The Best Restaurants for a Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner

Valentine's Day is traditionally one of the most popular occasions for a romantic dinner at a restaurant. In 2025, the holiday falls on a Friday, making it especially appealing for couples looking to enjoy an unforgettable evening with a delicious meal. Some venues even have waitlists for this day, and chefs prepare exclusive dishes served only on this special night.

Our guide features the most exciting restaurants from across the U.S. On Valentine's Day, they all offer special menus and often include delightful surprises for couples.

Photo Credit: facebook.com/MareaNYC/

Located on Manhattan, the restaurant once received a Michelin star and became a favorite spot for Hollywood couples. Marea specializes in seafood and features a private terrace with a fireplace, which can be fully rented for Valentine's Day. The owner creates a special romantic menu each year, including unique dishes such as, for example, sea squid with rose jelly and lobster with chocolate mousse in 2024. An interesting fact: the restaurant has a special "whispering table" with acoustic partitions for maximum intimacy.

Highlights

    Valentine's Day Prix Fixe Menu: Marea typically offers a special 4-course prix fixe menu for Valentine's Day. In 2025, it is priced at $325, with an optional wine pairing for $195.
    Pastas: Some of Marea's well-regarded pasta dishes include the Fusilli (with bone marrow and octopus), Spaghetti with jumbo lump crab, and Gnocchetti with shrimp.
    Seafood: As a coastal Italian restaurant, Marea is known for its seafood. Consider the Astice (lobster with stracciatella and focaccia) or the Tonno Acqua Pazza (tuna tartare). They also offer a dish with grilled swordfish.
    Crudi/Oysters: Marea offers a variety of raw bar selections including oysters, and a yellowfin tuna dish.

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The French Laundry is a California restaurant by legendary chef Thomas Keller, considered one of the world's top culinary destinations. Located in a historic 1900s building, it has its own garden, where ingredients are sourced directly. On Valentine's Day, they follow a unique tradition—closing the restaurant entirely for one couple, who receive a personalized 12-course menu featuring selected dishes. Tickets for this exclusive dinner are auctioned for charity, with proceeds going to local social programs.

Highlights

Valentine's Day Menu: The French Laundry offers a special Valentine's Day luxury tasting menu. In the past, this menu has included luxurious ingredients like Regiis Ova Reserve Caviar, Black Truffles, and Wagyu beef.

Signature Dishes:

    Oysters and Pearls: This is a popular and iconic dish.
    Elevages Prigord Moulard Duck "Foie Gras Au Torchon": This dish is also well-regarded.
    Elysian Fields Farm Spring Lamb "Porchetta": Another popular choice.
    Charcoal Grilled Japanese Wagyu: A luxurious option.

Drink Options:
Full Bar: Marea has a full bar, serving a wide variety of alcoholic beverages.
Specialty Cocktails: Consider trying one of Marea's specialty cocktails.
Sparkling Wine and Champagne: Marea offers a selection of sparkling wines and champagnes for a celebratory touch.

Photo Credit: instagram.com/commanderspalace/

Commander's Palace is a classic restaurant in New Orleans that has existed since 1880 and has become a true Louisiana legend. On Valentine's Day, it traditionally hosts jazz evenings with live music and offers Creole cuisine dishes. An interesting detail is the annual contest among couples for the most romantic love story, with the winners receiving a free dinner and a hotel stay.

Highlights

    Turtle Soup au Sherry: This is an authentic Louisiana favorite, finished tableside with sherry.
    Commander's Creole Gumbo: A rich soup with regional ingredients.
    Shrimp & Tasso Henican: Wild Louisiana white shrimp with tasso ham, pickled okra, sweet onions, and pepper jelly.
    Pecan Crusted Gulf Fish: Served with Prosecco poached jumbo lump crab, roasted corn, asparagus, grilled kale, leeks, and whiskey-spiked crushed corn cream.
    Grilled Tournedos of Black Angus Beef: Creekstone Farms beef tenderloin over garlic roasted mushrooms, Creole smashed new potatoes, whiskey-smoked onions, and Marchand de Vin.

Drinks:

    Classic Bloody Mary: Their award-winning Bloody Mary is spiked tableside with vodka.
    The Saint 75: Made with St. Germain, Tanqueray gin, basil, and sparkling wine.
    Wine: Commander's Palace has a great wine list.

Photo Credit: instagram.com/commanderspalace/

Photo Credit: facebook.com/alinearestaurant/

Alinea is a futuristic restaurant by chef Grant Achatz. On Valentine's Day, they create a fully interactive gastronomic show, with dishes presented using lasers, smoke, ice, and other unexpected technological effects. The menu is unique each year and completely changes.

