Date Night, Memphis Style
Being a mom can be an all encompassing, time consuming responsibility that leaves little room for much else. But, if the internet has taught us anything, as moms we know that it is important to continue to get together with your spouse for a much deserved dat night. Easier said than done, I get it; but book that babysitter, call beg the in laws, whatever you need to do, and invest in some quality time. Whether you’re in a long term, established relationship or you’re a mom that is newly back on the dating scene, putting yourself and your relationship first from time to time will pay off.
Of course, who has the bandwidth to plan a fun date night? A quiet dinner cooked by someone other than yourself, with no interruptions or food thrown is a rare treat, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes you want to do something a little more than just going out to eat.
Here are 10 fun date night ideas, ready made for you to go out and have an adventure right here in Memphis!
1. Channel your inner foodie
Memphis’ food scene is emergent and exciting. For a few years now, we’ve been getting national press for our innovative local restaurants. We’ve always been on the map for BBQ and fried chicken, but lately there’s more to eat than grease, fat, and pork. For a spin on a pretty traditional date night, go out to dinner at one of our lauded restaurants! My suggestions? Anything in the Andrew Michael family of restaurants (all owned by chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman; Catherine and Mary’s and Andrew Michael are particularly noteworthy for dates), Restaurant Iris (with Chef Kelly English back at the helm and a new menu, this classic is perfect for date nights), Flight, Southern Social (a good Germantown option for you suburban folk), or Amelia Gene’s. Anything in Overton Square is fun or head to Saddle Creek for the new Local Lime that everyone’s raving about.
2. Mini-date
Don’t have time for a full-fledged date night? While I’m on the topic of food, let’s discuss my favorite quick date: dessert! How fun would it be to grab coffee or a boba tea and ice cream at Sugar Ghost, settle down at a table, and enjoy taking a pause from your hectic lives as parents? Exactly.
3. Memphis is the Music City!
We have a wonderful selection of live music all over the city — from the free concerts at the Overton Park Shell to the ticketed performances down at the Snowden Grove Amphitheater. You could check out Opera Memphis, or the Memphis Symphony or even one of the trending Candlelight Concerts by Fever (locally these are in Mid-town of off the parkway). Not only that, but on any given night, there is always live music somewhere, especially down on Beale or Overton Square!
4. Bring out the kid in you
Adulting is hard. If you need a break from being responsible, turn date night into a competition! If the weather is nice, go to Golf and Games and play putt-putt golf. After striving for that hole in one, you could race go-karts and try to earn enough tickets to win a prize inside at the games. They even have laser tag – you could team up and play together for some couples bonding, but honestly I would rather seek and destroy; all men for themselves. Another idea? Cosmic bowling. It’s always a fun change of pace! Just make sure to bring your socks! Billy Hardwick’s is a great place to bowl, but there are a lot of options. Dave and Buster’s is an all in one kind of date night – with dinner, a bar, and a great selection of games, you can spend all night challenging each other. Newer to the Memphis scene is the Amuse Museum where you reserve an hour or two to challenge each other in little puzzle rooms. Surprisingly fun and totally different.
5. Cheer for the home team
Whether you cheer for the Tigers, the Grizz, the Redbirds, 901FC, the Lynx, or a high school alma mater, look up that schedule, pick a game, buy tickets, gear up, and make a date out of it. Dress in your team colors, indulge in some popcorn and BBQ nachos (yes, food again!), and heck – wave that foam finger!
6. Take in a show
Memphis has a great local theater scene. From the traveling Broadway shows at the Orpheum Theater to local productions at Playhouse on the Square, Circuit Playhouse, TheatreWorks, Hatiloo, Theatre Memphis, and more, date night can include refined culture through the arts. Live theater not your thing? You could always opt for a dance performance instead — check out Ballet Memphis, Collage Dance Collective or new Ballet Ensemble (their famous NutRemix show is coming soon!).
7. Decorate up a storm
Several bakeries in the area, including Muddy’s and Primas, offer cookie decorating and baking classes. I may watch too many rom-coms, but there’s just something about the flour and rolling pins that put me in the mood. Plus you get to keep everything you bake! What could be sweeter than that?
8. Get back to nature
You may have noticed that most of these date night ideas include food; it is no secret that we love to chow down on goodness in our great city. So to balance all this food, how about we add in dates that are good for the body as well! Memphis has an abundance of green space, considering we’re a city with a fair amount of sprawl and car dependency. Take a day date to one of the many different outdoor options: in Shelby Farms Park you can rent a kayak or paddle board (they even have cocktail night afterwards!) or try GoApe — their zip line challenge course. Head to Shelby Forest to hike or fish. Bike to Arkansas across the Big River Crossing downtown. Or play disc golf in East Memphis at Sea Isle Park
9. Strive to be a cicerone
So I looked it up and apparently a certified beer expert is known as a cicerone. For this date night, tap into some of the great local brews in Memphis. Most of the local breweries have tap rooms. You should definitely check out Memphis Made, Wiseacre, Crosstown Brewing, Ghost River, and High Cotton. To make the date night fun, download and print off these beer tasting scorecards and work your way through samples of the various types of beers. More of a wino? I love Knifebird in Cooper Young: a low key wine bar with a knowledgeable staff. Use this wine tasting scorecard and save your notes–once you find a wine you love, you can find it at the store yourself for your personal cellar.
10. Take a romantic staycation
Of course, best was saved for last. Call up the grandparents, enlist your best overnight babysitter–whatever you need to do–and book a night (or two!) at the River Inn at Harbor Town. This quaint hotel is so romantic, with only a few rooms per floor and an intimate lobby with a wood burning fireplace. The rooftop has beautiful views. Grab drinks before dinner and take in the downtown lights. Dinner at Paulette’s is a must–especially the popovers with strawberry butter and the crêpes for dessert. The next day, walk around Harbor Town and along the river before heading back to reality.
