8 Best Antics for Romantics as Told by Draught Works Employees
As we enter February this week, there always seems to be a lingering layer of love lying thick upon us anywhere we go. Candy hearts are the first thing we see when entering any grocery store, roses are the chosen store front flowers, and the town becomes dressed in pink and red to express the love in the air.
Here at Draught Works we went ahead and asked our employees what the best places in town are to go on a date! Whether it is with your friends, a first date, a significant other, husband or wife, whomever it is we have an eclectic grouping of great date ideas that just might have slipped your mind!
The James Bar is a unique dining experience with classic, upscale American food. On Thursdays it is Goose night where they offer double Grey Goose Drinks for $5.00! Some of our favorite entrees are the mussels that are so deliciously good slathered in a spicy beer sauce, and of course there multiple selections of fries – from their truffle fries to Greek fries, they have it all!
Biga Pizza is a great lax first date idea! With the option to sit at the bar, the attention tends to be on Bob Marshall (the owner) while he handcrafts your pizza. This way you the tension eases up on you, and you can have a more relaxed conversation. Not only do they make some bomb pizza, but they also offer salads, sandwiches, and the best part – beer and wine! The price is very affordable, especially if you go Dutch (split the check)!
This little date idea came from our one and only male bartender – Andrew, his secret is out! Take your date and head on over to Shakespeare & Co. on the Hip Strip corner near the bead store, and spend 15-30 minutes finding a book that peaks your interest. At the end of the time limit, you and your date swap the books you found and read each other’s picks to learn more about the other person. This is a great idea if you’re over the classic dinner and drinks date.
If you are looking for a quick coffee date with a sweet treat then Le Petit Outre Bakery is what you are looking for! Located off the Hip Strip near the Southside Kettle House, this café is a picture perfect take on a French-style bakery. With delicious lattes, and their infamous (at least from our perspective) Birdman bread, this place is a no-brainer for a quick treat with a special someone!
Want something a little classier yet still casual? The always elegant, Red Bird Wine Bar is your perfect get away. This eatery, as the name implies, is the bar area of the Red Bird, and not the formal dining. Here you get the great food, but at a lower price. And if you are cheese addicts like us, you will die when you taste their killer fondue!
DINOSAUR CAFÉ (INSIDE CHARLIE B’S)
Yes, you read it right. The Dino Café is a great, greasy spoon with Cajun style food located in the back of Charlie B’s. This might be the perfect rowdy experience to take the edge off of creating that flawless night. If you love jambalaya and gumbo, then don’t hesitate to order the gumbalaya, the best kept secret on the menu! A few things to note, the Dino café is cash only – so come prepared. And if you stick around long enough, and I mean long enough, you just might get your picture up on the wall!
The Wilma is a live entertainment venue located downtown, right next to the Higgins Bridge. This is a great date idea if you are looking to share more than just dinner together. With live entertainment several nights a week, it is easy to catch a show here! And they, too, serve wine and beer to accompany an enjoyable evening out on the town!
DRAUGHT WORKS BREWERY
And lastly, but surely not least, Draught Works Brewery is a prime location to grab a beer and hang out. With live music Thursday, Saturday, and Sundays it’s always easy to listen to some great music from locals, and bands on tour alike! As well, we have darts inside and out to complement your beverage, and we offer up a mean game of cribbage, too! But also, if you are looking to learn more about the beer culture that is rapidly growing in Missoula, our servers love to talk beer – come in during the day, and you and your date can gain some insight on all the different styles of beers there are to offer!
With February being the month of “love”, we are also gearing up for our Valentine’s Day Four-Play event being held, if you can’t guess, on Valentine’s Day! We have paired up with Black Cat Bake Shop as our date to bring you some handcrafted desserts that pair well with some of our best, handcrafted beer.
There you have it, our take on the best date ideas in Missoula, Montana! Though, this is a small, eclectic group of ideas, there are countless places in Missoula that we love to venture to. If we could, we would put the whole town of Missoula on our list – that is how much we love our town! So this month we hope you share the love, and get out and explore something new with your favorite people!
View another ramble: Pints for Partnership!