Valentine’s Day is around the corner and if you like me have left booking a place to eat until the last moment, never fear. We have a list of London’s 10 most romantic restaurants to eat from this weekend right through to the special day.
From Nordic set menus to wine matching evenings we have compiled something for everyone in this list of London’s Valentine hotspots. There is also something to suit all budgets, so regardless of whether you want to go all out or cut back, there is an option for you. In fact, there aren’t just the most romantic restaurants in London, these are some of the most romantic restaurants in the world, so you’ll be in your partners good books for a while.
Take in a Nordic set menu at the newly opened, and first on our list of the most romantic restaurants, Aquavit London.
On Tuesday 14th February the restaurant will be serving an exclusive four course menu with a Nordic twist. Guests will start the dinner with a plate of Vendace roe to share and roasted scallops from the Isle of Orkney, followed by a slow roast beef chateaubriand, perfect for sharing.
Dessert will be Rhubarb based Alaska for the table to share. In addition, a special Alskling cocktail will also be included in the special meal, taking its name for the Swedish term for ‘darling’ or ‘sweetheart’.
Aquavit London opened at the end of last year in the stunning new St James’s Market redevelopment on 1 Carlton Street. Taking inspiration from the renowned Aquavit New York, but with a new more relaxed dining concept and setting, this restaurant showcases the very best of Nordic cuisine and design.
Fork your way to a delicious Valentines dinner at COUNTER.
For food lovers and lovers of all things daringly delicious, COUNTER’s Head Chef Mahrez Loukal will be cooking up a delicious valentines treat south of the river on Tuesday 14 February with a fabulously tasty 3 course set menu for £45 – plus a complimentary glass of Rossini to sip on.
The menu includes Lobster veloute, hand-dived scallop carpaccio and Oysters (Fine de Claire) for starters. The main course offerings include honey glazed Gressingham duck breast, grilled filet steak and lobster, with a chocolate fondant, raspberry cheesecake and French cheeses for desert.
Since opening in February 2014, COUNTER has established a cult-following in the next frontier of London’s food scene – Vauxhall. Likened to London’s own version of Hell’s Kitchen or the infamous Meatpacking district, the regeneration of the diverse area continues at break-neck speed ahead of the US Embassy completion towards the middle of this year.
This Valentine’s Day, celebrate with your loved one in the truly romantic surroundings of Les 110 de Taillevent.
Taking the art of pairing to new heights, Les 110 de Taillevent continues to revolutionise the world of wine matching with its extensive list of fine wines alongside its seasonal French dishes.
For Valentine’s Day, Chef Raphael Grima has created a truly luxurious five-course set menu accompanied by a selection of 20 paired wines.
Highlights of the menu include an amuse bouche of Smoked Mozzarella; beetroot & red onions pickles jelly, as well as a sumptuous Roasted Filet of Duck, served with caramelised endives, honey and Xérès, a delicious Spanish sherry. For dessert, guests can indulge in a romantic Macaron “Heart”, served with fresh raspberry coulis. Each of these dishes will be served alongside a selection of paired wines, available across four price brackets – less than £8, less than £14, less than £20 and over £20. This special set menu will also include a glass of champagne, making it the perfect romantic celebration for guests and their loved ones.
This Valentine’s Day menu will be available alongside Les 110 de Taillevent’s regular a la carte menu, 14th February from 6pm for £45 per person, including a glass of champagne.
Sexy Fish is hosting a seductive evening of food, cocktails, romance-inducing decor and music for Valentine’s Day, complete with a Coco de Mer surprise
The Mayfair hotspot will be serving up plenty of spice and passion, as well as getting a romantic makeover with balloons and romantic flourishes. A resident DJ will also be spinning tracks until 2am.
Alongside the à la carte menu, there is a special six-course tasting feast available for lunch and dinner on Saturday 11, Sunday 12 and Tuesday 14 February. Aphrodisiacs on offer include oysters with myoga and shiso and a special Valentine’s Day desert. Guests will also receive a complimentary Coco de Mer goody bag, filled with cheeky treats.
From Saturday 11th Feb to Sunday 19th Feb, HIPCHIPS are asking customers to swap the standard candle lit set menu for some relaxed fun at London’s only crisp and dip dining concept, where they will be serving up a variety of delectably indulgent dips and hand-crafted heritage crisps for singletons and loved- up ones alike.
