21 Club
21 W. 52nd St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-582-7200
This classic New York spot will be offering an amuse bouche, petit fours, and Champagne with its three-course dinner. Highlights include aphrodisiacs like East Coast oysters, a pan-roasted Berkshire pork chop, and flourless chocolate cake.
Price: $125
Ai Fiori
400 Fifth Ave., 2nd fl., at 36th St.; 212-695-4005
Michael White’s upscale trattoria promises an air of Mediterranean romance with a six-course meal featuring Spanish mackerel crudo, line-caught Atlantic halibut, amish veal chop “au four,” and risotto with black truffles.
Price: $175
Aldea
31 W. 17th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-675-7223
If you enjoy watching a kitchen in action, head to George Mendes’s boutique Iberian eatery where a seat at the chef’s counter provides a front-row glimpse at the making of sea urchin toast or suckling pig. Guests can choose from a three-course prix fixe or a six-course tasting menu. If you prefer some alone time with your partner, cozy leather booths are also available.
Price: $85, $110
Aska
90 Wythe Ave.,at N. 11th St.; Williamsburg; 347-799-2946
Dinner at this Scandinavian restaurant, housed inside the eclectic Kinfolk Studios in Williamsburg, will be a decidedly hip affair. The six-course tasting menu will feature an array of new Nordic dishes sure to please the on-trend and off-beat. Botanical cocktails will also be available.
Price: $115
Bar Americain
152 W. 52nd St., nr. Seventh Ave.; 212-265-9700
For something more traditional, look no further than Iron Chef Bobby Flay’s American-style brasserie. This three-course menu offers spicy tuna tartar, gulf shrimp and grits, blackened prime rib, and four classic desserts with a twist, like banana bread pudding with black walnut soft-serve.
Price: $85
The Bouley Test Kitchen
88 W. Broadway, nr. Warren St.
If you’re feeling experimental, head to chef David Bouley’s test kitchen, where couples will be taught to prepare their own four-course meal with locally sourced ingredients. Afterwards, you’ll be invited to take a seat to enjoy the (hopefully) delectable fruits of your labor. The meal with also be accompanied by Bouley’s self-playing Steinway Concert Grand Model D Piano.
Price: $325
Buttermilk Channel
524 Court St., nr. Huntington St.; Carroll Gardens;718-852-8490
This homey Carroll Gardens eatery promises no heart-shaped food. Instead, savor starters like a foie gras and country ham terrine, followed by the signature buttermilk fried chicken with Cheddar waffles or beef Wellington for two. For a sweet finish, dessert includes a pecan pie sundae, coffee pot de crème, or a Valrhona chocolate tart.
Price: $75
Café Boulud
20 E. 76th St., nr. Madison Ave.; 212-772-2600
Known for its eclectic tasting menus inspired by chef Daniel Boulud’s culinary muses (traditional French cuisine, vegetables, seasonal delicacies, and international flavors), the four-course Valentine’s menu is sure to please. Options include tamarind-glazed cod with shiitake mushrooms, and vanilla bavarois with yuzu sake sorbet.
Price: $215
Hakubai at The Kitano
66 Park Ave., at 38th St.; 212-885-7111
Celebrate with Zen style and sake in this austere hotel restaurant. One of the few Japanese spots that features traditional Kaiseki cuisine, Hakubai’s menu will be paired with three kinds of Kitaya Sake and one that has never been sold in the U.S. And with a capacity of only 26, a quiet, intimate evening is guaranteed.
Price: $160
Hakkasan
311 W. 43rd street at 8th avenue.; 212-776-1818
The regular menu may have once included a platter of Japanese abalone and black truffles for $888, but the prix fixe at the Times Square location of this famous London Chinese restaurant is far more affordable. Items such as seared scallop with nashi pear and mango in sweet basil and peanut dressing are featured on the seven-course menu, complete with a complimentary glass of rosé Champagne, all for under $100.
Price: $98
KTCHN
508 W. 42nd St., nr. Tenth Ave.; 212-868-2999
How about an intimate jazz performance and chocolate fondue for two? You can have both at this modern American restaurant’s four-course dinner and wine pairing event. Braised beef short ribs and a smoked salmon blini topped with chive crème fraîche and trout caviar are just a few of the tantalizing options.
Price: $95 for two
Le Périgord
405 E. 52nd St., nr. East End Ave.; 212-755-6244
If foie gras chaud aux fruits de Saison (warm foie gras with seasonal fruit) or traditional beef Bourguignon set before you by a tuxedoed server sounds like your kind of evening, then this Sutton Place gem may be just the spot. A three-course menu is on offer, complete with a pastry trolley and specials like raspberry soufflé.
Price: $65
Lincoln Ristorante
142 W. 65th St., nr. Broadway; 212-359-6500
For a night of classic romance and postmodern prestige, head to Lincoln Center to catch the New York City Ballet’s rendition of Sleeping Beauty, followed by dinner at chef Jonathan Benno’s (formerly of Per Se) contemporary Italian restaurant. You’ll be surrounded by panoramic views of the Center’s plaza, and the entire menu will be available for the four-course prix fixe, including rainbow trout with spiced sausage, carrots, and lentils, and stuffed rabbit saddle with a sunny egg, frisée, and a lentil and bacon fat vinaigrette.
Price: $85
Neely’s Barbecue Parlor
1125 First Ave., at 62nd St.;212-832-1551
If you’re feeling more on the casual side, head uptown to Neely’s Barbecue Parlor for a finger-licking evening of applewood-smoked chicken wings, Memphis-style ribs, and a spread of fixins. The special offers sharable barbecue platters for two and complimentary glasses of Champagne. Afterwards head into the dessert room (yes, a whole room), where you’ll find everything from classic red-velvet cake to key lime lemon bars.
Price: $79 for two
Pampano
209 E. 49th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-751-4545
Couldn’t make that getaway to Mexico? Share a series of eight small plates at Richard Sandoval’s Pampano instead. The coastal Mexican restaurant serves contemporary cuisine in an atmosphere inspired by the shore itself. Choose from a menu featuring various ceviches, torta sliders, lobster empanadas, and churros with a dark-chocolate-cinnamon dipping sauce. Two spicy blood orange margaritas are also included to wash it all down.
Price: $50; $80
The Pines
284 Third Ave., at President St.; 718-596-6560
Roberta’s veteran Angelo Romano prepares pared-down new American cuisine at this quaint Gowanus eatery, and will be serving a ten-course tasting menu featuring five sweet and five savory dishes. Keep your fingers crossed that the Adam Platt–approved Wagyu Coulotte Steak is among the offerings.
Price: $125
Spice Market
403 W. 13th St., at Ninth Ave.;212-675-2322
The four-course menu at this meatpacking district favorite promises to be exotic, featuring dishes like spiced chicken samosas, Hamachi sashimi, and peekytoe crab dumplings. An all-vegetarian menu is also available.
Price: $66
Vinegar Hill House
72 Hudson Ave., nr. Water St.; Vinegar Hill;718-522-1018
Head to the quiet cobblestone streets of Vinegar Hill for a three-course meal and suggested wine pairings by wine director William Fitch. Dishes include seared beef heart with bibb lettuce, potatoes, and stinging nettles, and duck breast with mango and coconut milk.
Price: $95 (drinks not included)