Where To Wine And Dine This Valentine’s Day

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Image Courtesy of Sunday in Brooklyn. Photo Credit: Gary Landsman

 

Restaurants are rolling out the red carpet for the holiday of romance– assembling tasting menus with indulgent add-ons and drink pairings. So whether you’re celebrating with a valentine or a pal-entine, make it a special evening filled with rich experiences from your favorite chefs. Eat your heart out.

New York City:

Atoboy 
If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to sample the delights at Atoboy, look no further. With a special seven-course Valentine’s Day menu of “Banchan style” hits –including tuna with gem lettuce and quinoa, egg with pine nuts and Dungeness crab, and strip steak with sweet potato and pearl onion– you can experience the tastes just as the chef intended.

Avant Garden
Artful and delicious contemporary vegan cuisine is the hallmark of this cozy East Village establishment. Share a bottle of red under the twinkly lights of the wood-branch chandelier.

Bergen Hill
The paleo-friendly tasting menu at Bergen Hill boasts innovative twists on seafood and vegetable dishes (like black bass with smoked-ramp ponzu) and features an impressive array of wines to match. Red or white– you can’t go wrong when the sommeliers formerly of Charlie Bird have curated the wine list.

Charlie Bird
Looking to impress your date? Opt for the 4-course holiday menu, comprised of classic Charlie Bird hits: razor clams with fennel and pickled chiles, rigatoni Napoletana, carmelized cauliflower, and perfectly crisp roasted chicken.

Cienfuegos
With 13(!) different spiked punches to choose from and a 7-course vegetable-based tasting menu (with optional beverage pairings), it’s hard not to have a good time in this lively East Village outpost.

Emily
Cozy up in Clinton Hill with great wine, pizza, and fantastic company. For one night only, Emily will offer a limited selection of tables for two, by reservation,  exclusively on Resy.

Faun
Pull out all the stops for cupid’s holiday with a 4-course tasting menu and beverage pairings at Faun. Highlights include fluke crudo with chiles and flowers, pumpkin tortolli with balsamico, black bass with saffron broth, and, for dessert, chocolate torte with blood orange zest.

Fedora
Nestled beneath the cobblestone streets of the West Village sits charming Fedora with its quaint neighborhood feel and buzzy bar scene. Tuck into one of the leather-tufted booths with your valentine, and enjoy oysters, prosecco and some special Valentine’s Day additions.

Il Buco
Fresh-made pasta, fine wines and a romantic candle-lit ambiance. Triple check. Opt for Il Buco’s 5-course tasting menu and optional wine pairing for an evening that’s almost as special as your date.

Italienne 
Create the ultimate Valentine’s Day dinner with Chef Jared Sippel’s 3-course tasting menu. The delicious options include scallop crudo with burrata, Loup de Mer and lobster, chateaubriand with winter vegetables, and pan au chocolate for dessert.

Ladybird
Cauliflower with chive pesto and roasted maitake mushrooms with parsnip are among the 9 courses specifically tailored for Valentine’s dinner. Grab a seat atop the velvet barstools and order a “Bleeding Heart”– a concoction of blood orange, hibiscus, and Champagne.

Llama Inn
From the former sous chef at Eleven Madison Park, this swanky spot features tapas-style, modern updates on traditional Peruvian dishes, like fluke ceviche, savory duck sausage and queso ice cream for dessert. The chic and modern space is definitely “date night”approved.

M.Wells Steakhouse
Enjoy a rare Valentine’s Day happy hour in the form of $1 cocktails with every half-dozen oysters. Other highlights include the signature chef’s salad, venison T-bone, and dry-aged porterhouse dinner.

MIMI 
This charming hideaway of a French bistro, which is acclaimed for its daily menu, features indulgent holiday additions. Oysters and caviar. Need we say more?

Mother of Pearl
Traditional tiki cocktails are put to shame at Mother of Pearl, where artisanal Hawaiian beverages are the gold standard. Enjoy a special Valentine’s Day menu, which includes a 7-course vegetarian dinner and optional cocktail pairings.

Paowalla
Spice up your night with Paowalla’s modern take on Indian cuisine. Highlights include a dedicated bread bar and a multi-course tasting menu with steamed banana leaf-wrapped snapper, chicken tikka, tamarind pilaf, Indian rice pudding, and an artisanal cocktail list.

Perla Cafe
Featuring a combination of seasonal ingredients and fresh homemade pastas, this corner gem is just the place to enjoy a romantic and cozy dinner for two. Enjoy staples off the regular menu, with special holiday additions.

Quality Eats
Inside this nouveau steakhouse, you’ll find a twinkly bar scene with a menu and drink list to match. Prix fixe menu highlights include a crab, avocado, and citrus salad, long-bone short rib steak, and butternut brioche bread pudding.

