Key Takeaways
- Tawkify’s new ranking suggests modern singles think first-date locations can significantly influence chemistry, second-date chances, and overall dating success.
- According to Tawkify’s data, Denver is the best city for first-date spots because it offers more variety, higher-rated venues, and perhaps a stronger sense of “whimsy”.
- Top first-date cities vary by vibe, with standout bar, restaurant, and coffee scenes concentrated in New York, Denver, Portland, Memphis, and Seattle.
- Coffee shops remain the top first-date choice because singles favor low-pressure, affordable, flexible meetups that quickly test compatibility.
- Gen Z daters favor activity-based first dates over traditional dinners, using experiences like mini golf or cooking classes as more revealing compatibility tests.
- “Red flags” like loud noise, high prices, and overcrowding reinforce that the best venues prioritize comfort and low-pressure connection.
It’s official: Some cities really do have better first date spots than others, according to new data from Tawkify. The matchmaking platform used data from Yelp, Google, and 1,000 single adults to rank major U.S. cities by their date locations. The data answers the age-old question, what do modern singles look for from the average date spot?
Tawkify’s Chief Matchmaker, Brie Temple, gave DatingNews exclusive insight to help us answer this question. “Dating today is quite a bit more intentional,” she told us, and this heightened intentionality begins on the very first date.
Don’t just take my word for it: more than 1 in 5 singles told Tawkify that they blame a bad first date on the location. On the flip side, 15% said they’d agreed to a second date with someone they weren’t interested in because they liked the setting so much.
As the backdrop to your first connections with someone, your first date location sets an important tone.
More than 1 in 5 singles told Tawkify they blame a bad first date on the location.
Contrary to what 10% of respondents said, a first date’s setting isn’t everything. But the tone, atmosphere, and overall vibe of a location is still important to 84% of respondents. Tawkify’s data doesn’t only reveal where modern daters want to go on dates, but how they want the date itself to feel, to both themselves and their partner.
By the way, this doesn’t mean there are no charming and high-quality first date spots in lower-ranked cities. There are diamonds and dives in every city across the U.S. But as a modern dater, you naturally want to know which cities — and which locations in those cities — best set you and your date up for success.
So, Which Cities Have The Best First Date Spots?
Among 95 U.S. cities, Tawkify found that the city with the best date locations is (drumroll please) — Denver, CO! I’ll explain how Denver nabbed the top spot in a moment, but first, I have to address the Midwestern elephant in the room: Wichita, Kansas, which was ranked dead last on Tawkify’s list.
Tawkify’s data found that Denver, Garland, Orlando, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, and Seattle offer more stand-out first date options, from wine bars to restaurants to breweries, than lower-ranked cities like Wichita, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Port St. Lucie, Toledo, and Fresno.
These cities may offer more variety for a more diverse population of singles.
Planning a coffee date in Toledo may not be as easy as you’d expect, considering only 24% of coffee shops on Yelp had four or more stars. Meanwhile, Port St. Lucie in Florida ranked last place for bars (31%) and restaurants (50%). That brings us back to Wichita, which has relatively low rankings in breweries (50%) and wine bars (29%).
But what, exactly, makes cities like Denver, Garland, and Cincinnati more successful first date spots than other cities? It’s possible that these cities offer more variety for a more diverse population of singles.
After all, we recently learned that daters are searching for the word “whimsy” more often than ever, meaning they’re looking for ways to add a little spice, uniqueness, or magic to their dating lives. As a major city in a scenic location, Denver has spice, uniqueness, magic, and, yes, whimsy, to spare.
Which Cities Have The Best First Date Bars and Restaurants?
It’s probably not surprising that the best cities for a bar-based first date are, according to Tawkify, New York and Nevada. Ninety-two percent of bars in NYC have four or more stars on Yelp, compared to 89% in Enterprise, NV and 88% in Las Vegas.
The dining scene may not be as affordable in Denver, Portland, and Los Angeles, but 94% of restaurants in these cities have more than 4 stars on Yelp. This gives daters tons of high-quality restaurants to choose from, all with different vibes to match your preferences.
