Blind dates can be stressful enough without having to worry about which restaurant to choose. If you're hooking up with someone you've never had the chance to meet, you'll need to take more things than normal into consideration.

The Location

You'll need to select a location before you decide anything else, so let's break down the best way to do so. Unless you're picking your date up, you probably don't know exactly where they live, but you can at least request the general area.

Try and find somewhere relatively close by, but not within the same few miles. This will mean that it will be relatively easy to get to, but probably not somewhere they've been before. Avoid choosing anywhere extremely close to where you live; you could end up looking either unadventurous or a little presumptuous about how the date will end.

The Food

Okay, the type of food is also pretty important. You probably aren't aware of any specific likes or dislikes, so it's best to play this relatively safe. No vegetarian is going to be thrilled if you choose a steak house.

Look at menus online to find somewhere which offers a generous range of dishes. If possible, pick somewhere you've been to before; you'll know if it serves food of a decent quality. If you don't know anywhere appropriate, check out an independent review site.

The Price

Price is tricky. Going too cheap is clearly going to send the wrong message; the food is likely to be poor, and so is the service. On the other hand, picking somewhere expensive might make it look like you're just trying to flash your cash, and it'll feel a bit foolish if the date fizzles.

Just try and find something reasonable. Not the sort of place you could afford to eat at more than once every week or so, but not the kind of place you'd need to take out a loan for.

The Establishment

Finally, you'll want to consider the atmosphere of the restaurant itself. Ideally, you need something which strikes a nice balance between romantic and fun. Don't go for the newest place in town – it's likely to be very crowded – but similarly avoid stuffy old restaurants with French waiters and a string quartet.

Go for something in between. It should have good background music and an upbeat atmosphere, but not be too loud to talk in. Oh, and make sure it's a place which takes reservations. Nothing is going to kill the mood faster than having to wait an hour for a table to free up.

There's no guarantee that taking the steps above will make your blind date into a night to remember, but they can prevent you from making any classic mistakes. Bon appetite, and good luck.