Ah, Toronto, The Six, the meeting place. Depending on the source, they say the word Toronto comes from a Mohawk word meaning “where there are trees standing in water” or from a Huron word meaning “plenty.” I like both meanings. Love the trees and the lake, and the Humber River. And I also like the idea of plenty! There are plenty of places in downtown Toronto for a first date. Actually, there are plenty for more than 100 dates. But one step at a time. If I was in a position of inviting a woman to a first date, I’d assume I knew something about her, even a little bit. I would make sure she knew a little bit about me as well. I know that this is hard to do with online dating, so if you need help meeting people face-to-face then reach out to our team of Toronto Matchmakers.

Anyway, once she knew a little bit about me, she would know I love good food. And by good, I mean fine dining, whether at a restaurant or whether I cook it myself (but not until the second or third or fourth date). For the first date then, I’d invite her to lunch at Café Boulud on a weekend, so business hours don’t get in the way. Café Boulud is one of my favorite restaurants in Toronto. Its atmosphere is elegant but casual so it’d be great for a first date. Restaurants like Auberge du Pommier or Joso’s, outstanding as they are, lend themselves better for a dinner date. Joso’s, in particular, is an excellent choice if the first date turns into a relationship. It’s just way too romantic for a first date.

Another thing I like about Café Boulud is its location. The restaurant is inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville, the posh area of Toronto where it’s fun to walk around and window shop in the spring and summer. There’s a beautiful parkette with its famous rock where we could sit, and people watch on a sunny day. If the date was open ended, we could choose to walk over to the Manulife Building and catch a movie at the VIP Cinemas or browse books and magazines at the Indigo store on the Bay St. side.

May your first date be fantastic! As Anthony Hopkins put it in Meet Joe Black: “you never know, lighting could strike!”

Photo: Delicious desserts at Café Boulud in Toronto.
Photo Credit: Canadian and World Tourism