I've had dinner dates and lunch dates where half the time I was trying to decide what to get while the other half I spend eating the food while displaying my impeccable table manners. I slowly realize that there is a constant struggle in choosing what to do, whether to talk or eat. Choosing to talk might leave my food cold and sad while choosing to eat might lead to an awkward silence and juggling both trying to look for that sweet spot of balance is a challenging task.
That is why I would want to argue that if you really want to get to know someone, if you want to talk your hearts out, food is distraction, just grab some coffee instead.
Coffee is just... amazing
There's an entire world of coffee out there that you should explore much like food and wine. The thing is when you're conversing over coffee the distance is minimal, just two cups in between.
The aroma and taste take you to a frenzy and the words just smoothly go out of your mouths, and into the space in between forming this world made out of your thoughts and ideas carefully formatted for exchange and discussion. Hearts and minds are poured out for appreciation, support, and critique. There's no food to chew that you can use to hide from the silence, you'll be forced to breakout, to initiate, to engage.
With coffee, the distance is minimal, just two cups to get to you.