Being single can pose all kinds of challenges. So when you meet that special someone, you want to do everything you can to impress.
When you’re thinking of ideas for where to take your potential (or actual) partner, the good old dinner and a movie is fine. But we’re here to take fine to fantastic with ten of the best Birmingham date ideas. And we think at least one is going to catch you off guard!
The Lost & Found
Some of the best Birmingham date ideas start with cocktails, so we’ll start our list with an excellent place to get them.
There are six Victorian hideaway spots under The Lost & Found umbrella, including “Botany” on Bennetts Hill in Birmingham. The speakeasy hidden behind a bookcase offers a retro and fun ambience.
You can order food, but we want to focus on the “Ingenious,” “Found,” and “Sharing Cocktails,” as they’re not your run-of-the-mill pub drinks. For example, take The Tangled Teapot for Two. It’s an enticing combination of gin and elderflower and peach teas, brought to the extreme by dry ice.
An unusual “Found” cocktail is Jerry’s Biscoff Shake. The distinctive and decadent treat is made with cream, Sailor Jerry rum, and Biscoff Lotus biscuit.
It’s an ideal place for a first, 10th, or 1,500th date!
Canalside Walks and Chocolate
You’re probably aware that a proper Birmingham canal walk is about 30 miles, which is a bit much for a first or any date. Instead, we think an ideal afternoon outing is tackling just a piece of the canal walk – the one that leads to chocolate.
The Cadbury Factory is en route, so why not start early and take a leisurely stroll? Then, you can replenish those calories lost with Cadbury’s Afternoon Tea. Chocolate brownies and rocky road supplement the savoury sandwiches, and you can add Prosecco to the package.
A combination of admission and afternoon tea is only £25.50 per person. Just be sure to make reservations. All the planning would go to waste if you didn’t have a table waiting for you.
Are you not sold on Cadbury? Stick with the walk anyway. There are plenty of other canal-side spots that you’ll both enjoy.
Cook Together. Stay Together?
Partners that cook together stay together. OK, yes, we made that up. However, there are plenty of other reasons why a cooking class is an ideal Birmingham date idea.
The Harborne Food School on 106 High Street might not be top of mind for the best Birmingham date ideas, but it should be, as it’s ideal. You have a planned activity based around food with time to work together and socialize with others in an upbeat but relaxed atmosphere.
Classes cover a variety of cuisines so you can pick your favourite. But we think the Italian cooking class would be a lot of fun.
You and your partner will make pasta and sauces and bake bread to go along. Then, you get to enjoy it with your classmates who might be your new mates.
Outdoor Film Festival
Come on, what could be more romantic than a picnic and a film under the stars? You can roll out a blanket, order some drinks so you can have a toast, and you’ll think the two of you are the only ones there.
Outdoor Cinema has screenings throughout the Birmingham area. You can attend film festivals or single film events. The experience is different from a drive-in, so be prepared with blankets or chairs. But, if you really want to impress, you can buy seats-provided VIP tickets. Who doesn’t love being a VIP on a date, right?
Dining at 1565
If it’s new to you, 1565 is an outdoor terrace and luxury bar at the Park Regis in City Centre.
With its beautiful and upscale seating area, it’s an ideal Birmingham date spot for afternoon or evening get-togethers. 1565 serves afternoon tea until 16:00, and then it’s Happy Hour time. And, despite the luxurious atmosphere, Happy Hour is quite affordable.
Wine, beer, and cider are less than £5. Cocktails like a Whisky Collins or Raspberry Lemon Drop will only set you back £7 each.
So, you can stick to drinks if you’re on a budget, and it’ll still feel like you’ve rolled out the red carpet for your significant other.
Escape From Shrewsbury Prison
It’s quirky, pricey, and not your typical date idea in Birmingham. But we couldn’t pass on the chance to suggest a prison escape.
Shrewsbury Prison hosts the world’s biggest escape game for about £65 each. And, unless your partner is ultra-conservative and unwilling to try something new, you will have the most memorable date.
You get two and a half hours to prove your innocence while donning a super fashionable (haha) orange jumpsuit. It’s certainly an adrenaline rush, as you’ll work together and with other inmates to break out of your cell and the prison wing while the clock ticks.
So, maybe it’s not romantic. But it’s a laugh!
Dinner Cruise
If spending two and a half hours breaking out of prison isn’t your idea of a fun date, how about spending the same amount of time enjoying a delicious meal on a dinner cruise?
The Away 2 Dine experience is £55 per person for a four-course menu, cruise included. Mains include your choice of chicken, lamb, coley, or halloumi.
But the food is almost secondary to the beautiful view through the panoramic windows.
There’s a full bar and plenty of time to relax and get to know each other better. Besides, a dinner cruise is quite a few steps above a “been there, done that” dinner in the pub.
A Few More Birmingham Date Ideas
Cocktails and a Sharing Menu at The Alchemist
Both the food and drinks at The Alchemist at Brindleyplace are anything but boring. So, if you want to plan a more traditional date night at a restaurant, why not make it a little bit unique anyway? The sharing menu includes goodies like Electric Pink Trout and plant-based Salt & Pepper Bites. But the main event is chemistry-inspired cocktails like the Cherry Poppins topped with a Cherry Fog Bubble.
Bring the Dogs
Are you both dog lovers? Why not make it a double date, then? Birmingham has plenty of cafes and pubs that are dog-friendly. Caféphilia is an excellent choice. Coffee, smoothies, sandwiches and your best furry friends make for a laid-back, comfortable afternoon date.
All About the Beer
Instead of a pint at the local pub, why not shake things up with a brewery tour or a “make your own” experience? Two Towers Brewery on Shadwell Street offers both. Or, just head next door where the tap is flowing – you can’t go wrong with any of the three options.
Your Favorite Birmingham Date Idea?
We recognise that when there’s chemistry, it doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing. But a unique date can turn into a lasting memory.
So, select one of our best Birmingham date ideas as your jumping-off point and then add your personal touch. Even if the two of you don’t become lifelong partners, you’ll still have fun!