During your time as a Gryphon, chances are you’ll be going on a lot of dates. Luckily, as a University of Guelph student, you have plenty of options to take your date for a night out. No car, no problem. All of these restaurants are accessible via Guelph Transit.
1. The Fat Duck
Photo by Cheryl Ching
Break that first date awkwardness by playing a round of darts or choose from one of the board games hidden in the back dining room. Once you’ve gotten acquainted, gaze into each other’s eyes over a bottle of vino from their 10 wines under $20 list. If you’re more of a beer person, be sure to order their home brew, The Fat Duck Lager.
The Fat Duck menu offers a bunch of shareables, including the best chicken wings in Guelph. The huge wings ($12 for 7, $20 for 12) come dunked in your choice of sauce, and are served alongside their homemade blue cheese dip. In keeping with the traditional pub style, the menu also offers a few Indian dishes such as 5 lentil dahl and curried chicken pie.
Best news ever?
The chicken wings are half price every day after 9 pm (with a bevvy, of course). Just try to act surprised when you find out, so that your date doesn’t think you’re penny pinching on the first date.
Photo by Cheryl Ching
Address: 210 Kortright Rd W, Guelph, ON, N1G 3M6
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:30 am-12 pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30 am-2 pm
2. Ox
Photo by Cheryl Ching
This trendy restaurant in the heart of downtown Guelph has the perfect date night atmosphere. Share one of the Ox’s authentic thin crust pizzas with your dinner companion, or impress your date with your worldly palate by ordering a mason jar of kimchi or confit duck wings.
Photo by Cheryl Ching
Ox Hack
If you can somehow swing a Monday rendez-vouz, you’ll be able to score any of Ox pizzas for half-price. Which means you should probably just order another pizza with the money you saved. That’s how it works, right?
Photo by Cheryl Ching
Address: 37 Quebec Street, Guelph, ON, N1H 2T1
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 am-10 pm, Friday-Saturday 11 am-11 pm, Sunday 11 am-9 pm
3. Buon Gusto
Photo by Cheryl Ching
For a more traditional and romantic date, go to Buon Gusto for homemade Italian pasta and wood-burning oven pizza. If you’re hoping to get your date into the mood, slurp back some of the oysters featured on Thursday evenings. The menu is written in Italian so you and your date can giggle over your attempts at pronouncing your orders.
Address: 69 Wyndham St N, Guelph, ON, N1H 6P6
Hours: Monday closed, Tuesday-Wednesday 11:30 am-10 pm, Thursday-Saturday 11:30 am-11 pm, Sunday 11:30 am-10 pm
4. Borealis Grille & Bar
Photo by Cheryl Ching
Taking your special someone to Borealis is a sure-fire way to have a great night out. Their menu features several locally sourced meat options, including Rockwood elk tacos and Ontario wild boar meatloaf. Plan to dine at this local-obsessed restaurant on Wednesday, which Borealis has declared as date night with a prix fixe 3-course dinner for two.
Want your date to be serenaded by live music during dinner? Head on over to Borealis on Thursday evenings where live entertainment starts at 8 pm. Regardless, whether you catch their prix fixe Wednesday date night or live music on Thursday, you’re sure to have a delicious locally-inspired dinner at Borealis.
Address: 1388 Gordon St, Guelph, ON, N1L 1C9
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 am-11 pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30 am-12 pm, Sunday 11:30 am-10 pm
5. The Red Brick Café
Photo by Cheryl Ching
Head to the Red Brick Café for an afternoon coffee date with that hot guy/girl from English Lit. Order anything from fresh Italian soda, to an Americano, to beer. The café is divided into a few different seating areas so you and this hottie can tuck away into a corner or converse in the open, and admire the local art featured on the walls.
Photo by Cheryl Ching
Address: 8 Douglas St, Guelph, ON, N1H 2S9
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8 am-11 pm, Sunday 10 am-5 pm
Now all you need to do is muster up the courage to ask out that cute guy/girl from your Biochem lecture.
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