content=Ever have this situation? You're sitting at a perfectly nice dinner, trying your best to enjoy your bowl of mussels or risotto and savor your glass of albari–o, but the only thing is, your tablemate just won't shut up? Dinner alone is an incredibly relaxing way to spend an evening. But choose your location carefully: You want good food, plenty of people watching and no snarky looks from the host when you say, with confidence, "table for one." Bar dining is a plus.
If you're feeling fancy, take yourself to Strings (1700 Humboldt St.) and grab a seat at the bar. You won't be confined to the bar menu either; you can order the same plate of sweetbreads with pancetta and beurre noisette that they send out to the dining room. Or find your own personal Tuscan sun at Campo de Fiori (300 Fillmore St.), which also offers casual, no-pressure dining for loners; the linguine with clams go with almost any of the Italian or Californian wines on the extensive list. (Plenty of half-bottles available, or go a la carte by the glass.)
Rub elbows with neighborhood white-collars at the Avenue Grill (630 E. 17th Ave.), a straightforward uptown bistro that serves oysters Rockefeller and an ancho-kissed osso bucco to go with your extra dry and extra cold martini. Boulder's Brasserie Ten Ten (1011 Walnut St., Boulder) is usually crowded, but there's always room for one more. Get a bowl of bouillabaisse and a glass or two of Guenoc claret and watch the place swirl around you.
East-siders without dinner dates can always head to longtime favorite La Cueva (9742 E. Colfax Ave.) for margaritas and Mexican favorites like enchiladas. Even when you're alone, you won't be alone. Federal Boulevard solo diners with a jones for authentic Chinese cuisine swear by Ocean City (1098 S. Federal). Remember, you won't need to persuade your date to try the sea turtle soup because, well, you don't have a date.