Since my boyfriend and I both go to school in Tuscaloosa, nights out at home can be few and far between. For that reason, date nights almost exclusively begin downtown. I’ve already expressed my love for Trowbridge’s as the perfect lunch spot. However, since the beloved soda fountain closes at 5:30, it always comes down to Ricatoni’s, City Hardware, and Rosie’s for dinner dates. I am classically indecisive, so narrowing down my options to these three choices sometimes makes things easier...but not always. Ricatoni’s, my all-time favorite restaurant and the location of our first date in 2013, wins me over easily with Fettucine Alfredo and Ravioli Ricatoni. However, City Hardware’s Crab Cake Sandwich and Rosie’s Pollo Loco are also mouth-watering options, and all are so equally tempting that we’ve had to “pick a number between one and three” many times. Thankfully, neither of us is ever disappointed in the winner of that game.
After dinner, Carson and I like to walk down Court Street, often seeking out live music (which is thankfully abundant in the Shoals) or simply enjoying the peacefulness of downtown before finishing out the night with dessert and a $5 movie from Target. Date nights downtown are one of our favorite traditions, and downtown Florence has so much to offer when it comes to delicious dining and local talent.Emily Strickland, Communications Intern