Quirky First Dates in Leeds
This cosmopolitan metropolis is always up to date with the latest trends, making it a great place to enjoy some out of the ordinary date nights with a difference. If it’s your very first meeting, it can help to have some activity or entertainment thrown in. That way you don’t have to focus so intensely on each other or continually search for conversation topics.
Where can I go on a date in Leeds?
There’s so much to see and do, you’ll need to line-up lots of dates to cover it all. Here are our top tips for quirky first dates in Leeds that’ll give you plenty to talk about - during and after the event.Shuffledog
Found at Crispin Lofts, this new BrewDog bar is a hit with hands-on gamers. In addition to pinball machines and vintage arcade games, there are three imported shuffleboard tables. If you’ve ever played this traditionally nautical sport, you’ll understand just how competitive it can get. BrewDog is running their own shuffle Olympics with tournaments and leagues, or you can play one on one for some tasty craft beer alongside the retro game.The Man Behind the Curtain
Just because you’re on a first date, doesn’t mean it has to be pared back or low key. If you want to, you can splash the cash with a lavish and sophisticated Michelin starred meal. The Man Behind the Curtain is Chef Michael O’Hare’. His three AA Rosette restaurant on Vicar Lane has earned a reputation for creating outstanding and artistic dishes.Heavily influenced by the contemporary art world, flavour and aesthetic is everything. The menu features things like ‘hand massaged octopus’ and ‘black cod emancipation’, a far cry from the typical fare of even an upmarket eatery. It’s the fanciest place to dine in the city, so will strike a definite impression with your date.
Dine at The Man Behind the Curtain
Outlaws Yacht Club
Rock up at Outlaws and there’ll always be something to keep you occupied. There are weekly quizzes, cheese and wine tastings, live music, Q&As, record fairs, exhibitions and more. Plus you’ll find a selection of classic board games. It’s a great place to bed in for the afternoon in relaxed surroundings - a good choice if you’re going straight from work and might have to hang out by yourself before its time to meet. Food and drink are available, so you can stay for as long or as little time as the success of your date allows.
Outlaws Yacht Club menus and more
Online speed dating in Leeds
An unusual way to meet people that gives you not just one, but multiple dates in one evening. And as it’s carried out virtually, if you’re working away from home or are travelling, you can still enjoy quirky first dates in Leeds, without being there at the time. Our match rate is very high, so you’re sure to find someone to take to one of the great venues on this list.Book your place at online speed dating in Leeds
Tailors
One for the night time - don’t turn up by day or you’ll find this is exactly what it says it is: an actual bespoke British tailoring service. But by night, the sewing hub transforms into a 1920s prohibition-style speakeasy bar. These are all the rage, but Tailors takes the theme a little further. Here you can dress up in clothes from the vintage costume rack.The art deco venue specialises in gin, with decadent cocktails, upcycled sewing tables and some wild electro-swing music on the gramophone. As we’re now back in the (20)20s, live it up like Gatsby for lively and flamboyant quirky first dates in Leeds.
Tailors' opening times, services and location can be found here
Planet Ice
Not quite a planet, but certainly a rink, here you can strap on some skates and make like Torvill and Dean. Things could get physical fast, as you cling to one another in an attempt to stay upright. Or if you’re already proficient you can show off your glide. There are disco nights to spice things up, but if you’d rather just spectate, you can watch the Leeds Chiefs ice hockey team in action instead of doing your impression of Bambi in winter.Planet Ice's opening times and prices
The Hifi Club
A great spot for the footloose and fancy-free, this is popular with students and those in their 20s. A top-rated nightclub and music venue, you can also catch intriguing talks from experts midweek, immersive party nights, stand-up on Saturday and sketch shows. And if you want to dance, you can stay long into the night with house, soul and funk blasting from the speakers.Free ping pong
Ping pong is an easy-going sport for those who prefer their activity a little more laid back. Thanks to Ping England’s initiative, you can find tables at the Kirkgate Market and in parks and green spaces across the city. Plus it won’t cost you a penny. Take your own wine or beer and make a night of it under the stars. Or if the weather’s unkind, you can head indoors to bars including Leeds Town Hall, The Pit and Roxy Ballroom Ping Pong Bar.
Where to find free ping pong in Leeds
The Holbeck
If you’re seeking an unusual and affordable night out, this underground ballroom is a unique place to go. The oldest social club in Britain hosts a range of fringe shows, events and is an artists’ development space. But its real USP is that they’re all offered on a pay what you want basis. A real community hub, it’s owned by its members, and managed by bar providers Slung Low. See some innovative performance art, poetry, spoken word, left-field theatre and emerging bands for an evening of off-piste entertainment. It's perfect for some quirky first dates in Leeds.Are you single and looking for romance in West Yorkshire? If so, give speed dating in Leeds a try. If you live elsewhere in the north of England, you might find that speed dating in Hull or speed dating events in Manchester would be more convenient.