The dining scene may not be as affordable in Denver, Portland, and Los Angeles, but 94% of restaurants in these cities have more than 4 stars on Yelp.
Southwestern daters really love their reds and whites; 92% and 90% of wine bars in Glendale and Scottsdale, Arizona, respectively, have four or more stars on Yelp. Luckily, there are plenty of options on the east coast as well, as the wine bars in Greensboro, North Carolina, are a close second (also 90%).
Judging by Tawkify’s findings, you’ll have to head down South to find the best options for a brewery-based date. Ninety-three percent of breweries in Memphis have more than four stars on Yelp, with Charlotte (89%) and Austin (87%) following close behind.
Then there’s everyone’s favorite, the coffee date. New York City, Portland, and Seattle have the highest-reviewed coffee shops on Yelp, at 94%, 92%, and 91%, respectively.
Why Are Coffee Shops Such Popular First Date Spots?
Tawkify found that the No. 1 most popular first date spot is one we’ve probably all experienced for ourselves: the classic coffee shop. This is no surprise, considering you can find a decent coffee shop on every street corner in practically every city.
It helps that the environment itself is welcoming but not strictly romantic, allowing for more low-pressure connections. And if you’re something of a serial dater, a coffee shop is a great place to test chemistry without consistently breaking the bank.
Temple attributed the popularity of coffee dates to what she calls a “see what sticks” dating trend, where daters prioritize short but rewarding dates vs. long and meaningless dates. “Dating today is less about discovery over time and more about immediate alignment,” she told us.
By this logic, date spots that promote sociability without being intrusive are always going to be more conducive for first dates. Doesn’t this describe a coffee shop to a T? It helps that coffee dates are usually flexible in nature. “High priority venues like cafes make exits as easy as extensions, reducing pressure,” Temple explained.
Are Activity Dates More Popular Than Coffee Dates?
Not everyone is entranced by the cost-saving beauty of a coffee shop date, however. One in 4 Gen Z singles told Tawkify that they prefer activity-based first dates over traditional dinner dates.
Mini golf and bowling may not seem very exciting, but they can be excellent conversation starters. Temple said it’s easier (and more interesting) to “evaluate someone’s personality” at, say, a cooking class than at a sit-down dinner.
“A first date is now a quick compatibility check.” — Brie Temple
After all, the “ideal” first date looks a lot different nowadays than it used to. “A first date is now a quick compatibility check,” Temple said. Daters expect first date spots to help create opportunities for real discovery, rather than serve as a mere backdrop.
Case in point: Hinge’s new Date Ideas feature highlights how daters are increasingly focused on the success of the first date itself, rather than the span of an entire relationship.
It emphasizes the importance of discovery on a first date by allowing users to choose from numerous experiential first date options, from karaoke to live music to thrifting.
What Are Common Red Flags at First Date Locations?
Restaurant, coffee shop, and bar proprietors, listen up: Tawkify asked singles to tell them the red flags that make a location unfit for a first date, and their answers could help turn your establishment into a popular dating destination.
Sixty-four percent said noise levels are essential to a successful first date, so uncontrolled noise from patrons or live music is a no-no. Music sets an important vibe, but this can turn sour if it dominates the atmosphere.
Money is certainly a factor for more than half of respondents (53%), who said overpriced or expensive first date locations turn them off. People who organize first dates or own a first date location should keep in mind what Temple said: “Affordability and convenience certainly matter more than people realize.”
“Affordability and convenience certainly matter more than people realize.” — Brie Temple
It’s great when a location is popular, but crowds and sought-after seating can be a major downside to 38% of respondents. With this in mind, Temple recommends trying out “micro-dates,” which she described as “a very brief type of first date” that “combines talking with movement,” lowering anxiety and amplifying authenticity in the process.
But Tawkify’s data also sheds light on a less obvious fact: Swanky bars and beautiful views are nice, but what really matters are the locations that “spark conversation and give natural outlets for connection,” Temple said.
According to her, green flag dating locations can be found in pretty much any city — yes, even those lower-ranked cities — so long as singles continue to “[prioritize] comfort and authenticity over big, impressive gestures.”
