Date night needs more than reservations. It needs a plan.

At Stanley Marketplace, date night becomes a full experience: sunset cocktails with mountain views, hands-on workshops, elevated dinners, sweet indulgences, and plenty of spontaneous stops in between. Everything's walkable. Nothing's rushed. Pick your mood below and let the evening unfold.

OPTION 1: THE CLASSIC ROMANTIC EVENING

Cocktails → Elevated Dinner → Nightcap

**Stop 1: Sunset Cocktails at** **Traveling Mercies**
Start with golden hour and mountain views. Order the Vesper 18 (a three-part martini with olive oil washed Finnish dry gin) or the Quarter Horse (a winter julep with coconut washed Fernet Branca). Prefer a spirit free libation? Try the Ghia Spritz. Add fresh oysters or smoked trout rillette and settle in.
**Stop 2: Dinner at** **Annette**
Annette is a James Beard Award-winning wood-fired American restaurant that transforms date night into something special. This warm, welcoming space is built for connection - whether you're celebrating an anniversary or just escaping the everyday.
**Stop 3: Nightcap at** **The Local Drive**
End the night with cocktails in a beautiful setting. Their espresso martini is a local favorite, or explore their extensive craft cocktail list while you recap the evening.
**Perfect for:** Anniversaries, celebrations, or when you want to go all in.

OPTION 2: THE CREATIVE + CASUAL DATE NIGHT

Happy Hour → Make Something → Dinner

**Stop 1: Happy Hour at** **Denver Biscuit Company**
Start at Bar DBC, where comfort food by day transforms into a laid-back bar scene at night. Grab the $5 beer of the month or $5 cocktail of the month (changes monthly), and don't skip their happy hour menu. Sully's fries are a must.
**Stop 2: Pottery Date Night at** **Friend Assembly**
Get your hands dirty in a wheel-throwing class or join an open studio session (one guided session required first). It's messy, memorable, and you'll walk away with something you made together.
**Stop 3: Dinner at** **Molino Chido**
Close out the evening with house-made masa tacos, creative crudos like Aguachile Verde, or their shareable Carne Asada paired with a Spicy Margarita. Every dish reflects their commitment to polished grit and intentional cooking - where 'chido' means doing things the right way while celebrating community.
**Perfect for:** Couples who'd rather create something than follow the usual script. Casual, creative, and completely different.

OPTION 3: THE PLAYFUL & HANDS-ON EVENING

Drinks → Cooking Class → Dessert

**Stop 1: Drinks at** **Boychik**
Kick things off with $5 Prosecco, Rosé, or a Cerebral "Neon Light" Colfax Lager. Grab a Falafel Slider to tide you over before you cook your own dinner.
**Stop 2: Cooking Class at** **Create Kitchen & Bar**
Ditch the reservation and make the meal yourselves. Learn to cook a three-course regional gourmet meal with a professional chef, complete with wine pairings or signature cocktails. Best part? They handle cleanup.
**Stop 3: Dessert & Nightcap**
Grab a sweet crepe from **La Crêperie d'Audrey** (the Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie crepe is a crowd favorite), and wind down with a beer at **Cheluna Brewing** like the Carmelita Vienna Lager.
**Perfect for:** Couples who like learning together and leaving with new skills (and full stomachs).

MORE WAYS TO SPEND A DAY (OR NIGHT) AT STANLEY

GIRLS DAY OUT

Sip → Eat → Create → Celebrate

Stop 1: Tea & Browse the Shops
Ease in with specialty teas from Bad Peach Cafe or a coffee from Logan House, then browse through the marketplace unique local shops. It's low-key and perfect for catching up.

Stop 2: Lunch at Boychik
Mediterranean-inspired and fresh. Try the Chicken Shawarma (made fresh on the spit), the Winter Quinoa Salad, or grab a Pita Wrap. Healthy, flavorful, satisfying.

Stop 3: Get Creative at Friends of Friends
Pick an art project from their menu, paint or craft together, and let the conversation flow. You'll leave with something you made and stories to match.

Bonus: Before you head home, mosey over to Annette for happy hour (Tues-Sun, 4:30-5:30pm). Half-price wine by the glass, $8-10 cocktails and spritzes, plus plates like the Annette burger, egg salad on toast, and a winter tart.

GUYS NIGHT OUT

Play → Eat → Unwind

Stop 1: Games & Cocktails at Local Drive
Start with simulator golf and craft cocktails. Non-golfers welcome: there's plenty to keep the competition going.

Stop 2: Dinner Your Way
Head to Stanley Beer Hall for award-winning burgers and craft beer or cocktails from their self-serve tap wall. With dozens of options, TVs for any game, and a laid-back atmosphere, it's the perfect spot to eat, drink, and hang out.

Stop 3: Last Round at Cheluna Brewing
Cap off the night with one of Cheluna's rotating specialty brews - locally crafted and worth savoring. Their brewery is perfect for winding down, and they regularly host live music, so check their schedule.

Bonus: Check Replay Sports Cards' schedule for monthly Trade Nights: free prizes, card swaps, and an unexpectedly social scene.

THE SOLO RESET

Create → Relax → Indulge

Stop 1: Make (or Do) Something Just for You
Bring your body, mind and spirit into positive alignment with a pilates session at Kinesis Pilates. Book an open studio at Friend Assembly. Browse a menu of art projects at Friends of Friends and pick what you want to make. Build a custom bouquet of flowers at Poppy & Pine. Treat yourself to a facial at Clementine's. Pick what speaks to you.

Stop 2: Wind Down or Walk Around with a Drink
Grab a beer at Stanley Beer Hall, cocktail at Traveling Mercies, specialty tea at Bad Peach Cafe. Stay awhile, browse the shops, and savor the moment.

Stop 3: Treat Yourself on the Way Out
Don’t skip on the handmade bon bons or macaroons at Miette et Chocolat. You deserve it.

PARENT PRO TIP: KID TIME = YOUR TIME

Drop the kids at Bounce Gymnastics for supervised open gym or book them into a hands-on workshop at Friend Assembly or Mindcraft Makerspace. Then sneak away for happy hour, dinner, shopping, or just breathing room.

Find the latest kids' classes and schedules on our Events page.

Everything's walkable. All in one place. The only question left: which itinerary are you choosing?

Date Night at Stanley Marketplace: A Progressive Evening Guide