Salvation Taco 
Spending this Valentine’s Day with friends? Be sure to check out Chef April Bloomfield’s lively taqueria for its “Pal-entine’s Day” specials. Chilean sangria pitchers, margarita pitchers, grilled oysters, and a“Duck feast” are among the festive highlights.

Sunday in Brooklyn
What’s a romantic dinner for two without dessert? Warm devil’s food cake, fudge, and a peanut butter ice cream topping is the order here. Enjoy a four-course tasting menu with inventive interpretations on classic ingredients.

Sushi Seki: Chelsea  and Sushi Seki: Times Square
Indulge in the ultimate sushi experience this Valentine’s Day. From multi-course tasting menus with optional beverage pairings to a private Tatami room with a special omakase menu, the world is your oyster.

The Breslin
Cozy up to your valentine  over martinis and a ribeye for two  against the cozy, rustic backdrop of The Breslin. Among the tasting menu’s holiday highlights? Poussin with spaetzle, and a chargrilled lamb burger with feta, cumin mayo, and thrice-cooked chips.

The Eddy
Enjoy decadent dining in the heart of the East Village, with a 6-course seafood tasting menu highlighting favorites like uni, tea-cured hamachi, Parisian gnocchi with maitakes and black truffle, and slow-roasted lobster with bok choy.

The Finch 
Nestled among the charming brownstones of Clinton Hill, this Michelin-starred restaurant, which is known for its seasonal American cuisine, does not disappoint. Among the special Valentine’s Day additions is the 5-course tasting menu with optional beverage pairings.

Traif
Whether you’re making a night of it with friends, or dining with a date, enjoy a family style meal of Traif’s iconic dishes and specialties with a tasting menu tailored to the size of your party.

Xixa 
For the tequila-lover in your life, Xixa boasts a tequila-and-mezcal drink pairing to complement the day’s menu. Featuring classics from the mainstay menu, the Chef’s Valentine’s Day selection will also include special holiday additions.

San Francisco:

Babu Ji
With a menu comprised of Colonel Tso’s cauliflower, “unauthentic” butter chicken, coconut seafood curry and cheese-and-radish naan, enjoy a small sampling of Babu Ji’s greatest hits.

Izakaya Rintaro
With a devotion to local ingredients and traditional Japanese preparations, Izakaya Rintaro is a Bay Area gem. Enjoy a prix fixe menu of special Valentine’s Day delights.

Nomica
This contemporary Japanese restaurant is serving a 4-course tasting menu of notable selections: shigoku oysters, marinated salmon belly, a whole chicken in brioche, and foie gras ice cream with balsamic and hazelnut streusel.

Piperade
Celebrate cupid’s holiday over a 3-course chef’s tasting menu with decadent additions. Highlights include sautéed calamari with foie gras, crispy arctic char, New York strip steak and, for dessert, dark chocolate cake.

Tosca Cafe
Cozy up in this North Beach brasserie over rigatoni, grilled octopus, and roasted chicken for two. The 4-course tasting menu features a varied selection of items, while the twinkly interior is nicely suited to a table for two.

Seattle:

Monsoon Seattle and Monsoon Bellevue
This Vietnamese restaurant blends Pacific Northwest sensibility with Asian dining. Kick back with the classics at Monsoon, where you can count on your favorite standbys plus special holiday additions, like an Asian pear salad and a peppercorn-crusted Wagyu ribeye.

Maximilien
Celebrate with your sweetheart over 6 courses of divine French cuisine, and enjoy live music by local accordion musician, Bonnie Birch. Highlights include the baked oysters with leeks and champagne, a lobster-and-mussels saffron bisque, filet mignon, and chocolate cake for dessert.

Seatown Seabar
Boasting a daily menu of fresh seafood, and breads from Dahlia bakery, this casual fine-dining restaurant will feature a Valentine’s Day surf-and-turf special of braised beef with mashed potatoes, Dungeness crab, and Meyer lemon hollandaise. For dessert, order the “Hot Date Cake”– a concoction of banana ice cream, tahini toffee sauce, and a sprinkling of sesame cashews.

TanakaSan
Make it a date night to remember at lively TanakaSan, which will no doubt be a spirited scene with its sake slushes and flavorful small plates. Among the holiday highlights are the kombu-cured hamachi and seared house-made mochi with oyster mushrooms, pine nuts, and white miso.

Miami:

Alter
Chef Brad Kilgore is upping the ante this Valentine’s Day, treating diners to two holiday tasting menus to choose from.  The 5-course prix fixe option includes a champagne toast, while the special “Chef’s Counter” experience features seven courses of goodness (both menus include Chef Kilgore’s signature soft egg).

Book while supplies last and, if you haven’t already, download the Resy app today! Pro-tip: receive an alert with our “notify” button when your desired reservation becomes available.