Good place for a date in Farringdon?

Not sure about if you enjoy the date, but If you don’t like him then take him shopping along Hatton Garden and start cooing at the engagement rings, then look at him expectantly.

Posted about 1 year ago by sahra-t

$ Grills and Martinis

It’s more Clerkenwell than Farringdon, being at the top of Farringdon Rd (where the Penny Black pub used to be, opposite the sorting office) but it is nice and intime and they do blinding cocktails. If you like that sort of thing.

_{who doesn’t?}

Posted about 1 year ago by plum

The Bleeding Heart is a good bet – although upstairs can get quite suit-laden, it’s quite swanky without being overly expensive or anything.

Posted about 1 year ago by johnpaulghetto

Moro on Exmouth market is lovely, theres some suitably candle lit restaurants next to it too (dunno names). Cafe Kick across the way is good for a drink in a cosy, but beery way.

Posted about 1 year ago by spaniel

What about Flâneur on Farringdon Rd? Mediterranean sort of deli/cafe/restaurant place. Never been there myself but a foodie type I know raves about it

Posted about 1 year ago by agox

First date? Bleeding heart? Shirley, that’s risking it a bit innit?

I’d take them up to Dovetail. A little belgian beer place just off Clerkenwell Road. Small enough to be intimate and interesting enough to fuel some conversation in the event that things get awkward. Also, if things get really awkward some of the beers are so strong you can get absolutely rat-arsed to steel yourself to tell them to fuck off.

Posted about 1 year ago by Juvey

Maybe, Juvey, maybe. Instead, how about trying Medcalf on Exmouth Market, which is more hip and less expensive than Moro. It also used to be a butchers, so you could spark up a delightful conversation about where you reckon they used to chop all the cow bits up.

Or perhaps you just want to steer clear of the whole dead flesh/bleeding organs line of thought I’m suggesting. Hey, it’s your first date.

Posted about 1 year ago by johnpaulghetto

The Jerusalem Tavern, once the suits have cleared off
The Dovetail, one of my fave places ever (they do brilliant sausages)
Vivat Bacchus, it has a cheese room you know.

Posted about 1 year ago by iSleepDiagonal

Now Medcalf is a good idea for a restaurant. Or the Eagle. Assuming you can get past all those nob-jockeys from the Guardian. Or any of the pubs around Clerkenwell Green are pretty nice.

Posted about 1 year ago by Juvey

thanks for all the suggestions guys (and the conversation tips JPG). i had thought maybe the eagle/dollar/dovetail so will probs pick one of those. clerkenwell green pubs are good juvey but all are regular work-drinks places.

fingers crossed i don’t put up a posting tomorrow titled ‘good places to go to meet new men’

Posted about 1 year ago by tickledpink

St John’s is good if your man likes cooked flesh with braised flesh followed by crispy flesh etc etc

Otherwise:

http://www.london-eating.co.uk/tube_search.asp?tube=24

Posted about 1 year ago by Vazaha

I’ve got my fingers crossed you don’t post tomorrow saying “how do you best say sorry to a man after drinking eight Trappiste Rochefort 10 and vomiting in his shoes”.

Actually, scratch that. I have my fingers crossed that you do post that.

Enjoy your evening.

Posted about 1 year ago by Juvey

Take him to Venus! He’ll love it! You might love it too! If you do love it. Can you take me there?

Posted about 1 year ago by Gulliver

gulliver, if i ever go to venus, i will definitely take you

i will do my best juvey and you will get first dibs at responding if i do

Posted about 1 year ago by tickledpink

Two options - the affordable one: Three Compasses on Cowcross Street (great thai food) the trendy/expensive one: Dans le Noir on Clerkenwell Green (everything in the dark, food served to you by blind waiters)

Posted about 1 year ago by Team_Zissou

Right. Has this happened yet? How’d it go? Any vomiting?

Posted about 1 year ago by Juvey

it ain’t the most swanky of places, but I went to the Eagle last summer on a blind date that my sister set me up on in a rather sneaky way.

http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1m3187i/the-eagle

Anyway, there was obviously something in the water there because later on things got, um, ‘lively’ and it turned into a rather splendid relationship.

Posted about 1 year ago by Holydrum

Moro and Medcalf are alright and reliable.

But for something a bit off the beaten track of local schmocals, try the Peasant on St John Street, north of Clerkenwell Road. I went there on a date and it was fantastic. The menu is interesting, the ambience is great—depends upon the night of course, if you want the place to yourself go late on a Monday night, if you want a crowded scene, well pretty much any other night during the summer.

If that doesn’t appeal the Well just down the block on the corner of Compton Street is a good bet, traditional gastro upstairs, aquarium-style nightclub downstairs (disclaimer: I used to live next door). If it going to be a straight pissup sort of date, go for Cicada if it’s a pseud crowd you’re looking for, or round the corner to the Slaughtered Lamb for a messy pub atmosphere. You can’t go wrong in this neighbourhood.

Oh, and if you want to roll out the red carpet, Portal or The Clerkenwell on lower St John Street are certainly adequate.

Flaneur is a nice place, I like to go there for a coffee on a Saturday morning (well, late morning post 12pm) and maybe read the paper for a minute, but I’m not sure it’s a first date sort of place, unless your date goes for that sort of thing. Great if you want to combine food/wine shopping with dinner, who knows, might work for the right sort of date.

Has anyone tried out the Priory (across the square from the Zetter)? Looks rather synthetic, but tempting for a cocktail.

Posted about 1 year ago by MarkN

It’s a bit late now, but I’d reccomend a tiny place called Carnevale (http://www.carnevalerestaurant.co.uk/) on Whitecross St which runs just south of Old Street (so it’s not exactly Farringdon, but close enough).

It’s a vegetarian restaurant but lovely even if you’re a meat eater. It’s an unassuming little place and easy to miss – I think it’s a sandwich bar by day, but go through to the back and it’s a pretty little restaurant with a covered garden terrace, fairy lights etc. The food is divine, and they have the best house red I have ever tasted. So good I was moved to email the suppliers and find a shop in London I could buy a bottle from.

vegetarian wine old street

Posted about 1 year ago by ecuse

it happened, no vomitting – sorry juvy, i know you will be disappointed – we had a good time but now he seems to have gone off me (perhaps i should have vomitted?? is that where i went wrong?)

i clearly had a premonition when i wrote this:

fingers crossed i don’t put up a posting tomorrow titled ‘good places to go to meet new men’

feel free to send sympathy kudos

Posted about 1 year ago by tickledpink