Endless questions for favourite color and (non-existant) hobbies, boring monologues… you don’t want your date to be like this:
Good news is, you can avoid it by picking the right place – cosy enough for intimate conversation yet interesting enough to keep it flowing. Of course we can’t forget about safety concerns for ladies – ideal place should be quite busy and easily accessible. Lets dive into some of the most fun ideas for the best first date in Essen!
Long walk in nature
A classic one – it is an excellent oportunity for an uninterrupted chit-chat.
Grugapark
Grugapark with its location not far away from city center, beautiful gardens and affordable price (5€/ticket) is one the most popular choices for a daytime stroll in Essen.
Restaurant-Café Orangerie located within the park offers rest with some classic choice in meals and drinks. For a more cosy expierience you can bring your own food and picnick or even grill in designated areas.
Beware: the park closes after sunset.
Check out some other scenic places:
If you would prefer a more sporty option check out the: 9 best parks in Essen for sport and hobby activities.
Concert in a Restaurant
If you ran out of topics with your date, you can always comment on vocal skills of performers.
For the fans of beer & schnitzel, relaxed oldschool atmosphere and live music made by local community, Sailor’s pub offers exactly that. Open Stage Events and small concerts take place regularly couple of times a week and no reservations are needed, so you can be spontaneous.
Blacklight Minigolf
A fun casual challenge for you and your date, since you are probably both not good at it. Playful and calm ambience provides enjoyable backgroud for a chat and giggles. Here are the most popular venues:
Open air movies
Maybe its a bit less comfortable than standard cinema but surely fresh air and city lights will add some romantic touch to your date. Every year throughout August at the very heart of Essen, cinema Lichtburg shows selection of current blockbusters under blue sky.
You can find more details to this years Lichtburg Open Air am Dom on their website.
An alternative might also be Autokino Essen.
Weekly market / Flee market shopping
If your potential partner doesn’t love the food you do, why even bother? Jokes aside, shopping together is a perfect opportunity to know each others preferences – not only in culinary area. Who knows, maybe passion for Bratwurst will bring you together?
Essen offers plenty of market places in almost every part of the city. Here are the best ones:
- Wochenmarkt Rüttenscheid (Rüttenscheider Platz) – every Wednesday (8 AM – 1 PM) and Saturday (8 AM – 2 PM)
- Wochenmarkt in Essen-Center (Weberplatz) – every Tuesday and Friday (9 AM – 6 PM)
For more Markets Addresses and opening hours in Essen visit this website.
Flea markets tend to not have regular dates, but you can track them on this website.
Sports bar / pub
Up for a billiard or dart bet? You can disscuss current weather or philosphy while keeping your hands busy. Alternatively you could try your luck with dice game or pub quiz (reservation required).
- Cafe Nord – billard
- Sun Down – billard and darts
- Gemarkentreff – darts
Visit local fauna
If you have a feeling, that your date is a gentle animal loving soul, they will be thrilled to visit our furry friends. Unfortunately Essen has no zoo, but in these peaceful locations you can can meet adorable creatures:
- Grugapark Damwild – deers you can feed together with park provided animal feed
- Grugapark Vogelfreifluganlage – many species of birds inklusive beautiful flamingos
- Grugapark Eulen-Gehege – fans of owls can see 7 different species here
- Wildgehege Heissiwald – big forest where you can observe wildlife from afar
If you are happy to go to another city, there are some zoos nearby (link)
Rooftop bar
Stargazing accompanied by drinks and city panorama is a perfect recipe for a romantic setting.
- LiL-Tiger – cool modern atmosphere paired with electronic beats. If you feel bold you can even rock the dancefloor. In case your stomach is growling, Spanisch Restaurant Pulpo Tapas located at the ground floor of the building can hit the spot. Make sure to book spots in the heated pavillion if nights get chilly.
- Simracing-Center RoofBar in Essen – more cosy Cafe to enjoy sunset sipping classic drinks. Adrenaline junkies can pair the rooftop visit with a race simulation session.
Board games at a Cafe
Quiet and nerdy types will surely enjoy a quick session of chess, scrabble or even cards. If you just want to go to any Cafe and play, makes sure beforehand that the game isn’t too complicated. Also ask the owners of the local beforehand if they are fine with you playing to avoid unpleasant situations.
- Roll-N-Dine – this place has around 1.000 different board games to choose from and the collection keeps growing!
For more interesting cafes, check out the: 13 unique cafés in Essen worth visiting