Fulham boasts a veritable wealth of eateries and bars ideal for a first date. It’s probably one of the most affluent areas of the capital, and is stuffed with bustling bistros, glitzy eateries and upmarket restaurants, all of whose menus are guaranteed to set your tummy aflutter (or is that the nerves at meeting your hot date for the very first time?).
With trendy cocktail joints, traditional pubs and swanky watering holes dotted hither and yon along the West London riverside, Fulham is the go-to spot for many an affluent partygoer—so why not join them and soak in the vibrant atmosphere as you get to know your gorgeous date?
All of today’s establishments are sure to go the extra mile to ensure you have an unforgettable initial romantic rendezvous. Here are our top 5 first date ideas in Fulham.
1. CasaCosta
451 North End Rd, SW6 1NZ
CasaCosta has gone all out in replicating all the wildest bits of speakeasies—complete with a hidden entrance, naturally. Hidden behind a secret entrance snugly situated inside the CasaCosta grocery lies a speakeasy with a most stupendous menu, celebrating the very best in Italian home cooking, whipped up drawing on only the finest organic ingredients.
This connection with the shop is more than physical; it represents everything that the bar beyond stands for: delicacies, fun, and the story of the unique biodiversity of Italy—and all the wondrous dishes emanating from that.
The bar is immediately sensuous as you plunge into the plush space adorned with Prohibition-esque furniture. The entire restaurant itself is structured like a clandestine meeting spot straight out of the movies, a fabulous basement in which anything and everything can happen on your date. Enjoy appositely humble (but startlingly tasty) dishes thrown together in the bustling kitchen out back.
Tap them toes to tight live music, and sip on old-timey cocktails as you ease into some seriously illicit flirting. Magic happens in the crepuscular CasaCosta. Your date won’t forget tonight in a hurry.
2. The Blue Boat
Distillery Wharf, W6 9GD
Hankering for some hearty riverside gastro grub? Head to The Blue Boat, a right old Bri’ish boozer heralded for its dashing nooks, charming crannies and royal selection of proper London ales primed for pouring. Drinks by the Thames in the heart of West London don’t get better than this! The Blue Boat pours superb cask ales, inspiring cocktails and craft beers of the most supreme flavour.
The pub also boasts an extensive wine portfolio, replete with a vast array of grape varieties and vintages, many sourced direct from growers producing wines exclusively for Fuller’s—of which The Blue Boat is arguably the flagship establishment! Gloriously decked in nautical interiors, this waterside haunt—with its boaty booths and thalassic trinkets—is the ideal spot to sink into for endless hours’ tipsy chats with your hot Fulham date.
3. Vagabond
18–22 Vanston Pl, SW6 1AX
A stone’s throw from Fulham Broadway Station sits the original Vagabond, a sexy slinky quirky wine bar with a stupendous variety of fine vinos—read: over 100 varieties—from dedicated artisan growers, including those inhabiting Vagabond’s very own Urban Winery over at Vagabond Battersea. And don’t skip those seasonal small plates and sumptuous sharing platters—if only to soak up that third glass of Sauvignon blanc.
Vagabond is your quintessential neighbourhood wine bar, still rocking the same epic massive oak table from the establishment’s 2010 inception. It truly is the perfect spot for a chilled first date with this cool new person in your life—relaxed and easygoing, but still formal enough to show you’ve put some thought into the venue!
4. Simmons
374 North End Rd, SW6 1LY
Simmons is a bona fide cocktail empire set in the historic parish hall building, mixing up affordable cocktails and epic happy hours citywide. At Simmons Fulham you’ll be greeted by a parlour of fabulous kitsch, nostalgia-stuffed retro games and myriad tricksy treats peeking round every corner. Simmons curates ironically garish furnishings and dated knick-knacks for a fully immersive return to the Good Old Days™ of wacky neon and timeless cutesiness.
If things are going swimmingly and you and your date are in the mood for a big one, prepare for a five-hour happy hour, complete with beer pong and retro games console, just two minutes’ walk from Fulham Broadway Station! Or if you fancy a more chilled daytime rendezvous, how about Simmons’ bottomless afternoon tea? The menu is switched up seasonally so there’s always something naughty to taste for the first time, and you can be sure the bottomless prosecco will be flowin’—in the company of freshly prepped sweets and savouries, and bottomless cocktail teapots, of course!
5. Kona Kai
515 Fulham Rd, SW6 1HD
Aloha!—you and your date are just in time for a proper Polynesian party! Come ashore and enter Kona Kai, the Hawaiian bar brimming with beach shack interiors, seashell lights and cheeky tiki tipples. There are drinks for every vibe, every kind of date, all sure to quench your thirst, wet your whistle, and get you in the mood for love: something fruity, something fizzy, and something friggin’ fabulous. And don’t worry if you get a little peckish amid the mayhem—Kona Kai have got you covered, with a menu of family recipes and fresh fine ingredients sourced from both the UK and Italy for a fusion unlike anywhere else in the capital. Your taste buds won’t know what’s hit ’em!
There’s simply no more glorious a venue in Fulham when it comes to getting your date in the mood for fun. Within moments you’ll be bopping along to an eclectic sunshine mix of South Pacific tunes as you clink totem pole glasses. Designed and constructed by the famous Cheeky Tiki designers, Kona Kai is so much more than a bar—it’s a way of life, guys and gals of Fulham and London Town. And as a first date spot, it’s unforgettable—and sure to keep this new romantic interest of yours coming back for more.
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