Best Date Night Restaurants in Fort Collins 2026
Published · Updated
The Fort Collins date pick for 2026 is Bistro Nautile, the downtown French room on West Oak Street. Runners-up: Cafe Vino, Ace Gillett's, Choice City, CooperSmith's.
There is no Michelin star within a hundred miles of Fort Collins, and the date that wins here is not pretending there is. The best room in town is a small French bistro off Oak Street; the rest of this list trades white tablecloths for jazz, wine and a brewpub that has outlasted everyone.
Six Fort Collins Tables for Date Night
The best date in Fort Collins, and the only proper French room. Chef-owner Ryan Damasky runs Bistro Nautile off Oak Street downtown, turning fresh seafood, Colorado Certified Angus and local produce into a tight bistro menu. The room is small and the service is warm and a little odd, on purpose. Book it for the date you want to take seriously.
The wine date, and the town's best list. Cafe Vino on South College is an award-winning wine bar with a chef-driven kitchen under Ryan Smith — the wagyu burger is the signature and the house burrata with heirloom tomato the table-setter. It is low-lit and built for a long bottle. Book it for a date that plans to stay for a second glass.
The most romantic basement in town. Ace Gillett's Supper Club sits under the restored 1923 Armstrong Hotel on College Avenue, pairing handcrafted cocktails and reworked comfort food with live jazz Thursday through Sunday. The vinyl and the low light do the work. Book a Thursday for a date that wants a band and a bourbon, not a tasting menu.
The carnivore's date, freshly upgraded. Choice City Butcher & Deli on Olive Street was bought and renovated in 2025 into a sit-down room with a full bar, built on premium house-cut meats, charcuterie and a deep craft-beer list. It is casual but serious about the protein. Book it for a date that would rather share a charcuterie board than read a wine list.
The Old Town institution, and the easy date that never disappoints. CooperSmith's has brewed on-site in Old Town Square since 1989 — more than thirty-five years — pairing award-winning house beer with a scratch kitchen. Grab the patio on the square. Book it for a low-stakes date where the beer list matters more than the dress code.
The Fort Collins original, running since 1971. Avogadro's Number on South Mason is a music venue and American restaurant with two patios and an indoor stage, the kind of place where a date turns into a show without planning it. The kitchen is generous and vegetarian-friendly. Book a night with a band for a date that likes live music with dinner.
How to Book
Bistro Nautile and Cafe Vino are small and fill on weekends — reserve a few days to a week ahead. CooperSmith's, Choice City and Avogadro's take walk-ins most nights, though a weekend table is safer booked.
Book Ace Gillett's for Thursday through Sunday, when the live jazz runs, and check the Avogadro's calendar for a show. Most of these kitchens close by 9pm on weeknights, so an early-evening date is the safer plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
For 2026 the editorial pick is Bistro Nautile, the downtown French bistro on West Oak Street run by chef-owner Ryan Damasky. For a wine-led evening, Cafe Vino on South College is the strongest alternative, and Ace Gillett's jazz supper club is the most atmospheric room in town.
Fort Collins has no Michelin-starred restaurants, but it has genuine date-night rooms: Bistro Nautile delivers French bistro cooking, Cafe Vino runs the city's best wine list with a chef-driven menu, and Ace Gillett's pairs cocktails and live jazz under the historic Armstrong Hotel.
A date-night dinner in Fort Collins is affordable by big-city standards — most of these rooms sit in the $$ to $$$ range, roughly $25 to $60 a head before drinks. Bistro Nautile and Cafe Vino run highest; CooperSmith's, Choice City and Avogadro's are easier on the bill.
Ace Gillett's Supper Club is the most atmospheric date in Fort Collins: a low-lit basement bar under the 1923 Armstrong Hotel with handcrafted cocktails and live jazz Thursday through Sunday. For a quieter dinner, Bistro Nautile's small French dining room is the more intimate choice.