First dates 4 min read
Vegan First Date Ideas
Good vegan first date ideas: a new vegan café or restaurant, a street food market, a cookery class, a walk with a picnic, a gallery or museum with a vegan lunch, or a volunteer morning at an animal sanctuary. Keep it short, public and easy to leave.
By the Just Vegan Dating team
In short
- Keep a first date short, public and easy to leave.
- A fully vegan café means neither of you is scanning the menu.
- Markets, walks and classes give you something to do and talk about.
- Save the sanctuary visit for a second or third date.
The point of a first date is to find out whether you want a second one, and the best first dates make that easy: somewhere public, something to talk about, and an easy end if it is not working. Being vegan gives you a built-in theme.
A vegan café or restaurant
The classic for a reason. Pick somewhere fully vegan so neither of you has to scan the menu for the one dish, and go at lunchtime or for coffee and cake rather than a long dinner. Apps such as HappyCow list vegan and vegan-friendly places almost everywhere, and a new opening gives you an instant topic. If they are new to vegan food, choose somewhere that does comfort food well.
A street food or farmers' market
Markets are relaxed, cheap and full of things to try, and walking side by side is easier than staring at each other across a table. Share a few dishes, compare notes, and you will learn a lot about someone from how they choose.
A cookery or baking class
A vegan cookery class gives you a shared task, so the conversation never stalls, and you go home with something you made together. It works best as a second or third date, when you are past the nerves.
A walk and a picnic
For anyone who likes the outdoors, a walk somewhere green with a picnic you each bring half of is hard to beat. It shows off your cooking, it costs very little, and you can stretch it or cut it short as you like. Stay on busy paths for a first meeting.
A gallery, museum or bookshop
A free exhibition followed by lunch gives you plenty to talk about without much pressure. Many museums have cafés with vegan options now; check before you go.
A volunteer morning at a sanctuary
Some animal sanctuaries run open days or volunteer mornings. It is not for every first date, and it suits a second or third better, but if you both care about animals it says more than any dinner could.
Keep the first meeting safe
Whatever you choose, meet in public, tell a friend where you are going, get yourself there and back, and keep your home address to yourself until you know the person. Our safety page has more on meeting people from the site.
Questions people ask
What is a good first date for vegans?
Coffee or lunch at a fully vegan café, a street food market or a walk with a picnic. Short, public and easy to talk on.
What if my date is not vegan?
Pick a vegan place that does comfort food well. It is the best introduction there is.
How do I find vegan restaurants near me?
Apps such as HappyCow list vegan and vegan-friendly places in most towns, with reviews from other vegans.