to go dating. Whether you’d like to listen to live music, solve puzzles in an escape room or simply enjoy some delicious food and drink, you’ll find many exciting and unusual activities to do together. Here are a few ideas for your next date night.

Play a game of darts at Flight Club
If you’re looking for a date that’s fun and active, an afternoon at Flight Club may be just the thing. This innovative darts venue has turned the popular pub game into a thrilling social experience. Flight Club can be found on Park Row in a gorgeous Grade II listed building that has been kitted out with trailing plants, sparkling lights and quirky circus decor. It doesn’t matter if you’re a complete novice here, as you can choose from different throw lines depending on your level of skill. You can also eat and drink while you play with pizzas, sharing platters and the club’s famously inventive cocktails. After your session comes to an end, you’ll receive your ‘Flight Club Story’ via email. This includes highlights from your game as well as videos, photos and final leaderboard scores, all of which make a great record of your date. A game at Flight Club costs £10 per person for 60 minutes. Bookings are subject to a minimum group size at certain times but you can enjoy a game for two on weekdays and Sundays before 4pm.

Have some competitive fun at Electric Shuffle
Created by the visionaries behind Flight Club, Electric Shuffle brings shuffleboard into the 21st century, transforming it into a fast-paced game that’s played in atmospheric surroundings. Located on The Headrow, Electric Shuffle Leeds offers 60-minute shuffleboard sessions from £10 per person. There are three different games to choose from here, all of which are easy to play but lots of fun. The highly polished shuffle tables use intelligent vision technology for automated scoring and the interactive game screen puts you in control. If all the excitement leaves you feeling a bit peckish, you can eat while you play with finger foods like mac and cheese croquettes, aubergine katsu bites or jerk-spiced chicken to share. Behind Electric Shuffle’s bar, you’ll find their signature shots and a range of alcoholic and virgin cocktails, along with beers and wines. You can even splash out with a fantastic trophy sharing cocktail, which is presented in an impressive gold cup.

Learn a new craft at Water Lane Boathouse
This spring, Water Lane Boathouse will be hosting a series of craft workshops led by the wonderful creative team at Cut & Curve. On Wednesday the 8th March, you can learn how to make your own ‘mug rug’ for £20. You’ll use a simple technique to create a design using vegan wool on cloth and can finish off your fluffy coaster with colourful embellishments such as pom poms. Alternatively, on the 22nd March you can try your hand at floristry and make a bright spring wreath for £45. Both workshops include a free alcoholic or soft drink and are a great way to spend quality time together while also discovering a new hobby.

Go for a romantic meal out
Nothing beats a dinner date and you’ll be spoilt for choice when looking for romantic places to eat in Leeds. Located in a beautiful old building on Merrion Street, award winning Italian Stuzzi serves a variety of tempting stuzzichini, or small plates, inspired by modern and traditional Italian cuisine and street food. On the menu here, you’ll find options like smoked ricotta with kohlrabi, pickled cucumber, mustard seeds and dill, or whole chargrilled Cornish sardines finished with salsa verde. As Stuzzi’s small dishes are all intended to be shared between the table, you can look forward to trying a taste of everything you both order. Another excellent place to eat – especially if you’re on a health kick – is Eat Your Greens. This European-style organic restaurant sells groceries by day and turns into a live music venue by night. When eating here you can graze on seasonal sharing plates with plenty of veggie, meat and seafood options, including mussels, hasselback beets and burnt leek, which can be accompanied by natural, low-intervention wines or cider. The restaurant has a light and airy modern interior and its wholesome food is both nourishing and tasty.

Catch a show at Leeds Playhouse
Whether your other half is a Shakespeare enthusiast, a comedy lover or a fan of musicals, why not surprise them with a trip to the theatre? Leeds Playhouse opened its doors in the 1970s and has been supporting and showcasing the best emerging talents in the world of theatre ever since. In 2022, this modern playhouse was even named ‘The UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre’ at the UK Theatre Awards. Upcoming performances in March include nostalgic 90s one-man show Better Days or Amy Leach’s must-see staging of William Golding’s dark novel Lord Of The Flies.

Try wine tasting at Lazy Lounge
Situated in West Point on Wellington Street, Lazy Lounge is an independent wine bar with an eclectic interior. This quirky watering hole boasts a well-stocked bar and specialises in whiskies, fine wines and gins. If you don’t yet know your claret from your Beaujolais, you can find out at one of Lazy Lounge’s weekly wine tastings. These friendly and informal sessions are held on Tuesday evenings or Sunday afternoons and cost £30 per person. You’ll be given a beginner’s introduction to the world of wine and will get to sample seven wonderful wines along with three delicious food pairings. After 2.5 hours of tipsy fun, you’ll hopefully leave with a better idea of your own tastes and enough wine knowledge to impress your friends.

Share a laugh at the HiFi Club
If you’re after a date that’s filled with laughter, HiFi might be the place to head. This down to earth club and comedy venue was founded in 2000 and has been named ‘Leeds Best Nightclub’ three times. HiFi is known for its brilliant Saturday comedy sessions, which have previously featured such talents as Alan Carr, Katherine Ryan, John Bishop, Jason Manford, Sarah Millican and Russell Howard. Held on a Saturday evening from 6:30-10:30pm, each show includes four rising stars from the world of comedy – three of whom are announced along with a surprise to be revealed on the night. Tickets cost £15 and in March you can look forward to stand up performances from Ant Dewson, Gavin Webster, Marlon Davies, Steve Hall, Sian Davies, Barry Dodds, Jenny Collier, Howard Walker, Andre Vincent and more.

Enjoy a jazzy evening at The Domino Club
At this speakeasy-style jazz club in Leeds’ Grand Arcade, you and your date can hear live performances from some of the finest jazz artists of the moment. The Domino Club revives the mood of the roaring twenties with bookable tables and a bar that’s replete with wines, beers, spirits and expertly crafted cocktails. Upcoming acts here include the country’s best known Creedence tribute, Creedence Clearwater Revival Revival, along with soulful songstress Emily Brown and the legendary Yorkshire jazz musician Pat Fulgoni. Entry costs £4 on Thursdays or £8 on Fridays and Saturdays with free entry each Wednesday and Sunday.

Create your own pottery at Sunken Studio
Ceramics centre Sunken Studio can be found in Leeds’ South Bank. This coworking studio is a haven for artists and sculptors and runs regular workshops that make for an original date idea. At one of the studio’s half day workshops, you can create your own mug or try out various hand building techniques. In March, you can even reenact the famous scene from Ghost while having a go at throwing a pot on a potter’s wheel. In this 2.5 hour taster session, you’ll learn how to manipulate and centre the clay on the wheel and can then choose your best piece to glaze, fire and eventually take home. The workshop costs £70 per person and is suitable for beginners.

Take on a challenge with Tick Tock Unlock
With Tick Tock Unlock’s latest adventure you can look forward to a date that’s like no other. The ‘Library of Broken Books’ is more than just an escape room – it’s an action-packed voyage that spans multiple worlds, genres and themes. In this 60-minute-long challenge, you’ll pass through a series of immersive story rooms with incredible backdrops and scenery. You’ll meet a whole host of mysterious and eccentric characters as you collect the magical keys needed to fix the broken book and earn yourselves a place on Tick Tock Unlock’s leaderboard. If this sounds like your other half’s cup of tea, a game for two people costs £50 and you can book slots from 10am until 8pm at night.

Get there by bus! Download the First Bus App to plan your journey and buy your tickets.

Images:@electricshuffle, @stuzzileeds, @flightclubdarts