The Most Romantic Restaurants To Celebrate Valentine's Day In Boston 2023
Valentine's Day is right around the corner, which means it's time to figure out what you're doing to celebrate. Although some of us prefer to stay at home and cook together, many others would rather go out to dinner to treat their loved ones to a special meal. Luckily, there is no shortage of romantic restaurants to check out in Boston. From semi-casual wine bars to white-tablecloth hot spots, there's a Valentine's Day spot for everyone in Boston.
A few tips to keep in mind: If you can't get a reservation for the 14th, consider planning your Valentine's Day meal on a different day. That way, you'll avoid the holiday crowds and still get to enjoy a delicious dinner with your loved one. Also, you don't have to let your lack of a romantic partner ruin your Valentine's Day plans. Go out for a group dinner with close friends as a way to celebrate the day.
Dear Annie
If you're looking for a relatively low-key but ultra-romantic spot to celebrate Valentine's Day, you can't go wrong with a trip to Dear Annie, located in Cambridge's Porter Square. The trendy, award-winning wine bar serves an incredible selection of natural wine as well as elegant, unexpected seafood and veggie dishes that rotate on a regular basis. For Valentine's Day, the hot spot is offering its "Lovers' Delight" package, which will get you half a dozen fresh oysters as well as a half bottle of Laherte Frères grower Champagne. Stick with the oysters and Champagne if you're just planning a little treat, or add onto the special for an entire Valentine's Day dinner.
Apart from the menu, the vibey atmosphere here feels especially fitting for a romantic date. The dimly lit, tastefully decorated space is warm, open, and inviting, which is perfect for date night — whether you're in your first month of dating or you've been together for years. And with its large communal table in the center of the room, it's a great place for friend groups to celebrate as well.
Mariel
Mariel, a restaurant inspired by pre-revolutionary Havana, is a Cuban restaurant that attracts a crowd throughout the year, and Valentine's Day isn't likely to be an exception. The large, extravagant surroundings offer an undeniably romantic vibe, with huge murals and over-the-top chandeliers. It looks like it's the kind of place you would go to indulge, so it's a solid option if you're really trying to go above and beyond for your Valentine's Day date.
This place is known for its selection of rum, but it also has an excellent cocktail program that offers everything from a Cuban-inspired espresso martini-like drink to fruity flavored daiquiris that can make you forget about the cold Boston weather outside. Don't forget to check out the wine list if you want to split a bottle with your special someone. The food menu promises a variety of delicious snacks and small plate options as well as pizza and some larger entrees.
Troquet on South
Troquet on South, located in Boston's Leather District, is perhaps best known for its extensive wine list, which boasts an incredible selection of fine wines, including enough Champagne to satisfy even the most ardent Valentine's Day celebrators in the city. The focus is on French red wines, but this spot has something for everyone. If you love wine, start by taking a close look at the list or asking owner and sommelier Chris Campbell for some help navigating the list.
But you don't have to stop at the drinks — the French-inspired menu offers an array of exciting entrees and shareable dishes to make your Valentine's Day feel as special as possible. Start with some oysters, tuna tartare, or salmon crudo, and then make your way to the main course offerings, like Rohan duck breast, truffle chicken breast, and rye-crusted scallops. Finish your meal off with a cheese plate or a slice of date cake served with pistachio ice cream. If you choose to visit Troquet on Valentine's Day or the Saturday before, you'll be treated to a special three-course Valentine's Day menu that highlights some of the best of the restaurant's offerings.
Boston Chops
Boston Chops, one of the city's most celebrated steakhouses, closed down during the pandemic. But as of November 2022, the beloved restaurant is back, serving up big, juicy cuts of steak, and ready to host romantic Valentine's Day celebrations. On Tuesday, February 14, you can take advantage of the steakhouse's three-course menu, which is offered at both locations in Downtown Boston as well as the South End. The $149-per-person dinner offers an appetizer, a steak or seafood dinner, and a dessert to top it all off.
Of course, you don't actually have to celebrate on Valentine's Day itself. Celebrate on an alternate day with appetizers like crab cakes and oxtail croquettes, entrees like pork chops and ahi tuna loin in addition to a variety of top-notch steaks, and side dishes like patatas bravas, grilled asparagus, and braised kale. The dark-paneled dining room feels cozy and intimate, making it the perfect place to celebrate the most romantic holiday of the year.
