One of my favorite date night activities to do with my boyfriend is something we like to call a “tapas walk”. We came up with the name after he went to Spain. He walked around the city trying a few tapas (small plates) from several different restaurants all in one night.
Unfortunately, Tempe doesn’t have any traditional Spanish Tapas restaurants but who’s to say you can’t go around sampling your favorite dishes from your favorite restaurants anyway?
Appetizers: Postinos
Postinos is known for their bruschetta boards that allow you to sample four different types for the price of one. They have several options to choose from and are perfect for sharing. The bruschetta is a combination of unique ingredients that pair really well together on top of a thick slice of crisp sour dough bread.
My favorite bruschettas are the fresh mozzarella with tomato and basil, and the warm artichoke spread. Postinos also offers a seasonal bruschetta, so make sure to ask your server what the special is!
Postinos has excellent outdoor seating so if you get there early enough you and your date can watch the beautiful AZ sunset over appetizers.
Entrée: Cornish Pasty Co.
After appetizers, head over to Cornish Pasty Co. on Mill Ave. If you’ve never tried a pasty before, they are essentially a gourmet Hot Pocket. Cornish Pasty offers a variety of “Fancy Hot Pockets” including several vegetarian options.
I always order the pilgrim, it is filled with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and served with cranberry sauce and gravy. It’s pretty much thanksgiving dinner wrapped in a flaky crust and then baked to perfection. The pasties come pretty big and make great leftovers so don’t fill up too much before dessert.
Dessert: Oregano’s
To end date night I recommend going to Oregano’s and trying their original pizza cookie. In my opinion, this is the best dessert of all time. It is a giant baked cookie topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate chips, served hot and fresh out of the oven.
They offer a couple of different cookie flavors, but my go to is always chocolate chip. I have tried, on multiple occasions to ask where Oregano’s gets there cookie dough from but they won’t let me in on the secret. After many attempts of making these at home with Nestle Toll House dough I can say, nothing beats an Oregano’s pizza cookie. Oregano’s will make your pizza cookie to go so you can call ahead to avoid the crowds and enjoy at home over a movie.
Whether or not you decide to take your dessert home, post dinner activities are always a necessity. Mill Avenue has a variety of things to do such as catching a movie at AMC, or doing an escape room. Regardless of how you end your night, I recommend starting early to avoid long waits. Plus, there’s nothing more romantic than watching the sunset over some delicious food.