The perfect date nights are those the place you stumble onto one thing surprising and really Portland. This become a hidden Portland date evening with a dessert merchandising machine and probably the most flavorful gin martini I’ve ever had. If you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing enjoyable, straightforward, and distinctive, this can be a good one.

We began with dinner at Matador

Our unique plan was easy. Dinner at Matador on East Burnside, which is one in every of our go-to date evening spots. If you can also make it in time for comfortable hour, they’ve nice offers on meals and drinks. If not (and we didn’t this time), the meals remains to be definitely worth the value. Their basic and up to date Mexican dishes are at all times filled with taste, and since they’re a tequila bar, you possibly can attempt a flight or simply order a very good margarita.

After dinner, we determined to stroll throughout the road as a result of I remembered Pix Patisserie being there. I hadn’t been in years, however I figured dessert sounded good.

Besides Pix Patisserie wasn’t the identical…

After we bought there, the complete setup was completely different. On Apple Maps it nonetheless says Pix Patisserie, however in particular person it’s now Pix-O-Matic. As an alternative of a full patisserie, there’s a Zoltar fortune teller and a bunch of merchandising machines full of desserts and random little gadgets. It sounds quirky, however the desserts are nonetheless simply pretty much as good as they was. The machines can be found 24 hours a day, besides about 3 to five within the morning, and so they’re beneath cowl so rain isn’t a difficulty.

It felt like we had wandered into one thing enjoyable with out attempting very arduous.

Then we found the key gin bar subsequent door

Proper subsequent door, in the identical constructing, is Can Bar. I didn’t even see it on Apple Maps, so it felt like we had came upon a bit hidden Portland date evening spot. They’re open Thursday by way of Saturday from 4 to 10 pm and so they make their very own gin.

The man operating it was pleasant and actually useful. I do know nearly nothing about gin, and he nonetheless took the time to clarify issues and gave my husband and me a pattern of their house-made sage gin known as Gin Via The Sages. It was extremely flavorful. We ended up ordering martinis with it, and so they have been actually superb. He talked about a brand new gin popping out quickly that folks say is even higher, so we already know we’re going again.

And if gin isn’t your factor, in addition they have wine and champagne. And charcuterie!

Mix the 2 for a enjoyable, straightforward date evening

Pix-O-Matic and Can Bar are enterprise companions, which implies you possibly can seize a dessert from the merchandising machine and produce it proper into the bar to get pleasure from together with your drink. Additionally they have a patio if the climate is good. It’s a relaxed setup and all the pieces feels easy and low-key, which is strictly the form of date evening I like.

The right ending to an unplanned Portland date evening

I wasn’t requested to write down any of this and I’m undoubtedly not being paid for it. We simply ended up having such a enjoyable, distinctive evening that I needed to share it. Our plan was merely to seize dinner at Matador, stroll throughout the road for dessert, and head dwelling. As an alternative, we found Pix-O-Matic, discovered a hidden bar and tried house-made gin subsequent door at Can Bar, and turned an everyday night into one thing memorable with out even attempting. It wasn’t what we deliberate, nevertheless it ended up being even higher!

Want extra date evening concepts? I’ve one other weblog publish with 10 Distinctive Portland Anniversary & Date Concepts For Staying in or Going Out.