Couples and companions will have the option to choose from the following new and exciting flavours presented in beautifully wrapped boxes tied with red ribbon :
Mascarpone with Chive and Pine nut, Red Pepper with feta and black olives, Truffled Lobster & Passion Fruit whip, White Chocolate and Raspberry mousse, Eton Mess dessert
Bespoke Valentine’s Day gift vouchers for crisp lovers will also be sold onsite in envelops for either £15 or £25 and will be valid from the 3rd February to 31st March.
Situated in London’s trend-setting and flourishing area of Hackney Central is restaurant, bar and live music venue Oslo.
Alongside an exciting live music program which welcomes a variety of DJs and bands, Oslo also offers a delicious and diverse all day eating and drinking menu. On 14th February, the restaurant will be throwing a memorable V Day party with some amazing exclusive food and drink offers, followed up with a generous serving of music, making it the perfect venue for a first date, 100th date, or friend date.
Oslo’s Valentine’s Day Offers include:
• Free Prosecco for pre-booked tables
• Valentine’s Day Food Specials
• Two for £9 on Valentine’s Cocktails
• Oslo Resident DJs in the bar from 9PM playing off-centre R&B and Yacht Rock favourites
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Royal Exchange has teamed up with Lulu Guinness to bring a splash of chic style to the Grand Café and Threadneedle Bar. From 8 February to 10 March, guests will be able to enjoy an exclusive range of cocktails and desserts inspired by the luxury British accessories designer, while the Grand Café will be adorned with decorations that exude Lulu’s striking and distinctive style.
Cocktails will include the Dark Kiss Fizz with plum sake, Staibano Lemon Cream Liqueur, Chambord, chocolate bitters, and prosecco, while Executive Head Chef, Stefano Leone, has created the Stripes & Lips dessert exclusively for the collaboration. There will also be a further incentive to enjoy this wonderful collaboration, with guests who spend over £50 at The Royal Exchange receiving a £15 voucher for purchases over £100 at Lulu Guinness, while those spending over £75 at Lulu Guinness receiving one complimentary Lulu Guinness cocktail, and those spending over £100 receiving two complimentary cocktails.
If you can’t find the words, let Boisdale of Canary Wharf set the romantic mood for you with music event Jazz’s Greatest Love Songs: With Charlie Pyne.
Snuggle up at the Cabot Square venue and listen to classics as What A Difference A Day Makes, Fly Me To The Moon and Honeysuckle Rose.
You can enjoy the music with a cocktail for £15pp or splash out in style for the two-course set menu at £30pp with dishes such as dill marinated Scottish salmon, deep fried fish cakes, with hollandaise sauce, pappardelle with Kentish broad beans, peas, pecorino, white wine, olive oil and pea tops or a 7oz Aberdeenshire fillet steak (£8 supplement)
Tuesday, February 14, 9.15pm
Romantic settings don’t get more splendidly over-the-top than this.
Take your pick from the wood-panelled restaurant or the atmospheric conservatory, bedecked in a forest of fake white blossoms that seem to extend into eternity as they bounce off the restaurant’s mirrors.
Fairy lights, candles and a fireplace add to the soft focus vibe. It’s a Provençal-inspired menu, and although à la carte choices are pegged at the sharp end, the pre-theatre menu offering is a bargain. Expect to be among many a couple, since this place regularly bills itself as ‘London’s most romantic restaurant’.
The inimitable French romance of bohemian Soho favourite L’Escargot could never be more relevant than on Valentine’s Day.
From duck cassoulet with Merguez, Morteau & Toulouse sausages to grilled lobster with garlic butter, couples will not be disappointed with the delectable à la carte menu of classics from across the channel.
As the first restaurant in the UK to serve snails, the delicious sharing pot of l’escargots is an excellent choice, while those searching for a traditional aphrodisiac will be able to order an inviting selection of fresh oysters.
With a cellar full of Laurent-Perrier Rose and Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Champagnes, guests looking to enjoy the perfect evening of classic romance will not be disappointed.
For those enchanted by the louche glamour of Soho, L’Escargot is the perfect choice for a sumptuous evening of romance.
Head to Test Kitchen Tuesdays at Craft London most affordable tasting menu (£28 p/p).
As always, Stevie Parle and his team will be creating a blind tasting menu for the night and while we can’t tell you what will be served, we’ve put bets on that chicken hearts will feature. Don’t forget to treat your loved one to a cocktail or two at the 360 degree wraparound rooftop bar, designed by Tom Dixon, with breath-taking views of London.
Please let us know if you think any different restaurants should make it into our too ten most romantic restaurants in London…
