5 places around Pittsburgh that host speed dating

Pittsburgh singles can diversify their dating pool by joining some of Pittsburgh’s speed dating events.

If Pittsburgh’s frigid winter makes you wish you had a special someone to share the dark evenings with, you have a few options for dating in the city. After all, personal finance company WalletHub recently ranked Pittsburgh as the fourth-best city in the country for singles looking for love.

Obviously, The Apps™ are where many singles seek dates, but you can also attend in-person singles events to get to know more people in Pittsburgh! One genre of singles events that is common fodder for TV show plotlines but less visible in real life is speed dating. The experience is just like it sounds: Single people meet several other singles at an event, with the catch being you rotate between “dates,” talking to each person for just a short period of time. If in those few minutes you feel a spark, or none of your dealbreakers seem apparent, you’ll share contact information and get together for what would hopefully be a longer date.

Most Pittsburgh speed dating events are designed for people interested in the opposite sex, but there are some events that are more inclusive.

Read on to learn about where Pittsburgh speed dating events currently happen and how you can participate.

1. Ruckus Coffee Gallery & Cafe – North Hills

Ruckus Coffee Gallery & Cafe is a lively community coffee shop located in Pittsburgh’s North Hills, not far from the city center. Ruckus hosts a number of events at its space, like live music, afternoon tea, dance classes — and speed dating!

Ruckus speed dating events, hosted by the aptly named company Pre-Dating, vary by age (some are for ages 25 to 45, while others are for singles in their 50s and 60s). You’ll meet at least five and as many as 12 other singles, talking with them for about six minutes to see if you want to talk more.

At the time of writing, women’s tickets were $30, while men’s tickets were $36.

2. Jigsaw Dating – Coffee shops, locations vary

The dating app Jigsaw does not only digitally pair singles, it also hosts dating events in cities across the country. Jigsaw recently expanded to Pittsburgh, where it holds happy hour mixers and structured speed dating events.

Jigsaw hosts speed dating events at coffee shops, and app members get complimentary coffee or pastries! And all participants get helpful conversation cards that may help calm your nerves and make it easier to quickly connect with someone.

At the time of writing, the ticket price for a Jigsaw speed dating event was roughly $25.

3. Big Shot Bob’s – North Hills

Big Shot Bob’s of the North Hills, a restaurant serving pub food with a focus on wings, has taken over the old Bulldawgs location and is continuing the space’s tradition of hosting speed dating. The speed dating events, or “pre-dating” events as they are called by host company Pre-Dating, are targeted toward different age groups, with some events intended for those between 25 and 39 years old and others for those between 40 and 59.

At the time of writing, a women’s ticket for the speed dating events was around $36, and a men’s ticket was about $39.

4. Crafted North – Downtown Pittsburgh

Crafted North, a bar and lounge located in the Marriott City Center hotel downtown, is committed to helping its patrons find significant others. It hosts a number of speed dating events organized by sister companies SpeedPittsburgh Dating, Relish, and MyCheekyDate.

Crafted North promises a low-key approach to singles events, which makes sense because Crafted North is a no-fuss yet still stylish eatery. It serves American comfort food as well as classic drinks.

Tickets for the events are $36.

5. P*Town Bar – Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood

In a breath of fresh air for the queer community, Bloomfield LGBTQ+ bar P*Town Bar hosts monthly speed dating for LGBTQ+ folks in Pittsburgh. The popular bar and lounge holds a number of events each week, like karaoke, dance parties, and drag shows, but the LGBTQ+ speed dating is relatively new.

Hosted by drag queen Indi Skies, the speed dating nights include events for gays and events for lesbians, though the organizer is clear that the group divisions are “open and inclusive gender groups” created simply for ease of organizing the events. Groups are further divided by age (for those in their 20s and 30s and for those in their 40s and 50s). After your mini dates, you’ll get to see some fun entertainment, and at the end of the evening, there’s a mixer for everyone.

It pays to attend a locally organized event: Tickets are only $5.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.