3 Ways to Have a Great First Date in Philly

Planning a first date in Philadelphia and not sure what to do? No wonder - the city is full of exciting and diverse locations. From world-class museums and historical sites to restaurants showcasing food from around the globe, choosing the right place to wow your date can seem like a big task.

Keep in mind that Philadelphia is a very walkable city - these ideas are specifically designed with walkers in mind. All of these ideas are also in areas of the city that have constant cab service available and are readily accessible to public transit options. Here are some ideas for your big first date in Philadelphia.

#1 The Old City

Meet up at 3^rd and Market Streets in the downtown Philly neighborhood known as Old City. Stop in at Fork, an award-winning restaurant specializing in New American cuisine. Better yet, make a reservation - the brunch and lunch menus have been rated Best of Philly, but even at dinner this hotspot is bound to be busy. Entrees from their dinner menu are about $25 each, making Fork an upscale dining experience yet still within reach.

Fancy dining not your thing? Only a block away at 218 Market Street stands Soho Pizza. Small and cozy with Tiffany-style hanging lamps and a good beer selection, this is a great place for some quiet get-to-know-you conversation. Buy by the slice for their incredible brick-oven pizza or try some of their other menu selections. Soho Pizza is clean, unpretentious and inexpensive - truly a nice place to sit down and enjoy some pizza. Check out their listing on Urbanspoon to see what other people have to say.

After dinner, make your way to the corner of 2^nd and Market for drinks at the Continental. This is a stylish martini bar - think Mad Men with a modern twist. Try out the venue's signature drink, the Buzz Aldrin. Named after an astronaut, this is made with peach vodka, triple Sec and the drink of choice for spacegoers - Tang. This is a busy place, especially on the weekends, making it a great place to relax and open up a bit - no pressure here.

If you're not ready for the night to end, the Continental is only a few blocks' walk to the waterfront at Penn's Landing. Stroll along the Delaware River and talk, sit on one of the many benches available and look at the boats or across the river to Camden, NJ.

#2 The Chinatown

Philadelphia's Chinatown may not be as well-known as those in cities such as New York or San Francisco, but it's still a thriving community and a great place to eat. Try Lee How Fook, on 11^th Street between Race and Vine Streets. Like many other Chinese restaurants in the area, prices are very reasonable, at about $10-15 per person. Lee How Fook is BYOB - you could bring a nice bottle of wine to share with your date, or just skip the alcohol and try the restaurant's outstanding tea.

Why not take your date to a concert? A few blocks away at 10^th and Arch Streets is one of Philly's best concert venues, The Trocadero. Commonly referred to as "The Troc" this venue can support 1200 people at a standing room show, and 250 more at its Balcony Bar on the 2^nd floor. The Troc specializes in concerts for underground or independent bands, but also houses other events like Battles of the Bands and comedy shows. Movie Mondays are featured on - well, Mondays, showing recent DVD releases or cult classics.

#3 The Rittenhouse Square

This date is held near 20^th and Sansom Streets - just a few blocks away from Rittenhouse Square. For something to munch on, try out Parc Restaurant. French, but not overly fussy - they even have cheeseburgers on the menu. Speaking of cheeseburgers, why not try out Rouge? The Rouge Burger was #4 on GQ Magazine's list of the 20 burgers to eat before you die - a pretty strong endorsement if you ask me. Sadly, the article is no longer listed on GQ's site, but you can see the full list on restaurant-centric website Chow.

The Helium Comedy Club would be a great place to bond with your first date over a few laughs. Every Tuesday they offer an Open Mic night, but host lots of well-known and up-and-coming comedians. They even offer comedy workshops, which might be a fun bonding experience for later dates.

Right next door to Helium is the Roxy Theater, if movies are more your style. This mom-and-pop theater is in unfortunate condition, but is a landmark in its own right. She don't look like much, but the locals love her. Usually the Roxy will show one or two big box-office titles, and one art house/independent film. It's pretty unfussy, so if you're going for a low-key first date the Roxy might fit the bill.

If these ideas aren't doing it for you, check out Philly's free weekly arts and entertainment newspapers: City Paper and Philadelphia Weekly. These will keep you clued in about where to find the hottest restaurants and events. Hope your Philly first date is a success!