Burned out on dates that involve overpriced meals or mindless movie watching? Switch up your date routine with a spot that will offer fun conversations, a casual setting and a chance to test your drink IQ. Not to mention a stiff drink to enjoy whether the date goes well or bombs.
116 SE 1st St.
With a selection of premium “wine, beer and bubbles” to rival any wine bar in a bigger city, Half Cork’d will help give your first date an extra dash of class along with a seasonal menu of appetizers and bottomless glasses of drinks. There are 56 different wines available for tasting from the intelligent dispensers located around the bar and 250 bottles available to be bought and enjoyed at one of the sitting areas or on the outdoor patio. For those looking for an escape from the rowdy downtown club scene, start at this intimate bar perched on the corner of the cobblestone-lined downtown intersection for a casual afternoon meet-up or a post-dinner glass of wine.
9 W. University Ave.
Faced with a date whose homepage is the Beer Advocate website? Look no further than Stubbies. Opened in 2003, this one-of-a-kind pub is a blend of Aussie eccentricity and German tradition that boasts the largest selection of craft beer in town. Choose your side – either the original Australian-themed bar or the beer hall-style German bar that was added in 2008 – and get ready for a lesson in beer styles. Indecisive dates need not fear; bartenders here know just how to help you pick the perfect brew based on your drinking preferences. Don’t pass up on the traditional German fare offered on the menu; Bavarian pretzels and homemade pommes frites go well with any brew you choose.
10 SE 2nd Ave.
Tall Paul’s is a bar that knows how to have a good time. Part sports bar, part nano-brewery, the industrial-themed spot is a great choice for anyone looking to grab a glass of wine or a pint of beer brewed in-house. The spacious wrap-around bar has plenty of room to spread out or you can snag a corner table to talk over Wine Down Wednesday specials like $10 off bottles of wine and $5 martinis accompanied by a live jazz band. Jazz and wine too serious for you? There’s all-you-can-drink specials every Thursday and happy hour every day where you can challenge your date to a game of Skee ball, jumbo Connect Four or any of the other fun games located around the bar.
120 SW 1st Ave.
For a patriotic drink and a space that never slacks on providing something to do, try one of Loosey’s 50 different American craft beers while playing a game of darts, pool or trivia. Happy Hour runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and offers specials like $1 off all Florida craft beers and a pub-inspired menu of food specials including juicy burgers, hot wings and a spicy chicken sandwich. Stop by on Wednesday nights for acoustic sets from local performers, Thursdays for open-mic night and test your own vocals on Saturdays for karaoke with a live DJ.
201 SE 2nd Ave.
Sweet on your date? Treat them to custom cupcakes, candy, truffles and other baked goods at this little shop next to the Hippodrome Theatre. See who can be the most daring with their flavor choices (bacon bits or rum raisins, anyone?) and then enjoy your sweets out on the patio for some people watching and beautiful weather. Have an animal lover on your hands? The shop also offers a variety of pet treats, so bringing along your pup won’t be a problem. Besides a staggering selection of sugary confections, Sarkara also offers a wine and beer bar where customers can choose to sip on anything from chocolate wine to brews from Breckenridge Brewery. With a 40s and 50s-inspired music soundtrack and laidback atmosphere, it’s a sure way to end any date on a high note.
