“Now that Valentine’s Day is here and spring is right around the corner, are you in need of a good place to take a date? From first-dates, to proposal nights, we have your top-ten best dates in Akron-all that’s left is to find the right person to take with you.”
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Now that Valentine’s Day is here and spring is right around the corner, are you in need of a good place to take a date?
From first-dates, to proposal nights, we have your top-ten best dates in Akron-all that’s left is to find the right person to take with you.
Highland Square
This very hip neighborhood offers something for everyone. If you enjoy trying new things, dinner at Aladdin’s is a must. They serve unique, Middle Eastern food in a casual environment for affordable prices. Dinners cost $6-12 and it is a good idea to order a variety of dishes to share. You could let your meal digest while seeing a movie at the historic Highland Theater or talking over Venezuelan coffee at Angel Falls. If you still have room for dessert, head over to Mary Coyle. This old fashioned ice cream parlor and candy store features great sundaes made with homemade ice cream.
Akron Art Museum
For the artistic types, enjoy a night at the Akron Art Museum. Admission is $5 for students and $7 for adults. It has over 12,000 square feet of gallery space, and the collections focus on art produced since 1850. Now through April 13, the museum is featuring art from the children’s book, Peter Pan. Bricco is a great place to get dinner afterwards. It has a very trendy atmosphere and dinners cost $7-25.
Akron’s Historic District
This part of Akron, off Market Street, is home to Crave, Musica, and Mocha Maiden. You could start the evening off with dinner at Crave, where they serve moderately priced, creative comfort foods. Dinners range anywhere from $8-35, and every item is a unique combination of tastes. Afterwards, you could head over to Musica, where you will find the best up-and-coming musical talent. Doors open Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and the shows start at 9:00 p.m. It costs $5 to get in and $7 for those under 21. If you’re not interested in the bar selections, head to adjacent Mocha Maiden, which opens up for the shows and features a good selection of mochas and lattes.
West Point Market
For those of you who have the facilities and the ability, cooking dinner together can be a great date. West Point Market is an internationally renowned gourmet food store, which feature specialty foods from around the world. This is a great place to buy ingredients, especially those that are difficult to find. After shopping, you could cook together, which is a great way to get to know someone. Don’t worry about dinner being perfect, if all else fails, you can always laugh it off and order a pizza.
Otani’s
This Japanese restaurant is a great place to go on a first date. The chefs are entertaining and cook the food at your table. They make dinner a performance, and this is a great conversation starter for people just getting to know each other. The meals run about $10-20, and Otani’s also offers a great sushi bar. This will always give you something to joke about later. The tables at Otani’s seat eight, so you may end up sitting with strangers.
E. J. Thomas
If you’re looking for a sophisticated night out that is close to campus, E.J. Thomas is the place to go. The Broadway show, Cats, is coming from Feb. 29 through March 2. Other shows and times can be found on their website, and tickets may be purchased on the phone, online, and at the ticket office. University of Akron students get discounted tickets and student rush tickets are available for some shows.
Luigi’s
Luigi’s is a great place to go for lunch or a late night dinner. It is open Friday and Saturday nights until 4 a.m. Try one of their award-winning pizzas-the pizza bianco is excellent if you like white pizza. Dinner is $6-12, but remember to bring cash because they don’t accept credit cards.
The Bang and the Clatter
The Bang and the Clatter is a professional theater, showing edgier plays geared to younger audiences. It is a black box theater that runs seven shows a year and is housed in the Summit Artspace on Market Street. Essential Self-Defense will be running Feb. 22 through March 22, and tickets can be reserved on the phone or purchased at the box office an hour beforehand. Shows play Thursday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
Akron Symphony Orchestra
For the music lovers, try the Akron Symphony Orchestra. Students get 50 percent off all classic series, Sundays at the Elms, and Gospel Meets concert tickets, or they may buy rush tickets for $5 half-an-hour before the start of each Classic Series concert. Performances are held at Our Lady of the Elms, E.J. Thomas Hall, and the Akron Civic Theater. The full schedule can be found online.
Wally Waffle
This unobtrusive restaurant is a great place to go on a breakfast date. It is very casual and inexpensive, and they have amazing waffles and pancakes. Wally Waffle is open from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and breakfast costs $5-10.
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