NO-CCASION DATE NIGHT
IN BELLEVILLE
Maybe it’s your anniversary, your boo’s birthday or even a first date. These occasions all make for a classic reason to have a date night. Don’t get me wrong, they are all worthy reasons to go out on the town but do you always need one? Here’s the hot take you may have deduced from this blog’s title: you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy a date night.
Written by Jack McAvoy
Read time: 4 min
First of all, when was the last time you went on a date night?
If your answer is “I don’t remember, ” you can skip the next few paragraphs and go right to my itinerary because it’s time.
I’m not sure who said we have to limit fun and happiness to a particular set of days of the year. For example, the song Young Americans by David Bowie always manages to put a smile on my face, a spring in my step and temporarily makes me forget about any stressors in my life. Should I only listen to it once or twice a year? Absolutely not. I’m allowed to be happy, I’m allowed to have fun and you are too. Let’s face it, life can be hard and sometimes a single night of making it feel easy is all you need. Imagine a night free from having to scrape off whatever got stuck to the frying pan, hearing the neighbour’s dog bark at a passing squirrel or even making the bed in the morning.
This is a pitch from me to you, to just go for it. Get a babysitter, book that hotel, get that URide, get the dinner (with dessert) you’ve been drooling over and treat yourself to a show. If it was up to me, this would be my itinerary:
A Place to REST YOUR HEAD
There are a bunch of accommodations in Belleville to catch some shut-eye. Not having to make the bed in the morning? Bonus. I’d recommend using our accommodation guide to lock something down.
Kickin' the Evening Off
For the first stop of the evening, it has to be Capers in downtown Belleville. A plate of truffle fries, fried Brussels sprouts, a pint of Napanee Beer Company’s Mayday and a Pineapple Bourbon lemonade fits the bill perfectly. The fries are super fresh and the sprouts are crisp, fresh and bursting with flavour. The service and fun feel of Capers makes a great first stop and I can’t wait to come back another time for dinner.
The Main Course
A quick walk through the downtown core and we’re at our main course location: The Lark. This place is a cozy culinary spark that I’ve been craving for months. Fitting with the Lark’s cozy feel, the mains you can’t go wrong with are the Brown Butter Gnocchi or Beef Cheek Pappardelle. Both toasty, fresh and delectable. The gnocchi is pillowy, delicate and smothered in a delectably creamy sauce, while the beef in the Pappardelle stole is outstandingly tender. The Lark made this no-ccasion date night feel special.
My must-haves for cocktail lovers are The Breakfast of Champions or the Victory Lap. The Breakfast of Champions is as cozy as cocktails come with peanut butter-infused whisky, a whole egg, black-raspberry liquor and fresh nutmeg. Alternatively, the Victory Lap is a fresh and zesty beverage made with bourbon, cherry brandy, lime and ginger.
Entertainment
With appetite taken care of for the evening, now what? Luckily, Belleville is bursting with absurd amounts of things to do that fill the awkward gap between dinner time and sleepy time. Catch live music at The Smokin’ 116 Bistro, live theatre by The Belleville Theatre Guild at The Pinnacle Playhouse or take in a Belleville Sens game. For me, I’d check out Tegan and Sara playing at The Empire Theatre on April 2.
Night Cap
To tidy this evening up there’s just one last place to pop into. A stroll across the downtown footbridge to The Local Social House for an order of their magnificent, locally sourced Apple Crisp (with 2 spoons please).
