ItâÄôs about that time of year when the mittens are pulled from deep in the closet and everyone hunkers down for the winter with a special someone to endure blizzards in poorly-heated apartments. Body heat is the best way to keep warm, after all. There is plenty of time to hurl yourself into a winter romance before Seasonal Affective Disorder sets in and those circles under your eyes darken even more. A&E has compiled a list of restaurants where you can bring a few lucky prospective space-heaters. Each of these delightful Metro eateries offers a special for a cheap date (or perhaps a witty, noncommittal gay best friend youâÄôve been saving for just such an occasion). Red Stag Supper Club WHERE: 509 First Ave. N.E., Minneapolis NIGHT: Tuesday, 5-10 p.m. PRICE: $32 Priding themselves on being MinneapolisâÄô first âÄúLeadership in Energy and Environmental DesignâÄù-certified restaurant , Red Stag Supper Club is a killer dining experience. With two dinners that rotate (A&E loves the chicken coconut curry with jasmine rice), dessert and a bottle of house wine, $32 isnâÄôt so daunting. Bryant-Lake Bowl WHERE: 810 W Lake St., Minneapolis NIGHT: Monday PRICE: $28 Dinner is a must on a first date, but after all that witty banter, what to do next? If youâÄôre eager to spend some recreational time with a new or old acquaintance, BLBâÄôs cheap date night includes a round of bowling and a few drinks in their $28 special. The Uptown alley/restaurant/bar/theater is the perfect place to strike up some love. Wilde Roast Cafe WHERE: 518 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis NIGHT: Monday – Thursday PRICE: $25 If youâÄôre thinking of getting a little sloshed on some weeknight with a lover-to-be, Wilde Roast is just a quick stumble from campus. For about the same price as half a tank of gas, enjoy your choice of two personal pizzas and two bottomless glasses of ambrosiac house wine. Kafé 421 WHERE: 421 14th Ave. S.E., Minneapolis NIGHT: Tuesday, Sunday PRICE: $25 If venturing from campus is less than ideal, consider DinkytownâÄôs own super-chic bistro, Kafé 421. For $25, two lovebirds can enjoy a salad and their pasta entrée of choice. Feel free to consider reenacting that puppy-love kiss from âÄúLady and the Tramp.âÄù Pair this tummy-filler with $3 drinks all evening long. Zeno Café WHERE: 2919 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis NIGHT: Tuesday PRICE: $30 ZenoâÄôs new date-night special has been nicknamed the âÄúCoupleâÄôs Bailout Plan.âÄù For just $30, love bugs receive an appetizer, a bottle of wine, and dessert complete with two blank vouchers for a movie night at the Lagoon Theatre , which can be redeemed whenever. Stretch those funds over an entire weekend! Exhausted our list? Here are two runners-up: Gigi’s Café WHERE: 822 W 36th St., Minneapolis NIGHT: Wednesday PRICE: $25 Broders’ Pasta Bar WHERE: 5000 Penn Ave S., Minneapolis NIGHT: Weeknights PRICE: $26 per person
The Cities’ best date nights
Looking for a cheap way to make your lover swoon? We’ve got you covered.
![Red Stag's grilled pork sirloin served with stewed lentils and spaetzle in a homemade whole-grain mustard sauce.
Vegetarian option: tempura fried broccoli instead of pork.](https://mndaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/1029p1date-copy.jpg)
Red Stag’s grilled pork sirloin served with stewed lentils and spaetzle in a homemade whole-grain mustard sauce.
Vegetarian option: tempura fried broccoli instead of pork.
by John Sand
Published October 28, 2009
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