Looking for a chic neighborhood for a quiet date night? Trying to live it up and belt out tunes at bars in North Park with your partner?
Where to Get a Sweet Treat in North Park
Nothing beats grabbing something sweet to eat and calling it a date. Cheap, delicious, and fun, all of these spots are the best places to start your date off right!
Golden Donut, University Ave
Golden Donut has my favorite donuts in North Park. As you may soon learn, I am a donut aficionado. I grew up eating Dunkin’ Donuts, but (thankfully) have since branched out. I always judge a place based on their glazed donut, and Golden Donut scores perfect marks here. Flaky, sweet, and big, their glazed donuts are to die for. They have amazing maple bars and even sell bacon topped donuts as well! Other options include donut-holes, cinnamon buns, and coffee. Stop by Golden Donut before heading over to Communal Coffee and North Park Nursery to start your day!
Solomon Bagels and Donuts
Staying on theme here with another donut shop is Solomon’s. Their donuts are slightly cakeier, but still delicious. They offer a wider variety than most shops, including many fun flavors of filling, including passion fruit. More than just a donut shop, Solomon’s also has killer cinnamon rolls, brownies, and importantly vegan donuts and desserts. If you are looking for great vegan food in North Park, Solomon should be your next stop! And good news for everyone who doesn’t like sweets – as the name suggests, they sell amazing bagels and bagel sandwiches. After grabbing food here, take a stroll over to North Park Community Park for a picnic!
Hammond’s Ice Cream
Off of University lies Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream, an ice cream lover’s dream. With thirty-two flavors, Hammonds has an awesome selection that will keep you coming back time and time again. There are vegan options too, so everyone can partake in the fun. What sets Hammond’s apart from the rest are the ice cream flights that they offer.
Brave patrons can try all thirty-two options in one go, but their flights can start at just two flavors. Offered in sugar or waffle cones, these treats are a mini-scoop of ice cream on a similarly small cone. As someone who can’t get enough new flavors, this makes Hammond’s the perfect spot for ice cream in North Park. While they do sport some classic flavors, they have more exotic ones, such as ube, ginger caramel, and blueberry cheesecake.
North Park, San Diego Bars
If you want a night out, and you’re tired of the scene in Pacific Beach, I get it. As much as I love spots like Mavericks and El Prez, it can be a lot. I won’t say that the bar scene in North Park is on the same level as PB, but if you want a slightly more low-key date night there are tons of places with a great atmosphere and even better drinks. Read on for some North Park bars!
The Office
While I haven’t been to any of these places since before the pandemic, The Office takes my vote for best music in North Park. The Office is a smaller bar with a good-sized dance floor and a diverse taste in music. The Office doesn’t just stick to one genre, and EDM and Hip-Hop both help make an atmosphere where people actually dance. Being centrally located, this is a perfect spot to start or end your night. Being next to tons of food options makes this bar an even more attractive choice for a date.
Redwing
Just up the street from The Office is Redwing, a lively, divey, karaoke bar. They are known as a gay bar, so if you can’t be respectful, expect to be removed. Their website proudly proclaims that they have been voted “Best Dive Bar in North Park”, and I am inclined to agree. If loud EDM and dancing is not your scene, karaoke at Redwing may be more up your alley. Be warned: they take karaoke seriously here, so be prepared! You don’t have to be a professional singer, but you should get ready to give it your best shot.
According to Yelp, they take Covid protocols very seriously, so be ready to have proof of vaccination or a negative test. The lines can get long, and while this may sound like a problem, you can turn it into an opportunity to grab a snack from Brother’s Mexican next door. They set up a taco cart on the sidewalk which I have not yet tried. That being said, the smell pouring from the cart is amazing. I will be sure to report back after I sample them!
Polite Provisions
O.K., so karaoke isn’t your thing and loud EDM isn’t either – how about speakeasies? On the corner of 30th and Adams lies Polite Provisions. Serving up killer drinks in a beautiful bar, this spot makes for a fun date night in the Northern part of North Park. The interior is old-school and complete with over a dozen different taps. If this is for show or if they are fully functional is beyond me. At night, the bar takes on an amber glow and with ample seating, it is a cozy spot to have a drink or two and enjoy the atmosphere. I have read that outside food is allowed, which begs a tip to The Friendly, merely a block away. (Be sure to double-check ahead of time!)
Seven Grand
If you’re looking for something classy and upscale, Seven Grand is the place for you! Seven Grand is located in the heart of the neighborhood. As far as I know, it is one of the only bars in North Park that is labeled specifically as a “whiskey bar”. In a similar vein to Polite Provisions, the decor is decidedly old-school and resembles a hunting lodge. Rows upon rows of bottles adorn the bar and taxidermy lines the walls.
If you like pool, then here is your chance to shine! They have a few tables in the front and even a smoking room in the back (I have not visited the smoking room yet). If you’re more serious about whiskey, their website boasts a “Whiskey Society” that you can partake in. For a classy, more refined date night in North Park, check them out!
Where to Go Shopping in North Park
When you and your partner need a little retail therapy, look no further than North Park! From thrifting to fancy gift shops, there are loads of local stores to check out.
Pigment
If you’re looking for a store that is always trendy, colorful, and an experience to shop in, then Pigment is the place for you. Located on 30th and North Park way, Pigment has everything from succulents to stuffed animals. It is the perfect location for holiday shopping for all ages, and visiting is on my list for top things to do in North Park.
The whole store is sorted by color and it is so easy to get lost trying to find the perfect stocking stuffer. With houseplants being all the rage right now, there is a huge selection of pots, succulents, and of course tons of different plants. The walls outside and inside are painted beautifully and make the perfect backdrop for cute couple pics.
Day to Day Vintage
Now that thrifting and vintage is all the rage, it can be hard to find the right ‘fit to get you going. Thrift stores are seemingly barren, so where can we turn to get stylish clothing? Look no further than Day to Day Vintage! A great date spot for people who are fashion-forward, this shop is centrally located and right off of University Ave. They have everything from varsity jackets to cowboy boots and all of their clothing is on-trend.
The store itself is not huge, but their selection is well-curated and well priced. With a comfy atmosphere, this store is a great place to visit if you and yours want to spend a day shopping in North Park. The surrounding thrift stores, in my opinion, are a little outdated and don’t usually carry much inventory that justifies a visit. Do yourself a favor and cut right to Day to Day Vintage.
Communal Coffee/North Park Nursery
Not everyone can hang for an all-day shopping adventure, which is why North Park Nursery and Communal Coffee is a perfect stop for a long day out. If you’re looking for North Park coffee shops, look no further than Communal Coffee! Communal Coffee is an awesome high-end coffee shop that serves fun drinks, salads, and avocado toast. Inside the store is a small gift shop, alongside seating for anyone looking to rest their weary legs.
Bouquets, postcards, and much more are all available to look at – even when your partner may need a break. If you’re looking for more, behind Communal Coffee is North Park Nursery, which has tons of succulents and houseplants available. Sporting both an indoor and outdoor section, this nursery has a good selection and is a great stop if you’re looking for plants in North Park.
