Date spot in Shoreditch and Hackney
Plates
Book Kirk Haworth's plant-based tasting menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant on Old Street.
Old Street, Shoreditch
Address: Plates, 320 Old Street, London EC1V 9DR- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Why it's a good date: It shows how far vegan cooking can go, so it's a brilliant special night if one or both of you eat plants. Bookings open in seasonal releases, so sign up to hear when.
More from our Shoreditch and Hackney guide
Angelina
Dalston Lane, Dalston
Address: Angelina, 56 Dalston Lane, London E8 3AH- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Work through a long kaiseki-style tasting menu that blends Japanese and Italian cooking, on Dalston Lane.
Why it's a good date: It's a playful, unusual menu in a calm room, and it feels like a proper treat without the formality of a grand dining room. Book ahead for Friday and Saturday.
Planque
Acton Mews, Haggerston
Address: Planque, 322-324 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Share a special dinner and something from one of east London's great wine lists in a soaring railway arch in Haggerston.
Why it's a good date: It's a wine club and restaurant in one, with a striking modern room and serious, seasonal cooking. A good pick if one of you loves wine.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia Road, between Shoreditch and Bethnal Green
Address: Columbia Road, London E2 7RG- Activity
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Romantic
Squeeze down a Victorian street lined with flower and plant stalls, with small independent shops and cafés behind them.
Why it's a good date: Buy each other a bunch of something and carry it home together. It's a Sunday market and it gets packed, so go early, and bring cash as not every stall takes cards.
Photo: SunDawn, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
