Outdoor dining resumes in New York City on February 12, giving you another option if dining outside is too cold for you. But, please note, outdoor dining, indoor dining, takeout and delivery options vary by restaurant and can change based on weather and other factors. Be sure to call ahead to confirm your choice of indoor or outdoor seating.
Courtesy Brooklyn Chop House
For Valentine’s Day, Brooklyn Chop House will have you seeing red in a good way with their over-the-top Red Velvet with a Side of Red Velvet special. The menu begins and ends with a Red Velvet creation, first a Red Velvet Frozé and then an oversized slice of Red Velvet Cake. Your dinner is equally colorful, in a figurative sense – order the L.S.D. (Lobster, Steak, Duck), a decadent array of Salt & Pepper Lobster, Ginger & Garlic lobster, dry-aged Porterhouse steak and Peking Duck served with lobster and chicken fried rice.
Courtesy Socarrat Paella Bar
In Spain, Cava is the beverage of romance and Socarrat Paella Bar pairs it with heart-shaped churros dipped in chocolate. You’ll also tuck into a four-course dinner with a shareable Campero board of Spanish charcuterie followed by a tapas selection of red prawns, croquetas and datiles and duck or lobster and seafood paella.
Courtesy Mercado Little Spain
Take a stroll along the High Line and pause to look at the Hudson River and the magnificent New York skyline. Exit at 30th Street for José Andrés’ Spanish Diner at Mercado Little Spain, a second option for those who equate Valentine’s Day with a trip to high-spirited Spain. On the open-air patio, you’ll be treated a Valentine’s Day prix fixe dinner highlighted by the José taco with jamón Ibérico and caviar, croquetas de marisco, and grilled Ibérico pork shoulder. A Cava toast is the perfect precursor to the double-chocolate Nuestro Cardenal, a crispy meringue topped with raspberry chocolate and filled with chocolate ganache.
Courtesy Extra Virgin
West Village favorite Extra Virgin has created an aphrodisiacal Valentine’s Day menu with a dose of whimsy. The Mediterranean-inspired dinner includes hors d’oeuvres like shrimp and Jonah crab cocktail and foie gras mousse and the aptly named Love Bird, a whole roasted jerk chicken to share. As everyone knows, chocolate is de rigueur on Valentine’s Day, and you’ll have a mix of two of the best for dessert with the white and dark chocolate mousse parfait. Playing off the restaurant’s somewhat-ambiguous name, Extra Virgin is selling a limited-edition “Extra Love” red t-shirt. Buy a large so you can cozy up in bed after dinner.
Courtesy The Mark Restaurant
Just steps from Central Park, The Mark Restaurant’s green-and-white striped tent takes on a red tinge with a prix fixe Valentine’s Day menu of Jean-Georges favorites. At the tony Upper East Sider, tuna tartare with caviar is a perfect beginning to sea bass or grilled NY strip. The Linzer tart is as delicious as it is pretty – a heart-shaped sweet finish to a wonderful meal with your sweetie. You won’t need to order a bottle of wine – the sommelier will take care of the perfect pairings.
Courtesy Frevo
Chef Franco Sampogna welcomes you to the re-opening of Frevo for Valentine’s Day. Unusual and romantic, the restaurant is hidden behind an art gallery. It’s like entering Oz — you walk through a painting to find the dining room where a Valentine’s Day playlist sets the tone for Chef’s luxe multi-course dining fête. Artistically plated dishes include lobster cappuccino with Kristal caviar, celery root tagliatelle and black truffle, and quail with foie gras, All ingredients are seasonal, sustainable and locally sourced. The evening’s wine experience is brought to you by sommelier Quentin Vauleon, named Best Young Sommelier in France of 2017.
Courtesy Nice Matin
At Nice Matin, Chef Eric Starkman serves up a special three-course prix fixe menu in their heated, streetside café. The Provençale menu offers starters including lobster bisque, farro risotto and smoked salmon. Entrées appeal to all dining preferences with Filet Mignon, duet of lamb, bucatini Mentonnaise or scallops à la Marseillaise. Dessert is pure rouge decadence: Red Velvet cake with raspberry purée and dark chocolate glaze.
Courtesy Nami Nori
Temaki sensation Nami Nori invites you to its outdoor room for a special Temaki Set. The menu of high-level taco-like creations includes five of Chef’s most popular: toro kama with yuzu kosho chimichurri, grilled akamutsu, avocado with pickled goji berries, X.O. scallop with tobiko and lemon, and tuna poke with crispy shallots. A caviar layer dip makes an indulgent appetizer. Drawing on Japan’s cherry-blossom heritage, the meal is finished with a Sakura parfait, a Valentine-pink confection of cherry blossom mousse, hibiscus gêlée, elderflower panna cotta and sponge cake; and “The Cherry Bomb” cherry-red cocktail made with Crémant sparkling wine, cherry sage cordial and soju.
Courtesy 15 East @ Tocqueville
French-Japanese hybrid 15 East @ Tocqueville debuts its first Valentine’s Day menu with a spread to impress. Created by Chef Marco Moreira, the three-course prix fixe meal includes Hudson Valley foie gras custard, butter-poached Maine lobster, duo of Wagyu-beef cheeks and strip loin, and dry aged hay-smoked Magret duck breast. You can choose one of four desserts including baked Fuji apple with passion parfait. If you’d prefer to order strictly Japanese, the Chef’s Sashimi & Sushi Omakase is also available. The red “Enzo and Valentina” with Nolet’s Silver Gin, Campari, St. Germain, Cocchi Rossa, prickly pear and lemon juice is your Valentine’s Day cocktail. Adding to the romance, the inviting (and dimly lit) outdoor space is draped in a sheer pink overhang.
While many restaurants offer special Valentine’s Day dinners, usually with a rose and a glass of champagne as a token gift, 