12 quintessential date-night restaurants in Philadelphia

Dim lights? Check. Flickering candles? Check. Tiny tables underneath which you will inevitably brush knees with your date? Check. When it comes to a place for early-in-the game romance, you can’t beat this velvet-clad escape. Luckily, the plant-based snacks and cocktails are just as dreamy as the vibes. Order the designed-for-two Mediterranean board for treats like cave-aged vegan cheese and marinated mushrooms.

This cozy Korean American gastropub was made for getting to know your date. Fruit-infused sojus give you two a chance to sample everything from the easy-to-sip plum and strawberry flavors to a bolder, housemade chile version. With dishes like Korean fried chicken and a knockout kimchi cheeseburger, SouthGate’s menu is especially ideal for going halfsies with your date.

Over the past decade, chef Kevin Yanaga has made a name for himself as a sushi specialist in Philadelphia’s restaurant scene. And that’s partly why his latest spot is where you go to impress a date. Izakaya Yanaga gives classic Japanese ingredients the fusion treatment, resulting in drinks-friendly dishes like wonton tacos and a killer wagyu hot dog. Grab a bar seat, order a sake flight, and get ready for an easygoing and delicious evening.

Forget dinner and a movie—date nights at Victor Cafe come with live opera performances. Servers at this longtime South Philadelphia favorite, open since 1918, don’t just take orders and set down plates of pork chops; they sing, bursting into Verdi and Puccini every 15 minutes. Celebrate something extra-special here, because this date spot is one your SO will never forget.

If you’re looking for an old-school night out, this steakhouse gem in South Jersey is the ticket. While Steak 38 isn’t technically in Philly, it’s a quick 20-minute drive over the Ben Franklin Bridge. Seasoned servers shake up frosty martinis while the kitchen turns out perfect renditions of the classics. Raise a glass—and the date-night bar—over oysters Rockefeller and prime rib.

After more than 15 years in business, Iron Chef Jose Garces’s Amada remains a stand-out spot for group get-togethers. As a beloved Anadalusian tapas restaurant, its famous small plates, including bacon-wrapped dates and ham croquettes, are easy to love—and fun to share. Grab some friends and make your way here on a Sunday for $5 brunch cocktails and one epic bread basket stacked with croissants and slabs of olive-oil cake.

Morimoto’s funky, futuristic decor—hello, color-changing booths—sets the scene for one of the most sought-after sushi experiences in town. On a more casual date night, order from the restaurant’s a la carte menu, but to mark a major milestone, go all out with the sublime omakase option. The chef’s tasting menu option is a tour of the whole menu, including hot and cold seasonal dishes, sushi, and world-class sashimi.

Talula’s Garden is the kind of restaurant that you want all restaurants to be. It’s a master class in food, service, and ambiance—a place ideal for any date, but especially the kind of place you want to keep returning to. The homey menu always features comforting seasonal dishes made with ingredients from nearby farms, like cheddar-chive biscuits and roasted chicken, and if you’re going big, consider co-owner Aimee Olexy’s legendary cheese board.

Fabrika is a sprawling entertainment venue in a former ice-cream machine factory and takes the dinner-and-a-show concept to wild new heights. The eclectic global dishes (sushi tacos, coconut-ginger branzino) here are accompanied by burlesque performances and circus acts, which all unfold on an eye-catching circular stage. TLDR: Date night is anything but boring at this theatrical Fishtown hotspot.

Fork has been Philadelphia’s big-deal date-night spot since opening in 1997. So it’s no shocker that the chandelier-clad restaurant is a go-to for proposals (and all other relationship milestones). The menu—a Mid-Atlantic-inspired lineup that changes often—sets the stage for a classy celebration. Add spot-on service, and you’ve got a winning setup for popping the ultimate question.

Nothing says ultra-luxe proposal like the 59th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s six-course tasting menu features his MVPs like egg toast with caviar and yellowfin tuna noodles, plus always-changing seasonal dishes (a vegetarian tasting menu is available). Reservations disappear quickly, so plan well in advance if you want to propose among the clouds.

This inviting bistro aces the French comfort food test with standbys like boeuf bourguignon and a locally loved mille-feuille, not to mention escargots that come in individual ramekins with croutons and garlic herb butter. Service is just as thoughtful, which means you and your date can focus on enjoying each other’s company in the petite, art-lined dining room or a bistro table outdoors when the weather permits.