Highlights

    Setra Caviar: A prized and expensive caviar, often served in two presentations.
    Black Truffle Explosion: A truffle-filled ravioli that bursts in your mouth, releasing truffle broth.
    Hot Potato/Cold Potato: A hot potato ball with black truffle dropped into cold potato soup.
    Aberdines: Eggplant shaped and prepared to look and taste like sardines, served with rye toast, herbs, and egg yolk.
    King Crab Yellow on Mellow: Cornbread topped with king crab and Tabasco, served with a corn cocktail.
    Honey Mango: Pork belly, spiny lobster in a mango sauce with uni (sea urchin) and macadamia puree.
    Blancmange: Chicken prepared three different ways with sauces and palate cleansers.
    Lamb: Crusted lamb served with shaved olives and peas.
    Eucalyptus: Frozen eucalyptus leaves with olive brine and chewy orange.
    Bubblegum: A peppercorn and hibiscus bubblegum-flavored concoction.
    Flotteur Vache Noire: A root beer float made with black truffle ice cream.
    Table Dessert: A dessert designed and created on the table in front of you.
    Kaeng: Scallop with mustard and chili.
    Glow: A lemongrass "jello shot" palate cleanser.
    Ink: Octopus with scallion and black lime.

Drink Options:

    Great Cocktails & Wine List: Alinea is known for both its great cocktails and extensive wine list.
    Wine Pairing: You can get a wine pairing to go with each course of the tasting menu. The pairings are carefully selected to complement the food. A standard wine pairing is offered with the Salon menu.
    The Aviary: If you're interested in cocktails, consider visiting The Aviary, which is a cocktail bar also run by Grant Achatz of Alinea. The Aviary utilizes a lot of the same food science and techniques as Alinea, and they use specially designed barware.
    The Office: Located under The Aviary, The Office is another option for drinks.
    Cocktail Tasting Menu: The Aviary offers a 5-course food and cocktail tasting menu that rotates seasonally. You could also choose a 3, 4, or 5-course cocktail tasting menu with paired bites.
    The Aviary's Cocktails: The Aviary got one of the barrels, a 7-year genever, similar to a gin. It was mixed with a wide range of herbs and spices like hibiscus and elderflower.
    No Cocktail Menu at Salon: One reviewer noted that the Salon menu didn't include cocktails, which they felt was a missed opportunity.
    House Made Sangria: The kitchen makes a house sangria.

Photo Credit: singlethreadfarms.com

SingleThread is a restaurant in California’s Sonoma Valley with three Michelin stars. Its six-acre farm provides completely unique seasonal ingredients. On Valentine's Day, it offers an 11-course menu, with each dish representing a different stage of love—from the first meeting to deep affection.

Highlights

    Cuisine: It offers a fine-dining experience with a multi-course menu of hyperlocal Californian-Japanese fare. Chef Kyle oversees the kitchen, presenting an exquisite tasting menu with a strong Japanese influence. Much of the restaurant’s produce is sourced from the couple’s nearby 24-acre farm.

    Tasting Menu: The format consists of ten courses. The menu then moves through ten further courses of kaiseki-style dining.

    Possible Dishes: The first course includes myriad small snacks arranged beautifully on a wooden board. Depending on the season, highlights could include white and green asparagus with caviar, sansho-pepper egg and almond, crab with pea tofu and miso crab dashi, or duck with sunchoke, prune, and lacinato kale. Look out for the donabe (Japanese claypot) course, with rice taking center stage. A combination of Santa Barbara abalone and uni surrounded by sea lettuce cream and chawanmushi. Another dish offered a colorful salad of salanova lettuce, badger flame beets, and orange with duck liver parfait buried beneath to offer a unique flavor.

    Drinks: SingleThread has a great wine list.

    The Omotenashi Effect: SingleThread works according to the Japanese concept of omotenashi, namely going above and beyond to anticipate a guest’s needs.

One of the most prestigious seafood restaurants in the U.S., Le Bernardin holds three Michelin stars and consistently ranks among the world’s best restaurants. Founded in 1986, it has earned a reputation as the pinnacle of fine dining, where seafood takes center stage. Chef Eric Ripert masterfully blends French techniques with premium ingredients, turning each dish into a culinary masterpiece.

For Valentine’s Day, the restaurant offers a special menu featuring exclusive seafood delicacies. Guests can indulge in tuna with black truffle, lobster in champagne sauce, sturgeon dishes, sea urchin, and Chilean sea bass. Presentation is given meticulous attention, ensuring that each dish is as visually stunning as it is flavorful.

Le Bernardin also has one of New York’s finest wine lists, with expert sommeliers helping guests pair wines perfectly with their meals. Caviar and champagne pairings are particularly popular, as well as a tasting menu that showcases a variety of seafood dishes with expertly selected wines.

With impeccable service and extraordinary cuisine, Le Bernardin remains a top choice for special occasions. Reservations should be made in advance, as demand for Valentine’s Day far exceeds the available seating.

Highlights

Signature Dishes:

    Yellowfin Tuna: Described as the signature dish, it features thin layers of pounded yellowfin tuna draped over a toasted baguette with foie gras and garnished with chives.
    Hamachi Caviar Tartare: The Hamachi is gorgeous, complemented by caviar. The unique element here is the dashi.