The Banks Fish House
Seafood lovers, we might have just found the best place for you to celebrate Valentine's Day: The Banks Fish House, located in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. From Friday, February 10, through Tuesday, February 14, the restaurant is featuring a special menu highlighting some of its finest a la carte seafood offerings — no need to commit to a prix fixe menu ahead of time. Opt for the Ora King Tyee salmon crudo if you love raw fish, or order the tomahawk and lobster if you're more of a surf-and-turf person. Don't forget to ask about the Champagne and rosé specials if you're considering splitting a bottle with your date.
You can also order from the regular menu, which boasts plenty of seafood-forward dishes you might just go back for. When we're feeling indulgent, we like to start with oysters or caviar service, then make our way to entrees like smoked seafood ravioli, fish and chips, and cod. Don't love seafood? You can also opt for landlubber offerings like the prime short rib burger and the Freebird half chicken.
Field & Vine
The beloved Field & Vine, which can be found in Union Square in Somerville, believes in sourcing from local and sustainable farmers. Its wine list captures that same spirit, with its focus on small producers making organic and biodynamic wines with little intervention in the cellar. If you want to experience the best this restaurant has to offer, you can take advantage of its Valentine's Day prix fixe menu, which offers both omnivore and vegetarian options. The meal is available for $105 per person, with the choice to add on the optional wine pairing for $55. From Nantucket Bay scallops to parsnip grits, this menu won't disappoint.
You can also celebrate by taking advantage of the restaurant's standard options on another day, but keep in mind that the specific dishes they're serving are variable depending on what the local farmers and purveyors they're working with have on hand at the time. The sample winter menu includes dishes like beef tartare, black bass crudo, roasted winter squash, and mushroom cavatelli.
Grill 23 & Bar
When you're looking for the ultimate white tablecloth experience in Boston, look no further than Grill 23. This steakhouse offers all the pomp and circumstance of old-school fine dining, which makes it an ideal option for those who are looking for more of a formal Valentine's Day experience. This is where you'll find excellent iterations of standard steakhouse fare. If you want to start off the night with a bang, start off with selections from the raw bar. We love the shellfish sampler, which will give you a taste of oysters, shrimp, lobster, salmon tartare, and more. Then, check out the a la carte options to build the meal of your dreams. From the A5 wagyu to the swordfish puttanesca, there's no way you can go wrong.
Don't forget to scour the incredibly long, detailed wine list as well. It's curated by Brahm Callahan, one of only 149 Master Sommeliers in the U.S. Staff can help you pick out the perfect wine to celebrate the holiday.
Deuxave
For all the French food lovers out there, there's Deaxave, one of Boston's most celebrated French restaurants. The space is elegant but understated, upscale but not particularly fussy, and perfect for a night out with your partner. This Valentine's Day, the restaurant is offering a five-course tasting menu that starts with canapes and ends with a rich dessert course — and there's plenty to love in between. It'll cost you $249 per person.
Of course, you don't have to make your plans on actual Valentine's Day, and if you choose to dine at Deuxave on another day, you can take advantage of the restaurant's exciting everyday menu, with dishes that range from crispy duck confit and heirloom beet salad to Long Island cheese pumpkin ravioli and nine-hour French onion soup. Don't forget to check out the French-dominated wine list either. Start with a bottle of grower Champagne, or ask a sommelier for help choosing from the rest of the extensive list.
Yvonne's
Located in Downtown Boston, Yvonne's boasts an extravagant dining room that makes for a perfect Valentine's Day date night spot. The attention to detail in the decor of this spot is incredible, from the vintage chandeliers to the unconventional artwork lining the walls. But it's not all about looks at this iconic Boston restaurant. It's also a great place to snag some surprisingly unfussy food that looks as good as it tastes. Start off with a stone-fired pita filled with sujuk or Tunisian chicken, then make your way to the "social" plates, which are perfect for sharing. We love the seared king trumpet mushrooms, the Thai corn salad, and the octopus saganaki. You can also opt for one of the restaurant's "feasts," which feed two people — just what you're looking for during a Valentine's Day celebration.
If you love the sweet stuff, snag a dessert while you're at it. The coconut mousse cake and the warm blackberry galette are both solid places to start. And of course, you have to check out the spot's impressive cocktail program for something to sip with your meal.
Rochambeau
For French food in an undeniably cool atmosphere, you have to make your way to Rochambeau, located in Back Bay. This restaurant is all about the details when it comes to the decor, so it's also a great place to take Valentine's Day pictures, whether you're with your partner or going to dine as a group. Take advantage of the holiday by opting for the restaurant's four-course tasting menu, which includes dishes like burrata salad and spinach mascarpone ravioli. Hopefully, you won't be too full by dessert to enjoy the profiteroles served with ice cream. You'll pay $105 per person for this V-Day special.
