A reader contacted me this morning to ask if I had any restaurants to recommend for solo diners. A single woman who loves good food, she said she often feels self-conscious when seated at a table by herself. It doesn't help, she added, when the server asks, "Will anyone be joining you tonight?"
"Longfellow Grill is one of the only places I can come up with that has a really singles-friendly vibe," she wrote. "And there's Town Talk, where the bartenders will take a snit of whatever you're drinking when they refill your glass. But can you think of any others?"
Well, I'm a wine columnist, so my mind immediately goes to places such as Lucia's and the now [sadly] defunct Auriga, as well as those coffehouse/wine bars like Wilde Roast and Zeno that provide wireless and great pastry, but less in the way of entrées and "haute cuisine" ambiance.
So I'm putting the question out there. Singles, do you have any favorite fine dining haunts you're willing to share? Send them in! And if enough of you congregate in one place, who knows? A couple of those tables for one may be pushed together before evening's end.
One of the better bets for lone locals is hitting the hotel restaurants. They are usually ready and looking for diners from conventions and business meetings that often dine as singles (the smart ones know that a single diner can often be the advance scout for a giant group later). In the Hyatt, the Oceanaire has a great oyster bar, plus they often send amuse bouche treats from the kitchen to make you feel welcomed. Firelake, adjacent to the Raddison is another swell bet, and anyone will feel washed over with graciousness at Cosmos in the Graves. Don't be afraid of the Chambers Kitchen either, there's some serious people watching there...
When I travel, I don't think twice about having a drink/meal alone but am hesitant to do so in Mpls/St Paul. The impression of "Don't you have any friends, or a date?" lingers when you're out alone in the town you live in and strike up a conversation with other bar patrons. Generally the need for solitude or relaxation is a spur-of-the-moment thing, after work, when the hassle of making plans with others is just too much. I think there's a potentially profitable market if restaurant owners could make their bar areas solo-friendly without it becoming a singles thing. So I'm looking forward to suggestions.