Whether you’re planning a first date, an anniversary, or a sweet surprise for your special someone, organising a date that makes them swoon (and scores you some serious brownie points) is always a win. And no, we’re not talking about a schnitty at the local pub—though there's a time and place for that too.
So we teamed up with Listerine—the ultimate date night wingman to boost your confidence—to round up the best spots in your city to date right now.
THE BEST DATE SPOTS IN YOUR CITY
Melbourne
Clover Wine Bar
Image Credit: Clover Wine Bar | Instagram
If your lover considers themselves a bit of a culinary connoisseur, treat their taste buds to a gastronomic adventure at Clover Wine Bar. The intimate, 50-seat eatery oozes romance with a vine-covered courtyard that will transport you straight to the streets of Toulouse. Inside, you can gather around a large communal table brimming with laughter and joyful convos or keep it cosy on the banquette seats.
Sip your way through their curated list of natural wines and international drops, while tucking into European small plates. While the menu changes almost daily, you can guarantee something smoky and delicious coming from the restaurant's wood-fired oven.
Hot tip: Garlic breath? Chuck a Listerine Pocketpak in your bag, so you can freshen up at a moment's notice.
Bar Bellamy
Image Credit: Bar Bellamy | Instagram
Warm, cosy and serving up serious Euro diner vibes, this neighbourhood gem is a surefire winner. The hatted bistro slings drool-worthy small plates with a distinctly French flair. Think roasted oysters with wagyu bresaola, and locally sourced pork chops (we’re talking just down the road) with pickled green tomatoes and Turkish peppers.
The cocktail game here is equally as strong, and while they can shake you up just about anything your heart desires, their martinis are iconic. Snag a window seat, slip into a booth, or grab a table outside for some top-tier people watching on Rathdowne Street.
Hot tip: Keen to extend the date? Post feed, starve off the food coma with a short stroll to Cinema Nova for a flick.
Cam’s Kiosk
Image Credit: Cam's Kiosk | Instagram
Nestled within Abbotsford Convent (an 1868 national heritage-listed historic site), this magical setting was made for a dreamy date with your love. Settle into a padded timber booth under dimly lit pendant lights and devour plates of melt-in-your-mouth pasta.
Our advice? Order a bunch of plates to share so you can make the most of the epic menu. We’re talking red pepper risotto with pipis and wild fennel, gnocchi with duck orange ragu, and blue mussels with squid ink linguini. Don’t skip on dessert either—a mouthful of their fluffy tiramisu will make you shimmy in your seat.
Hot tip: With your tummy blissfully full, get some fresh air with a romantic stroll through the convent's gardens.
Young Hearts
Image Credit: Young Hearts | Instagram
Looking like a warehouse straight outta Brooklyn, this bar-meets-eatery-meets-art space is guaranteed to impress your date. With an ever-changing lineup, no two nights are the same.
One night it’s vinyl-spinning DJs, the next it’s jazz musicians setting the mood with their slick beats, while the rotating chef residencies mean the kitchen could be slinging anything from cacio e pepe to snapper tacos. One thing’s for sure—the vibes are always immaculate, and the cocktails never miss.
Hot tip: Don’t forget to check out the gallery downstairs showcasing emerging artists—it’s the perfect post-dinner convo starter.
Leonard’s House of Love
Image Credit: Leonard's House of Live | Instagram
If you’re craving the chill vibes of a night in, then Leonard’s House Of Love is for you. Kitted out like a 70s ski lodge, this spot is the ultimate house party—complete with roaring fire, taxidermy on the walls, fairy lights strung across the ceiling and a rock soundtrack setting the mood.
Challenge your date to a game of pool before tucking into juicy fried chicken, baskets of potato gems and stacked milk bun burgs. Wash it down with a cold beer or Bloody Mary and you've got yourself the perfect laid-back date night.
Hot tip: This place stays open 'til 3am on the weekends, so there's no rush to wrap up the deep chats in a hurry.
Sydney
Govindas
Image Credit: Govindas | Instagram
There’s a reason this Darlinghurst institution has been a go-to date spot for over a decade. Govindas’ Indian buffet is not only brimming with flavour bombs, but it’s also easy on the wallet. At just $28 per person, you and your love can feast on authentic eats like curries, dahls and pakoras made with locally sourced produce.
Once you’re suitably stuffed, head to their boho-style cinema where you can kick off your shoes and unwind on a comfy lounge, and catch the latest blockbuster or art house flick. It’s making the dinner-and-a-movie trope cool again.
Hot tip: Ready to get up close and personal? Before you make tracks to the cinema, freshen up your breath with a swish of Listerine Total Care mouthwash.
The Old Fitzroy
Image Credit: The Old Fitzroy | Instagram
Taking the classic pub date to the next level, a visit to The Old Fitzroy unfurls like a choose-your-own-adventure. Nestled in Woolloomooloo, this grand old dame (she’s more than 150 years old) is a pub, bistro and theatre all in one.
Sip frozen cocktails in the sunshine out front, grab a cold craft beer and toe-tap to a live band in the pub, or head upstairs and indulge in a French/British-inspired meal at the white-table-cloth bistro. Tuck into duck croquettes with hot sauce, steak frites and gnocchi in parmesan custard.
Hot tip: In the basement, you’ll find the 55-seat Old Fitz Theatre, where you can catch a play with your main squeeze at Australia’s only remaining pub theatre.
Bar Planet
Image Credit: Bar Planet | Instagram
Upgrade your next ‘drinks date’ with a trip to Bar Planet, where the martinis reign supreme and the vibe is other-worldly. The space-themed Newtown gem takes its tipples seriously, so bring your date here for instant cool points. Nestled on Enmore Road, Bar Planet is a total mood, with galaxy-inspired decor lit by candlelight.
