Five great date spots in San Diego

With the new semester starting, and all of the new people we’ll meet, there may come a time when we need to impress a certain someone in our lives. It often starts with a great spot for a first date.

With that in mind, this list is a compilation of some excellent places to take that special someone, featuring varied pricing so that you can choose to go all out or conserve some cash for a second or third date. These spots are a combination of ambiance, quality, and trendiness, and are perfect places to jumpstart a budding relationship.

1. Up2you Cafe ($)

Up2you is a small cafe well known for its boba tea, a Taiwanese specialty drink that typically features a black milk tea base, with chewy tapioca balls at the bottom of the glass. People can be picky about their boba tea, but Up2you gets great reviews from countless people at The University of San Diego. The cafe is also known for its desserts, more specifically, honey toast and crepes. It’s rumored that the Nutella and mascarpone crepe is life-changing. The atmosphere is casual and modern, and the cafe is perfect for having some quality conversation. They even have games to check out, including Uno and Jenga, to play while you eat and drink. The best part is Up2you is just down Linda Vista Road, located next to Kearny High School.

2. Lestat’s Coffee House ($)

24/7, 365 days a year is what Lestat’s is all about. Seriously, they never close. Are you and a friend up late studying? Go to Lestat’s. It’s 1 o’clock in the morning after a concert in North Park? Go to Lestat’s. There are a few different Lestat’s in San Diego, but the most popular ones are the Hillcrest and Adams Avenue locations.

It doesn’t matter which location you end up at, especially since all of the Lestat’s Coffee Houses are excellent places to relax with a cup of coffee. Lestat’s is a somewhat quirky place, and it certainly has a vibe that fits in with the Hillcrest/Normal Heights attitude. The mismatched furniture gives Lestat’s a thrift-store-cozy feeling. Sometimes the actual coffee itself is not all that important if the location and atmosphere are already exceptional, but Lestat’s delivers an above-average brew as well. Lestat’s is perfect for a study date, regular date, late-night not-sure-how-you-ended-up-there date, and everything in between.

3.Extraordinary Desserts ($$)

Extraordinary Desserts boasts itself as the number one destination in San Diego for globally-inspired gourmet desserts. While not all restaurants do, Extraordinary Desserts is definitely a place that delivers on its claim. It has been featured on The Food Network and in Forbes Magazine, and it has won numerous awards since its creation. Extraordinary Desserts features decadent pastries, cakes, ice creams, candies, tarts, and countless other delicacies.

Junior Mckenna Wade said that she loves the restaurant because of its welcoming atmosphere and wide variety of desserts.

“Extraordinary Desserts is immediately appealing because all the desserts are displayed in a beautiful casing right when you walk in,” Wade said. “There’s so much variety in the way the desserts are created that there is always something for everyone’s individual preferences.”

If you fancy a bite of something sweet after dinner, head over to Extraordinary Desserts.

4.George’s at the Cove ($$$) 

It is pretty hard to go wrong with a place that has been voted San Diego’s best restaurant. Located directly above the scenic La Jolla Cove, George’s has one of the best restaurant views in all of San Diego. It also boasts three different levels within the restaurant, each having a different theme. The most popular of the three levels for adults 21 or over would be the Level 2 cocktail bar, not only for the specialty Mixologist cocktails with hand-cut ice, but also because the lunch and dinner menus are worth the adventure, and a bit more casual than the two other levels. With incredible views and entrees to match, George’s serves its food with a high price tag, but it has the flair that is indicative of a true fine-dining experience and is worth every penny.

5. Kettner Exchange ($$)       

One of the hottest restaurants in San Diego, Kettner Exchange offers open-air rooftop dining that features progressive American cuisine. Located in Little Italy, Kettner Exchange sets itself apart from the other amazing restaurants in the neighborhood with its modern and sultry ambiance. Kettner Exchange is just one of those places that everyone wants to be at. It is the epitome of hip, and it has an air of exclusivity about it that adds to its overall desirability.

Junior Janek Benigno lists Kettner Exchange as one of his favorite restaurants in San Diego,

“Kettner Exchange always manages to feel special with its combination of effortlessly cool ambiance and unique, innovative food,” Benigno said. “It strikes a good balance of being sophisticated without being overly pretentious.”

Kettner Exchange is one of the most exciting dining experiences in San Diego, and it is a great compromise between fine dining and nightlife.

These five spots are perfect for any kind of date, on any day of the week. Alternatively, you could hit all of them back-to-back in five days.  The choice is completely yours.

Written by, Walker Chuppe, Arts & Culture Editor