Romantic Valentine’s Day Dining Ideas from Coast to Coast and In Between

The image above is from Beechwood and those to the left are from Sepia and Alta.

Haven’t identified the perfect place yet to dine and toast to love, romance or the possibility of romance? Here are a couple of thoughts on venues for charming your Valentine …

New York
Prepare to woo with the warm glow, and extensive wine and small plates menu at Alta. Situated along one of the West Village’s most romantic blocks, West 10th Street, Alta offers a tasting menu priced from $3 to $15, as well as a lengthy hand-selected wine list. Pair Old World reds and whites, with Moroccan spiced cashews, fried goat cheese with lavender-infused honey, grilled chorizo wrapped gulf shrimp, squid ink paella, rabbit confit and much more! The two-story, open air dining room with mosaic tile floor, chestnut tables and bronze chandeliers will set an unforgettable mood. Location: 64 W. 10th St. (between 5th and 6th Aves.), West Village, Manhattan. Click here for more details and full menu.

Looking for something a little more frivolous? Peanut Butter & Co. offers a “Sweetheart’s Snack Special” from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm on Valentine’s Day, complete with heart-shaped sandwiches served with PB & Co.’s trademark potato chips, carrot sticks and a big glass of plain or strawberry-flavored milk with heart-shaped straw for two. Enjoy peanut butter cookies and candy conversation hearts for dessert, and groove to the mood music from Sirius Satellite Radio's Love Channel 3. Plus, take home a free jar of PB & Co.'s all-natural, gourmet peanut butter (contains no cholesterol, no hydrogenated oils, no trans-fats, and no refined sugars). Cost: $30 per couple. Location: 240 Sullivan St. (between Bleecker and W. 3rd Sts.), Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Reservations are recommended – call 212-677-3995. Click here for more details.

Chicago
Enjoy a romantic dinner at Sepia, a former 1890 print shop, which “celebrates tradition with a modern twist” through its refined, yet rustic space, as well as its cuisine. On Valentine’s Day, try Sepia’s special three or five-course menus, featuring dishes such as kusshi oyster with cucumber sauce, seared Maine scallop, braised beef short ribs with taro root puree, chocolate bread pudding with blood orange ice cream and more! Toast to love with one of Sepia’s signature libations, such as the calvados apple sidecar, berry pisco sour, or peach old fashioned (peach infused woodford reserve bourbon, peach bitters, sugar, and muddled cherries, oranges and local peaches). Location: 123 N. Jefferson St. (between Washington and Randolph). Click here for more details and full menus.

Los Angeles
Head to the dead end of hip Abbot Kinney Boulevard to Beechwood’s modern, wood-paneled, warm and lively atmosphere. Grab a spot in the secluded rear dining room, or by the fire in the lounge area, and enjoy the special Valentine’s Day menu. The lineup features watercress and strawberry salad with manchego and duck prosciutto, roasted dorade with sweet potato puree, grilled rack of lamb with asparagus-cilantro salad, chocolate delectables for two, and more. Also, select from an array of specialty cocktails and wine, and enjoy an eclectic night out! Location: 822 Washington Blvd., Venice. Click here and full menu.