There’s a handful of booths and high tables to sit at, but you really want to snag a seat at the bar and watch the talented mixologists craft liquid magic. Their classic martini is a no-brainer, but don’t sleep on their Scorpino either—a juicy celebration of sparkling wine and house-made fruit sorbets.
Hot tip: Hungry? There's no need to switch venues. Order up a feast from neighbouring Saray—their full menu is available to order straight to your seat.
Nakano Darling
Image Credit: Nakano Darling | Instagram
Want to escape Sydney with your honey but can’t spring for the airfare? Take their taste buds to the bustling back alleys of Tokyo at Nakano Darling. The casual izakaya in Darling Square serves up incredible street food with a modern kick.
Under Japanese box lights and lanterns, snack on homemade karaage chicken, pork gyoza and corn butter cheese (it’s elite), before finishing off the feast with yuzu cheesecake. Be sure to save room for their sips too, as the highball menu is reason enough for a visit.
Hot tip: If you want to indulge in an authentic Japanese experience, dine in one of two tatami rooms—an intimate shoes-off space where you sit on floor mats next to the table.
The Ace Hotel Lobby Bar
Image Credit: Ace Hotel | Instagram
There’s just something a little spesh about sipping a perfectly crafted cocktail in a swanky hotel lobby. And when that lobby belongs to the effortlessly cool Ace Hotel, you’re pretty much locking in date number two. The sultry Surry Hills watering hole is all leather, wood and sunken lounges, soundtracked by roving DJs.
The drinks menu is short but mighty, featuring pet nats, chilled reds, and unique cocktails like Big Bird (cachaça, watermelon, bitters and lemon). Keen on a snack? Nibble on rosemary marinated olives, a local cheese plate, or chow down on something more substantial like a portobello katsu burger.
Hot tip: This gem is walk-ins only, so get down early to nab you and your date a cosy booth.
Brisbane
Death & Taxes
Image Credit: Death & Taxes | Instagram
Nothing says date night quite like a cocktail bar, and they don’t get much more seductive than Death & Taxes. Inspired by the underground bars of Paris and London, this hidden gem is tucked inside a heritage-listed warehouse on Burnett Lane—just look out for the Grim Reaper street art and you’re in the right spot.
Step inside and you’ll find yourself in pure cocktail heaven, with sleek black walls, 100-year-old wooden floors and leather chesterfields begging you to sink in. The centrepiece—a four-metre-tall back bar lined with over 1,000 spirit bottles—sets the scene for what a night here will entail. Put simply, epic cocktails that will blow your mind. There are around 30 to sample, so settle in for a decent stint.
Hot Tip: Park up at a bar stool for front-row seats as the expert mixologists work their magic.
Stanley
Image Credit: Stanley | Instagram
Dumplings and champagne, set against a backdrop of Brisbane’s glittering skyline—it’s got a dreamy date written all over it. And it can easily be arranged at Stanley, located in a heritage building on Howard Smith Wharves.
Foodies should opt for the banquet menu, with prices ranging from $65 for the classic to $250 for the indulgence option. Think Moreton Bay bug spring rolls with caviar, Peking duck pancakes and sweet and sour chicken.
Hot tip: This Cantonese eatery is perched riverside, so be sure to ask for a table on the deck to score extra brownie points from your lover.
GOMA
Image Credit: GOMA | Instagram
Got a culture-lover in your life? Delight them with a date at Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). Wander hand in hand through free and ticketed exhibitions from local and international artists. Feeling inspired? Grab some free drawing material and unleash your inner creativity.
Once you’re done marvelling at the incredible array of works, treat your squeeze to a decadent meal at GOMA Bistro, where the dishes and cocktails are just as stunning as the masterpieces on the walls.
Hot tip: The date doesn’t need to end there—head to GOMA’s cinema where you can catch international gems, rare 35mm prints, and silent films with live musical accompaniment. Even better, most of the screenings are free.
The Prawnster
Image Credit: The Prawnster | Instagram
Trust us when we say you’ve never feasted on fresher seafood than on The Prawnster—a 50-foot vintage trawler-turned-floating restaurant. As cute as it is quirky, it’s docked at the Botanic Gardens Riverhub, where you’ll score a serving of dreamy river views with your meal.
We’re talking Coffin Bay oysters, Tasmanian sashimi, tiger prawns, Moreton Bay bugs and whole lobster. Reasonably priced, everything is served fresh AF, with seating on the stern, starboard and portside.
Hot tip: The boat is BYO for beer and wine, so bring a bottle of bubbles and toast to the perfect Brisbane date.
Oche
Image Credit: Oche | Instagram
Looking for an ideal first date that mixes great drinks, tasty bites and a little friendly competition? Then say g’day to Oche—Fortitude Valley’s high-tech darts bar. This ain’t your average sports bar though. There’s moody lighting, exposed brick walls, red leather and dark wood panelling—all setting the scene for a date night that’s equal parts fun and romantic.
With 16 sleek booths, each featuring an electronic dartboard (so no awkward maths on a chalkboard), all you need to focus on is landing that bullseye—and maybe impressing your date. Between flirty throws, fuel up on pizza, sliders and tacos. Our advice, loser buys the drinks—might we suggest the raspberry sour?
Hot tip: If you need a speedy whole-mouth clean after those epic pizzas and beers, Listerine Freshburst mouthwash is your go-to.
Ready to hit a fresh date spot with your new squeeze? That first ‘hello’ may be even more important than you think. With zero alcohol and mild taste, Listerine is the ultimate wingman to kill bad breath germs and freshen breath. Get more details here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Listerine and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.