business and pleasure
Houston a top city for singles who date while traveling for business
It’s an all-too-familiar dilemma that plagues single business travelers. The hotel pay-per-view is blah — as is the room service chicken caesar salad. Does one stay in, watch Jimmy Fallon, and get an early start to the next business day? Or, instead, hop on an a dating app and see what unfolds that evening?
According to a new study, an overwhelming of Houston visitors choose the latter, as the Bayou City ranks among Match.com’s top 10 spots for single “Frequent Flyer Dater” business travelers. More than one-fourth of singles have gone on a date while on a business trip, according to the Houston Chronicle. The majority of them meet at bars and restaurants, and others use dating apps and work connections.
The Match report, aided by travel tips app Localeur, lists H-Town No. 6, just behind Dallas. (Topping the list are Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.) The report even lists three go-to date night spots for travelers to “date like a local.”
Popular downtown tapas restaurant Batanga gets a nod for dinner, namely the “Latin-fueled tapas like chickpea puree, pao de quejo (Brazilian cheese rolls), and Castilian-style pork ribs.” The hoppin’ eatery gets props as “a great place to mix and mingle before a night out in the Fourth Ward.”
For happy hour, the Match/Localeur survey recommends Midtown’s Mongoose vs. Cobra (“Come for the drinks, stay for the cheese plate.”) Here daters are encouraged to try the smooth Old Fashioneds, which can provide a real kick (naughty!).
Finally, Lei Low in The Heights gets a shout for best pre-or-post-dinner drinks. “Stop by on a Tuesday and choose your favorite among three featured Mai Tais — and dine on clams for six bucks,” the report advises, adding that “a rum-based tiki drink that looks as good as it tastes from an ever-changing menu.” We recommend taking your date to the back porch, where the conversation and rum will no doubt warm things up.