Resy’s Exclusive Guide to Valentine’s Day

Cassava
With its laid-back vibe, nourishing food, and community feel, this Outer Richmond gem would be a solid choice for Valentine’s Day dinner. The offering is a five-course tasting menu, with the option to add an accompanying beverage pairing for $42 per person.
$78, Book now on Resy.

Del Popolo
Famously once a roving truck outfitted with a brick oven, Del Popolo has comfortably settled into its Nob Hill brick and mortar, slinging some of the city’s very best wood-fired pies. If pizza is at the top of the list of shared common interests between you and yours, you won’t be disappointed here on Valentine’s Day.
Book now at Del Popolo.

Dopo
February 14th is the only day of the year that this landmark Sicilian restaurant — on Oakland’s Piedmont Ave — serves spaghetti and meatballs. So get ’em while you can, as part of a three-course prix fixe that also includes a fritto of shrimp with almonds and agrodolce onions and chocolate diplomatico.
$40, Book now at Dopo.

Hitachino Beer & Wagyu
Alongside exclusive Japanese brews, Hitachino Beer & Wagyu specializes in luxury cuts of beef and omakase. In other words: they know how to do it up. On Valentine’s Day, a special tasting menu will be on offer, and it includes a white ale ice cream for dessert.
Menu Highlights: ikura, oyster, and caviar; chawanmushi with shrimp, uni, and tomato dashi; shabu shabu nigiri with white sesame and chili; sesame cake and tea.
$120, Book now on Resy.

Hopscotch
Oakland’s Hopscotch, known for its distinctive cuisine reflective of an upscale American diner with a Japanese twist, is offering a selection of greatest hits with a special three-course menu, plus dessert.
Menu Highlights: chicory & citrus salad topped with your choice of scallop, duck, or truffle burrata; yuzu pepper porchetta; sashimi chirashi; black sesame semifreddo.
$55, Book now on Resy.

Izakaya Rintaro
With its expansive menu ranging from sashimi to yakitori, katsu, rice bowls, and udon; its woody, beam-lined interior that resembles a shrine in Tokyo; and buoyant atmosphere, Izakaya Rintaro is always a good time. Valentine’s Day is a good night to get in on the fun: there will be a five-course menu that’s sure to delight.
$75, Book now on Resy.

Parigo
This new-to-the-scene restaurant was founded upon a passion for pairing food and wine. The decor is modern and minimal, so that guests can hone in on the sense that really matters: taste. Parigo’s Valentine’s Day offering is four courses, each meant to be enjoyed alongside a specific glass of wine.
$125, Book now at Parigo.

Petit Marlowe
Oysters, bubbly, and caviar—the ideal makings of a Valentine’s Day celebration, and what you’ll find at SOMA’s Petit Marlowe. Enjoy four decadent courses, plus amuse, and dessert (ooh la la!).
Menu Highlights: country style escargot, caviar service with whipped crème fraîche, egg, chive, potato blinis, and loaded oysters; brûléed foie gras terrine with crumbled hazelnut brittle and chicory salad; poulet vert with truffled mushroom jus and potatoes dauphinoise.
$125, Book now on Resy.

Tawla
This seasonally-focused Mediterranean gem will be serving a full-on feast “for the senses” this Valentine’s Day, that promises “abundance, opulence and warmth.” From the restaurant’s signature bread program, to an array of small plates (think vegetables alongside seafood and meat mezzes) and large format dishes, this is an offering very worthy of consideration.
$69, Book now on Resy.

The Morris
For those into wine, The Morris is destination-worthy on any given night, February 14th included. It’s a great place to drink something nice, for the owner is sommelier Paul Einbund — a man who has amassed a unique collection of wines and spirits over decades of travel, alongside a special menu of chef Gavin Schmidt’s inventive Californian cuisine.
$95, Book now on Resy.

Tosca Cafe
With its checkered tiled floors, red leather banquettes, and heavy dose of nostalgia (thanks to its previous identity as as 1919-born bar of the same name), Tosca Cafe is undeniably romantic. Add some hearty Italian plates (in the format of four courses, a la carte) and you’re in for a Valentine’s Day treat.
Menu Highlights: cauliflower and delicata squash fritto with spice yogurt and sumac; winter citrus salad with creme fraiche and blood orange marmalade; grilled lamb heart with salsa verde; roasted beet tortellini with ricotta, tarragon, and lemon; “heart’s desire” cheese — Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam for the occasion.
$85, Book now on Resy.