Wine and Dine on Valentine’s Day at These NYC Restaurants

Fiona Chandra

Since New York City is arguably one of the best dining cities in the country, lovers – and lovers of food – will have no shortage of options on where to celebrate Valentine’s Day. From classic elegance to date nights at the city’s most happening spots, we’ve picked the best places to celebrate the special day in the city:

American Cut
You can’t go wrong with a classic American steakhouse dinner, especially at Next Iron Chef’s winner Marc Forgione’s award-winning steakhouse. American Cut will be offering a $105 three-course prix fixe menu. Start with some cornflake-crusted crab cakes, oysters, or shrimp cocktail. The entrée options include porterhouse steak for two with bone marrow butter or a bone-in Chateaubriand for two. Finish off with red velvet cheesecake or a milk chocolate semifreddo for two.  The menu will be served from Feb. 10 – 14. A la carte menu will also be available.

Batard
Chef Markus Glocker’s New French cooking has garnered this TriBeCa restaurant one Michelin star. On Feb. 4, guests can opt for one of two dinner options. The three-course prix fixe menu will be priced at $120 while four courses will cost $145. Course options will include Chef Glocker’s famed Octopus pastrami, roasted foie gras “Berlin”, roasted lobster, duck breast, venison en croute and more. Finish off with something sweet like pear tarte tatin or chocolate cake, or with a cheese plate.

Gabriel Kreuther
Splurge on a special fine dining menu at this elegant, spacious restaurant. A six-course tasting menu will be offered for $245 per person during two seatings (5:30-6:30 p.m. and 8:30-9 p.m.) on Feb. 14. The French menu will include citrus diver scallops, smoked eel carbonara, wagyu beef and more. Optional wine pairing is available for $175 per person. Couples can also indulge on some caviar, served tableside.

Kat & Theo
The industrial-chic Kat & Theo in Flatiron is known as one of the most romantic restaurants in the city, and a nice option if you’re shying away from the classic white tablecloth dining establishments. On Valentine’s Day they will be offering a $150 four-course menu. The options include cured foie gras, poached oyster with Kaluga caviar, smoked scallop, lobster tagliatelle, dry aged New York strip steak and more.

Maison Premiere
The old-world, New Orleans style setting of this Williamsburg restaurant make for the right atmosphere for a date night, coupled with their absinthe cocktails. The restaurant will be offering a $125 four-course menu with options including dayboat scallops, dark cocoa ravioli, wagyu beef and dark chocolate ganache tart. The prix fixe menu will be available on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 13-14. Since Maison Premiere is beloved for their oysters, the aphrodisiac bivalves will be available a la carte.

One if by Land, Two if by Sea
Named one of the most romantic restaurants in New York and the top five most romantic restaurants in the world by Architectural Digest, don’t wait to book your celebration at this candlelit West Village restaurant. For Valentine’s Day, the restaurant will offer a six-course menu with wine pairing for $295 per person. Start with yellowtail sashimi topped with trout caviar, followed by seared foie gras, pan roasted scallops, beef wellington and other classics. For the couples choosing to celebrate over the weekend, the restaurant is offering a four-course prix fixe menu with course options that include cacao poached lobster and boneless rack of lamb.

Rebelle
The one Michelin star restaurant on the Bowery is home to Chef Daniel Eddy’s new wave French cooking which has received critical acclaims. Try what the hype is all about on Valentine’s Day with their four-course prix fixe menu priced at $85 per person. Start with an appetizer of raw scallop with mint, and follow it with glazed carrot, seared halibut and chocolate mousse cake with vanilla and rose.

Vaucluse
Chef Michael White’s Upper Eastside elegant French brasserie will be offering a $150 four-course menu for Valentine’s Day.  The appetizer options include beef tartare, terrine de foie gras, Boudin blanc with veal sausage and black truffle. Entrée and dessert options include beef tournedos, tarte Vaucluse – the namesake chocolate hazelnut tarte with Chantilly and chocolate cremeux. Daily selection of oysters and special caviar selection will be available a la carte, along with a special champagne menu by the bottle.

The Water Club
This floating eatery offers a sweeping view of the East River from the white tablecloth dining room complete with a wood-burning fireplace. Cozy up on Feb. 14 with their three-course prix fixe menu for $95 per person. The menu options include Cupid’s hearts of artichoke, Maryland crab bisque, hand-cut black truffle fettuccine and filet mignon. Finish with a selection of desserts such as blood orange mascarpone mousse and strawberry shortcake.

Zenkichi
Zenkichi’s semi-private booths and Zen-like atmosphere offers a quiet hideaway in Brooklyn for couples that are looking for a private and more intimate dinner out. There will be an eight-course tasting menu priced at $120 per person. The menu includes Kumamoto oyster, Hokkaido Zuwai snow crab, followed by blue fin tuna tartare, lobster and uni gratin, Kobe beefsteak with black truffle and Hudson Valley foie gras donburi.  Couples can also celebrate their love over the weekend, since the restaurant’s Valentine’s tasting menu will be served from Feb. 10-14.