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The ABC’s of Philly Dating with Manisha and Gabe Maday

Posted on August 16, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
City Cast Philly staff

City Cast Philly staff

Manisha and Gabe Maday, of Philly Date Ideas, have your local guide for giving “alphabet dating” a spin. Riffing on this TikTok trend, the couple recently joined City Cast Philly to share their tips for getting out of a dating rut with 26 Philly-centric, letter-themed date ideas.

What has been your favorite letter date so far, Gabe?

“My favorite so far has been ‘F’ for … Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park. It has a huge pond, and it’s great for walking and biking. There’s tennis and pickleball courts. But the real highlight is the Southeast Asian market. It’s just fantastic. Especially the sugar cane juice, it’s one of my favorite treats for the summer.”

What about you, Manisha?

Dante and Luigi's. It’s one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the country. We had never been there before, and so we thought, what better opportunity than to use the letter 'D' to go there and check it out? We're already trying to plan trips back because it is a cool piece of history, while also a really great restaurant.”

What would you recommend to other couples who want to try alphabet dating?

Manisha: “Get as creative as possible. That's been the most fun for us, especially using it as an opportunity to try new places or new ideas or things that you don't usually do."

Gabe: “You can make it activity-based or food-based, whatever works for you. It allows you to work together with your partner on something that's really fun. And you find some new things that you might not have done before or areas of the city you might not have seen before.”

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