Want to celebrate your love at Rochambeau at another time? Fortunately, you won't be missing out on the romantic vibe. Order off the regular menu for options like prosciutto-wrapped cod, moules frites, and honey-roasted duck breast. You can even get a sizzling serving of escargot served in fragrant garlic butter.
SRV
Make your way to the South End to enjoy Venetian food at its Boston finest at the acclaimed SRV. This wine bar and restaurant is offering a selection of cicchetti, pasta, and protein courses that are sure to blow you away. You can choose from a prix fixe menu (with dishes like foie gras mousse and pork spiedini) or go the a la carte route if you want to curate your own meal. The dinner costs $100 per person, but if you're opting for the vegetarian menu, you'll only have to pay $75 per person. Go on another day of the week to experience the restaurant's monkfish, strip steak, and beef carpaccio, as well as desserts like tiramisu, a cardamom torta, and a selection of gelato and sorbet.
The vibe here is ideal for Valentine's Day or any other date night with its low-key but trendy decor and soft lighting that feels inviting the second you step in the door.
Pammy's
This Italian-inspired new American restaurant, located in Cambridge, is among the Boston area's buzziest natural wine hangouts, and with its elegant, well-lit dining room, it's clearly a fantastic option for Valentine's Day celebrations.
Pammy's offers a prix fixe menu that allows you to select three plates of your choosing, which means you can mix and match the options that sound best to you. The lumache, made with a gochujang bolognese, is among the restaurant's most celebrated dishes, but if you can get your hands on it, the pork Milanese, the yellowfin tuna, and the mafaldine served with tripe are all mouth-watering options. End your dining experience with some panna cotta or an affogato, and you'll see why this is such a beloved restaurant. You'll pay $72 per person for a three-course meal.
And wine lovers? You're in luck. The natural wine list here offers an array of options ranging from funky to fruit-forward.
Menton
Famed Boston restauranteur and James Beard award-winner Barbara Lynch is behind Menton, located in Fort Point. The French- and Italian-inspired menu is transformed on Valentine's Day, as the restaurant offers an extravagant seven-course tasting menu that comes with wine pairings. It's available on February 11 and 12, and it's offered exclusively on February 14. You'll pay $250 for the meal, which includes an oyster served with royal Osetra caviar and lemon thyme buttermilk, scallop toast, foie gras terrine, roasted lobster, and many, many more impressive dishes. The optional wine pairing costs an extra $150.
Of course, you can also celebrate with the restaurant's standard menu, which offers standouts like black cod crudo, porchetta di testa, and squash Napoleon. It's offered for $125 per person, and you can add additional dishes for $25 each.
With its sleek, sophisticated design that almost has a homey feel to it, Menton is ideal for a Valentine's Day date with partners or friends.
Coquette
With its pink decor and ornate details, Coquette, located in Boston's Seaport, might just be the most aesthetic place to spend Valentine's Day with your partner or with a group of friends. The French-inspired restaurant boasts an incredible raw bar, with options like shrimp cocktail and oysters du nord. A shellfish tower is an amazing choice if you're interested in really going all out for a special occasion, and you can't forget about "le banquets" or the feasts: It's hard to choose between the petite tender steak and the Tunisian salmon, but you can always split both options with your date.
Grab a table and enjoy sitting at the plush booths, or take a chance sitting at the expansive bar placed in the center of the restaurant so you can be in the center of the action. Coquette is a fun place to people watch — and who doesn't love watching other people on dates?
Celeste
If you're looking for one of the coziest places in Boston to celebrate Valentine's Day (and want to make sure you're getting some of the best food in town), you have to check out Celeste, located in Somerville's Union Square. This Peruvian restaurant is tiny and offers an intimate dining experience that's hard to beat. The decor is understated and relaxed, allowing you to relax and focus on the fantastic food and drinks that will grace your table. Choose from the Peruvian classics you know and love, starting with the variety of ceviche. There are plenty of other seafood options to choose from as well, along with more meat-focused entrees.
And you're not going to be disappointed with the drinks, either: From orange and natural wines to small-batch beers, there are countless options available. The cocktail program is also on point — the pisco sour is absolutely a must-try drink, but don't write off the chica sour or the pisco martini, either.