Seafood:

    Lobster: Consider the poached lobster with grape-fennel salad and a verjus sabayon. Also, the Lobster with Leek "Canneloni" and a Rosemary-Red Wine Sauce.
    Black Bass: Poached black bass with braised cippolini onions, spinach, and shaved turnip in a bacon-green peppercorn broth.
    Halibut: Steamed halibut served on a truffle sunchoke puree, surrounded by a baby root vegetable medley and a sauce bourguignonne.
    Langoustine: The Scottish Langoustine with Truffle-Balsamic Vinaigrette and Foie Gras Crouton has a rich sauce.

Dessert:

    Warm Peruvian Chocolate Tart: Served with Tahitian vanilla ice cream.
    Citrus “Madeleine”: A vanilla sponge cake covered with a lemon “couverture”.

Drink Options:

Cocktails:

    Le Bernardin offers a dedicated cocktail menu in its lounge.
    Examples from their cocktail menu include the 51st Street Manhattan, The One of a Kind, The Green Abbey, The Craggy Isle, Heart of Oaxaca, West of Eden, and Autumn Wind.
    They also have non-alcoholic cocktails such as Thyme Lemonade Spritz and Hibiscus & Ginger.

Wine:

    The wine pairings are highly recommended to enhance the dining experience with the Chef's Tasting Menu. Some reviewers suggest splitting a single wine pairing.
    The restaurant has an incredible wine list and sommeliers. Aldo Sohm is the wine director there.

Photo Credit: google.com

Located in a building from 1769, The Inn at Little Washington is not just a restaurant but a full complex with a hotel, occupying nearly a block of the historic town of Washington, VA. In its 45 years of operation, it has earned three Michelin stars and became the first restaurant of this caliber outside of major U.S. cities. Chef Patrick O'Connell has created a unique style of American haute cuisine, focusing on local ingredients. The restaurant boasts its own 3-acre farm and works with 20 local farmers. A notable detail – each table is served by its own waiter in an 18th-century historical costume.

Highlights

Carpaccio of Herb-Crusted Elysian Fields Baby Lamb Loin with Caesar Salad Ice Cream: This dish is frequently mentioned and praised.
Tuna and foie gras confit awash in black truffle vinaigrette: It's a classic dish worth trying.
American Osetra Caviar: This dish is prepared with crab salad.
Lobster with caviar beurre blanc: It is a dish that showcases the kitchen at its very best.

Drink Options:

Marenco, Brachetto d’Acqui, Piedmonte, Italy (2020): This red dessert wine from the Piedmonte region of Italy is an excellent choice to enjoy after dinner. Brachetto d'Acqui is known for its sweet, aromatic character, with notes of ripe red fruit like strawberries and raspberries, often accompanied by floral hints of rose.
The Inn's Manhattans: The Inn may make a special Manhattan cocktail. Manhattans, traditionally crafted with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, are known for their smooth, complex flavors.
Gin Martini (with Rose Essence): A sophisticated and elegant choice, a gin martini is all about showcasing the quality of the gin. Infusing it with rose essence adds a delicate floral note, making it particularly fitting for a romantic occasion. It's dry, crisp, and subtly aromatic.

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Photo Credit: instagram.com/girl.and.the.goat/

Opened in 2010 by Stephanie Izard on West Randolph Street, Girl & The Goat quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in the city. The interior combines an industrial style with warm wooden elements. The menu focuses on shared plates, with an emphasis on goat meat (hence the name). For Valentine's Day 2025, they are offering a special menu for $95 per person, featuring their signature dishes: goat carpaccio, caramelized pork cheeks, and their famous dessert—chocolate pie with goat's milk. Reservations for Valentine's Day open three months in advance and typically fill up within hours.

Highlights

    Roasted Pig Face: (Signature Dish) A flavorful combination of pork cheek and tongue, expertly prepared and presented. The pork is braised, roasted, and topped with crispy potato sticks, a fried egg, lime zest, coriander, tamarind vinaigrette, and maple gastrique, creating a balance of textures and tastes.
    Cauliflower: Roasted to perfection in a wood oven. The cauliflower is paired with pickled peppers, pine nuts, and a refreshing mint sauce for an aromatic and satisfying vegetarian option.
    Sautéed Green Beans: A seemingly simple dish elevated with bold flavors. These green beans are sautéed and tossed with cashews and a fish sauce vinaigrette for a balanced sweet, salty, and nutty profile.
    Miso Butterscotch Budino: (Popular Dessert) A rich and decadent butterscotch pudding infused with miso.

Drink Recommendations:

    Craft Cocktails (Ask your server): The cocktail program at Girl & The Goat features a rotating selection of craft cocktails. For a romantic dinner, inquire with your server about their recommendations.
    Beer Selection (Explore options): Girl & The Goat has a great beer selection. Ask your server about seasonal and local selections for your specific taste.
    Wine Pairing: Pair your main course and dessert with a glass of red wine to add complexity to the meal.