Great Date Ideas to Try in Brighton

Clichés are clichés for a reason: sometimes they’re true. And we all know the old adage surrounding oysters – that they’re aphrodisiacs. Even scientists admit this. So, for a little taster of love, head to Riddle and Finns on the seafront. This seafood haven offers three kinds of oysters (best paired with a chilled glass of champagne), an exquisite crab bisque cassoulet and a whole grilled lobster with garlic-herb butter. It’s small but cosy, clocking in at about 40 customers at the same time. At night, it’s candlelit and intimate – perfect for romance. Recommended by local insider Clare Scott

If your date digs bucolic vibes and pastoral fields, wow them with a day trip to Middle Farm, a 20-minute drive from Brighton’s centre. This family-run farm comes replete with rabbits, guinea pigs, rare-breed chickens, huge hogs, llamas, goats and pedigree Jersey cows. (How could a tiny wriggling piglet not break the ice?) Once you’ve both had your fill of furry fun, buy one of the locally made apple ciders to pair with a picnic (which you can enjoy al fresco in the farm’s rolling fields), or explore the restaurant’s home-cooked options (the steak and ale pasties are divine). Recommended by local insider Clare Scott

Brighton is a seaside town, so why not take advantage of that? For an ultra-fun date with a watery twist, consider taking your date to the beach to paddleboard. It’s the ultimate outdoor experience, and even if neither of you has done it before, you can rent the necessary equipment from Brighton Watersports and sign up for a class in one simple stroke. Turn up the heat by going at sunset – there’s nothing cooler than gliding across calm waters as the orange sun dips down behind you, pier lights twinkling in the distance. If nothing else, it’ll give you both a story to tell later. Recommended by local insider Clare Scott

Technology is off the menu. At the Gin Tub, mobile phones are a no-no, and the staff have enforced this rule by covering the bar’s walls with silver foil and the roof with copper wire, creating a type of Faraday cage that blocks mobile signals. So, if you’re hoping to peek at your phone on the sly while your date tells you about their day, don’t bother. If you do miss your phone, each table has a retro telephone that customers use to order their drinks. The result? Actual human interaction, which, believe it or not, will do wonders in the romance department. Though if the conversation does get a little stale, that table telephone can also call other customers sitting around you, which is bound to liven things up. Recommended by local insider Ellie Ricketts

The Komedia, which opened in 1994, is one of Brighton’s biggest venues, hosting more than 700 performances each year. From stand-up comedy that’ll have you in stitches to daring cabaret shows that’ll have you on your feet cheering, this entertainment venue in the hip North Laine neighbourhood is a one-way ticket to showing your date a good time. Consider having a pre-show drink in the bar above Duke’s at Komedia Picturehouse next door; it serves excellent craft beers. Recommended by local insider Ellie Ricketts