This post rounds up ideas for date nights for all the creative Bristolians out there! We have a mix of date ideas for music lovely, crafters, art and theatre enthusiasts and people up for learning something new.
1. Interesting Cinema at the Watershed
The Watershed, at Bristol harbourside, is a cultural cinema, showcasing local and international independent film and arts. See their ‘whats on’ page here.
The venue shows varied films on multiple screens and also hosts cultural events, talks and discussions on progressive ideas and artistic expressions.
There is a stylish, exposed brick and warm-lit cafe that do drinks and also some great food – sharing plates as well as main meals- all prepared fresh and with great vegetarian and vegan ranges. It is a lovely environment for a date night.
2. Pottery Painting at Kiln Studio
Pottery painting is a lovely creative date idea- set in Kiln, the pottery studio on Gloucester Road. Spend an intimate hour or two painting pottery and creating something beautiful. Creative energy can create a wonderful atmosphere for an awesome date night.
On Thursday evenings they run a BYO evening, so you can take a glass of wine and get set into some painting. Or you can book sessions for other weeknights: See their website here for bookings.
3. Natural Soap Making Workshop
Margaret May Soaps (in the windmill hill area) runs date night soap-making workshops. This would be a fun day to try doing something new together. A new skill and probably a great deal of fun.
The session is catered with cake and drinks, and at the end, you get to take home 5 or 6 bars from a soap loaf (and of course the new skill!). This is a bit different and definitely a more quirky date idea! Sessions cost £55 per person. See details to book here.
4. Cooking Workshops at Papadeli
Papadeli is a gorgeous deli and fine foods shop in the Clifton down area of Bristol. It’s the kind of place that fills a foodie’s heart.
They put on high-quality, day-long cooking workshops- where you are taken through the process of making themed cuisines; ‘Korean inspired’, ‘winter Tuscan feast’, ‘middle eastern’, ‘Sicilian’ and lots of other unique curations.
It s a luxury date (at around £120), but a great idea for a special birthday or anniversary date- one where you want to book something special. It would be a perfect date for foodie couples- but they are highly oversubscribed so it’s a good idea to join their waiting list so you get notifies as soon as bookings open! See details on their website here.
Papadeli is one of Bristol’s best delis- it’s featured in our post on Bristol’s best delis and quality food shops.
5. Live Theatre Cinema Screenings
In many cinemas around Bristol, you can watch streamed screenings of live theatre straight from London or anywhere in the world. There is really a different feel to a live screening of theatre, compared with a movie and this can make for a great date idea.
Quite a few theatres have live screen arrangments- so it’s best to check with the company’s website directly to see what’s on. The national theatre in London has a lot of live season tickets (see their website here, and select showings in Bristol), or you could watch Ballet or Opera during the Royal Opera House cinema season (see the site and offerings here).
You also get some behind-the-scenes footage, and often interviews and commentaries with directors or cast members.
Showcase Deluxe and the Everyman Cinema often screen these so you can search around for the performance that best suits you! Make an evening of it and go for a pre-theatre dinner too!
6. The Tabacco Factory Theatre
The Tobacco factory theatre and Cafe is a well-known place on North Street, Bristol. It’s a very cool venue, set in an old tobacco factory, with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
The theatre puts on creative and experimental shows upstairs while the industrial chic bar has a good range of drinks and fresh, seasonal food from the five-acre farm shop.
See the website for what’s on in the theatre here.
7. Monday Salsa Fix
The Southbank Community Center in Bedminster, very close to whapping wharf and the river, you can take Monday salsa classes. They offer great 4 week sessions meaning you’re bound to get some sala repertoire under your belt over the course duration to be able to try out yourselves.
After the classes, they do social dances after the classes which are lively and energetic and where there is a great, high vibe- an ideal setting for a fun date. Great music, lots of people and something a bit physical- an all-around good laugh.
There is also Wednesday Cuban Salsa at Malcolm x and Havanna salsa in Easton that we can recommend- or check online for many other options.
8. Couples Pizza Making
This is a fun idea for a bit of an alternative dinner date! Workshops are held at the pizza workshop on Whiteladies Road. For £45 per person, you get the workshops, a welcome prosecco or beer, olives and garlic bread, and, of course, your expertly hand-made pizza!
You learn about making authentic Neapolitan pizza dough, have a fun night and leave after a delicious dinner!
You can book on the class-bento site here.
9. Old Vic Theater
The Old Vic is one of Bristol’s biggest theatres. The main stage has a grand interior, and the venue itself is in a recently modernised Georgian theatre building. It shows many high-tech, modern and unusual theatre arts.
The Old Vic is a venue that really makes effort to welcome all. and it shows a range of big-name touring theatre pieces and lesser-known, high-quality creations. They work to be inclusive to all and often offer very affordable tickets too.
There is also a modern, spacious bar. The Old Vic sits in the heart of the city on historic, cobbled King Street, a pedestrianised zone near the harbourside full of pubs and bars.
See the theatre website here to see what’s on.
10. Clay at the Coronation Pub
On Saturday afternoons, potheads run an afternoon of playful pottery with pots, pints and pals! This is a really fun alternative, creative date idea. Play around with some clay to create your own plant pot and have a laugh in a fun, colourful old school community pub in Bedminster.
See details here and book– sometimes when the spots are full you can join the waiting list. It’s £28 per person for all the equipment and the pot ‘the hairstyle’ and it includes your first pint!
11. Life Drawing at the Tobacco Factory
The Tobacco Factory is a happening bar/cafe restaurant on North Street in Bristol. Set in an old tobacco factory, the industrial chic decor and dark red curtains create a relaxed welcoming environment.
On Mondays, in the little side room, ‘the snug’, they do life drawing sessions. You can get a drink from the bar and spend a quiet, meditative couple of hours creating beautiful art. This is a really lovely alternative date idea, for beginner or experienced artists.
Tickets are £5 or £4 for students. See details on their website here or Facebook page here.
12. Comedy at The White Bear
Bristol has a thriving scene for comedy- established and experimental- and live comedy can make for a very fun date night!
The White Bear is a pub with a theatre area ‘The Room Above’. It’s a great venue that does a mix of shows and it’s a relaxed and very friendly space.
Another of our posts about the Comedy Scene in Bristol might give you some inspiration for other venues and settings.
13. Live Music at Gallimaufry
The Gallimaufry is a colourful, vibrant and slightly quirky bar and restaurant on the famous Gloucester Road. They serve local ales and have a fantastic kitchen with a seasonal menu.
Most evenings, there is live music- with a mix of fantastic local and international, touring artists. You can see what’s coming up on their website here. Or for more info, you might enjoy our other post about the music scene in Bristol.