PSA: You don’t need to be dating someone to have a date night. Taking yourself out for a meal or a movie is a simple yet cherished pleasure that’s just as fulfilling as sharing the experience with a SO.

Toronto is overflowing with things to do, from dining at incredible new restaurants to drooling over the latest skincare techniques at the city’s top spas. And the best part is, you can enjoy so much of it by yourself. Below, we’ve compiled a guide to some of the best solo date ideas in Toronto. “Me time” is calling.

Join a supper club

 

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If you’re a little nervous about going to a new Toronto restaurant by yourself, try a supper club instead. There are a bunch of unique supper clubs popping up all over the city, from an indulgent evening inside a converted pottery studio at k.dinners to Oui Aïa’s surprise tasting menus inside a downtown condo. You may be dining with strangers at first, but by the end of the night, you’ll be practically eating off each other’s plates.

Own the night with an evening run crew

We’ll pass on running alone at night, but we’re down to hit the pavement in the p.m. with a badass, female-founded run crew. Night Terrors Run Crew meets across the city four evenings a week and collaborates with local businesses and artists to create fun-filled workouts.

Not only is it free to join, but it’s also a great opportunity to explore different neighbourhoods while getting a good dose of endorphins. Runners of all levels are welcome.

Listen up at a music lounge

 

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There are lots of music lounges across the city where you can tune out the world and delight in some pretty sweet sounds that aren’t from your AirPods. Some of our favourite venues are The Reservoir Lounge, a sultry Wellington Street live jazz and blues bar; Jean Darlene Piano Room, a moody, hidden karaoke piano bar on Dundas West; and The Little Jerry, an all-vinyl listening bar and restaurant on College Street with guest DJs, great wine and a disco ball.

Take the plunge with cold water therapy

 

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While dunking your body into a bath of ice-cold water doesn’t sound sexy or relaxing in the slightest, cold plunging does have some remarkable benefits, such as building mental resilience, improving sleep, and reducing inflammation and stress levels.

Give it a try with guided ice bath and sauna sessions at Othership’s two luxe Toronto locations or the recently opened ice bath and breathwork studio Alter in the College West neighbourhood.

Visit an urban winery

Sip natural vino from the source at Paradise Grapevine’s winery and restaurant. Located along Toronto’s industrial yet elegant Geary Avenue, the second outpost of the popular Bloor Street wine bar is big, bold and bursting with crushable vintages fermented and aged right next door. Paradise Hour is every Tuesday-Sunday from 5-6 p.m. and features all Paradise wine-by-the-glass for $10. Cheers to that.

Search for second-hand treasures

 

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Nothing beats the rush of a thrift-store score. While Toronto has its fair share of second-hand shops, it can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to look.

If you’re a design devotee, check out The Door Store on Castlefield Avenue (Toronto’s design district) for salvaged stained glass fixtures and stunning decor pieces from Egypt, or The Apartment on Queen East, a bubble-gum pink treasure trove of kitschy gems and vintage tableware.

For fashion lovers, Kensington Market is a mecca for second-hand threads with stores like Courage My Love (incredible footwear collection), Exile Vintage (costume pieces and “fur” coats), and Bungalow (retro classics).

Have a solo staycation

 

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There’s something about a hotel lobby that really does it for us. Spending the night away from your own space can do wonders for the mood, too. With lots of new hotels slated to open in Toronto in 2024 (Nobu, Hudson Hotel, Andaz Toronto–Yorkville), a sexy staycation for one is a power move and our solo date-night dream.

If booking a night is out of the budget, Toronto hotels like The Ace Hotel and The Drake Hotel have incredible performance lineups and weekly programming for anyone to enjoy.

Indulge in self-care at a top spa

 

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Treat yourself to an evening of pampering at one of the city’s many gorgeous spas and wellness centres. From a Miracle 10 Facial Peel at MD Beauty Clinic to lymphatic drainage massage at the mega-popular Tight Clinic to the ultra-luxe Morpheus8 facial at the newly opened Aman Spa near Old Town, you deserve to relax and unwind with some much-needed “me time.”

Take a cool new class

It’s never too late to learn something new. Cross two things off your to-try list with paint AND karaoke night at a Design with Wine event, a new sip and paint experience in Toronto (pro tip: don’t wear white), or play with clay at MUD Studio on Carlaw.

Want to level up your cooking/wine-tasting game? Dish Cooking Studio on College is the perfect dinner date night, where you can break bread with new friends over a shared meal you all made together (cute!). Or, put your wine knowledge to the test at Sommelier Factory, a downtown wine bar that moonlights as a non-stuffy wine school.

Meet all the good boys and girls at a dog-friendly brewery

Bring your fur baby or just yourself to one of Toronto’s dog-friendly breweries, and you’re guaranteed to have a night full of cuddles and kisses.

Liberty Village’s Something in the Water serves up crafty brews and nautical vibes; Black Lab Brewing in Leslieville has one of the best trivia nights in the city; and Leftfield Brewery has its very own four-legged mascot, Wrigley, an adorable basset hound you can’t take home, sorry.

Catch a flick at an underrated movie theatre

Skip the big players and check out the smaller Toronto theatres for films and screenings you didn’t know you needed. The beautifully restored Paradise Theatre on Bloor hosts a monthly Queer Cinema Club, a celebration of queer films featuring conversations, cocktails and special guests. Each screening is paired with a local queer artist, who creates a special poster for the film that you can purchase.

For some big laughs, Roncy’s Revue Cinema curates monthly “Drunken Cinema” nights, which blend cult classics with hilarious, interactive games… and glow sticks. And, for the best movie deals in the city, Carlton Cinema near Yonge and College is number one in our hearts.

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