Where is First Dates filmed and how you can book table at the restaurant

Inside the Botanist Bar and Restaurant in Bath where First Dates is currently filmed (Image: Bath Chronicle/Artur Lesniak/arturlesniak.com)

First Dates returns to Channel 4 tonight (Tuesday, August 6) as more singletons visit to find love on camera. Maitre d' Fred Siriex and his staff are on hand to ensure the blind dates go smoothly, offer some words of advice to nervous diners or simply cringe at an awkward date.

Along with Fred, bartender Merlin Griffiths and waitress Cici Coleman will return, along with waiting staff including Aoife Smyth, Kofi Yeboah-Mensah, Francesca Martusciello and Jamie McCleave.

First Dates has toured the country and filmed at various restaurants but has found a new home for the last two series. It's a beautiful restaurant that will make you want to visit and plan a weekend trip away at one of the most stunning and romantic cities in the country.

Here is where the First Dates restaurant is located and how you can book a table there.

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Inside the Botanist Bar and Restaurant in Bath. (Image: Bath Chronicle)

First Dates currently films at The Botanist Bar and Restaurant in Bath city centre. Based on Milsom Street, the venue is located inside the Grade II-listed Octagon Chapel, built in 1766 and known to have been frequented by Jane Austen.

There are three entrances to the 8,000-square-foot bar and restaurant, and each of them is as immaculate and resplendent as each other. Merlin Griffiths, who has been a mixologist for more than 20 years, is a big fan of its range of cocktails and drinks. 

Opened in 2019, The Botanist has an 8,000 square foot bar and restaurant and a unique menu of cocktails, as well as craft ales and beers. From one entrance, there is a gorgeous tunnel of plants before you step foot inside the main oval bar area. The decor is exquisite, the lighting is beautiful and the whole place is so inviting.

The Octagon has a long history in Bath, having been built in 1766 as a private chapel. It remained in use as a chapel until the late 19th Century, after which it became one of the most well-known antique shops in Europe: Mallet and Sons.

The Botanist Bar & Restaurant in Bath is situated within the remarkable Octagon Chapel. (Image: Channel 4)

The building has also served as a rations dispensary and air raid wardens building during WWII and a photographic gallery. The Botanist team worked closely with local heritage experts to preserve the fabric of this historical building and important Bath landmark, using specialist paints and materials as part of the refurbishment.

Bath, recently dubbed the UK's most romantic city, is also regarded as one of the most beautiful, thanks to its remarkable 18th-century architecture, stunning Roman Baths, and picturesque views all around.

What is on the menu and can I book a table at the restaurant?

The menu includes everything from steaks and burgers, hand-crafted pies and salads, to The Botanist's own hanging kebabs, vegetarian and vegan options and a Sunday roast menu. You can view the menu through this link. 

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Cocktail lovers can learn from the Botanist's bartenders with an extensive range of cocktails, craft beers and ales or gin masterclasses on offer.

The venue currently has a four-out-of-five rating on Tripadvisor, with many praising its food and service. One satisfied diner wrote: "Amazing - We went to this restaurant for a birthday meal when away for the weekend in Bath. This place is so aesthetic, amazing for photos and a beautiful place to eat."

"The hanging kebabs are delicious, we were served by a lovely lady who gave us a free drink for my boyfriend's birthday! (Very sorry I can't remember her name) we had the Korean chicken to start and both agreed it's by far the best starter we've ever had anywhere! Will definitely return!"

Another wrote: "We came for our anniversary and were greeted with welcoming staff..lea served us and was amazing with knowledge of the menu and a fantastic service style."

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One of the many delicious cocktails at The Botanist Bar and Restaurant in Bath. (Image: Bath Chronicle/Artur Lesniak/arturlesniak.com)

You can book a table on their website through this link.

Where else has First Dates filmed at?

Paternoster Chop House, a DandD restaurant in London's St Paul's, is where the first 15 series were filmed. The production moved up North to the Refinery Spinningfields in Manchester, a former Drake and Morgan restaurant, which closed in 2021.

Where is First Dates filmed and how you can book table at the restaurant

Where is First Dates filmed and how you can book table at the restaurant

Where is First Dates filmed and how you can book table at the restaurant

Where is First Dates filmed and how you can book table at the restaurant

Where is First Dates filmed and how you can book table at the restaurant