The University Star conducted a poll between Feb. 2-4 on its Instagram, asking readers about their favorite date spots in San Marcos. Out of 138 individual responses, The Star highlighted the top five answers, exploring what each location has to offer.
1. Blue Dahlia Bistro
Blue Dahlia Bistro is a European-style restaurant that combines communal areas and cozy patios within its off-white brick walls. Located at 107 E Hopkins St., it is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
It has two menus: a brunch menu serving various eggs Benedicts and croissants and a main menu ranging from salads and tartines to meat platters and cheese boards. What makes the bistro stand out is its open-air courtyard, filled with abundant plants and tiny mural paintings.
1. Italian Garden
Italian Garden aims to serve Italian cuisine at affordable prices. Located at 415 N LBJ Drive, it is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Its lunch specials contain homemade and imported pastas, and its dinner menu ranges in salads, pizzas, subs and chicken and shrimp entrées. Paired with checkered tablecloths and rounded arches, the restaurant’s warm and inviting atmosphere makes for a familiar setting to have an Italian meal.
3. Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard
Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard hand-crafts regional fusion cuisine from New Mexico to New Orleans among a scenery of fireplaces, paintings and courtyard views. Located at 218 Moore St., it is open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for brunch, Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4-9 p.m. for dinner.
Its three menus change depending on the weekday and time, with each one also offering two-to-three categories between salad, pasta and sandwiches. The restaurant’s notable outdoor courtyard displays dozens of plant species, including those native to Texas, and garden tables and chairs surrounding a large, stone fountain.
4. Putt Pub
Putt Pub is a mini golf bar with a range of activities for many ages. Located at 307 S LBJ Drive, it is open on Sundays from noon to 1 a.m., Mondays through Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 a.m. It is for all ages until 8 p.m., when from then on it is for ages 21 and up until closing.
Other than its 18-hole miniature golf course that combines challenge and whimsy, the golf bar offers indoor and outdoor seating, two food trucks and a multitude of games within a neighborhood setting.
4. Sewell Park
Sewell Park is a part of Texas State’s campus recreation spots. Located at 601 University Drive, it is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to the university’s Policy and Procedure Statements for Sewell Park.
Its recreational activities include playing in the sand volleyball courts, sunbathing or picnicking on the grass or under the trees or renting equipment from the Outdoor Center. The 72-degree San Marcos River flows through the park, with a dock a bit further from the main area that overlook the spring-fed, clear river.
