The best Valentine's Day dinners in Toronto are for anyone in love — with food, that is. People who plan their days around sustenance, who pine for flavour, who dream of dinners that exceed expectations will find the city teeming with everything they crave this February 14th.
A day when restaurants layer luxury upon luxury, dotting menus with ingredients that make customers swoon, Valentine's Day is not for spartan tastes. It's for anyone who wants a memorable meal that will warm their heart, have them licking your lips, and arouse the type of admiration Valentine's Day demands.
Gather your family, your confidantes, your forever plus one, or the hottie you just met and head to the spot that best suits your group.
Comfortably Coupled
Seeing your partner in anything but sweats after the sun sets? Sure, it might come as a shock but it's one you'll welcome. Step out of the routine this Valentine's Day with dinner at one of the city's top tables. Painting the town red on a Tuesday? Trust us when we say, your better half will be just as surprised, and thrilled, as you.
Slick and sultry, Alo is always a top choice for any event. Head to Alo on February 13th or 14th and enjoy a multi-course tasting menu with a host of luxurious additions each chosen to enhance the romantic mood. For reservations, visit Exploretock.com.
With King Crab Salad, Brown Butter Poached Halibut, an eye-catching Strawberry & Roses desserts and other standouts, Joni's three-course Valentine's Day dinner is as brilliant as your love deserves. Available exclusively on February 14th, you'll want to reserve on OpenTable, ASAP.
Any couple looking for romance will welcome the chance to be comfortably cocooned in a corner of Pink Sky this Valentine's Day. With highlights like Lobster Bisque, Burrata, Charcoal Grilled Branzino and Truffle Lobster Mac and Cheese, the team's four-course menu hits all the right notes. Optional add-ons of wine pairings, caviar, seafood towers — even flowers — may be overkill, but Valentine's Day comes but once a year.
Reluctant to leave the house? Enjoy a romantic night in with a take-home feast from Pusateri's. Inspired by the city of lights, each dîner pour deux can be customized to suit your tastes. Choose three to seven courses, including French Onion Soup, Heart-Shaped Pasta, and éclairs. Plus, with the option to add long-stem roses or a bottle of bubbly to your order, you can do all of your shopping in one convenient spot.
With options to dine in or enjoy Valentine's Day dinner at home, Richmond Station has you covered no matter your mood. Either way, you'll enjoy a multi-course affair featuring noteworthy dishes crafted from locally-sourced ingredients. Visit the restaurant's website to reserve a table, or Exploretock.com for pickup or delivery.
With a menu that promises to be supremely delicious and romantic, along with live music and quality cocktails, Vela on Valentine's Day will be hard to beat. Reserve your seat on Resy, and come February 14th, forget your worries as you and your sweetheart indulge in Hamachi Crudo, Striploin, Baked Alaska and more from the six-course menu.
Glam Gals and Guys
Whether you're mourning your singledom or simply prefer to spend Valentine's Day among friends, dressing up and dining out is the only sensible way to approach the day. Gather the group, and head to a spot where the drinks flow, the food is divine and you can laugh and cry without fear of reproach. Spill the tea as you lose track of time, and don't be surprised if a February night out becomes a yearly tradition.
This year, enjoy a magnificent-meets-mouthwatering Valentine's Day dinner at Aloette. Whether you opt for five or six courses, you'll toast to your years of friendship over bites of Foie Gras Tart, Short Rib with Maitake Mushrooms and 10 Layer Red Velvet Cake. To reserve, visit Exploretock.ca.
This February 14th, spend a cheeky night at Chica surrounded by your ride-or-die crew. With a sharing menu of tapas, and optional wine pairings, you'll find plenty of fuel for hours of chit chat. To reserve, visit Opentable.com.
Match your group's mood with fabulous food and drink at Chotto Matte this February. Order the restaurant's limited-edition Daisuki Sushi platter and nibble on bites of Dragon Roll and nigiri between sips of Pisco-Sour-inspired El Cariño cocktails. Available between February 13th and 19th, Chotto Matte's singular Nikkei specials guarantee a Valentine's Day to remember.
Double the Valentine's Day fun by enjoying afternoon tea with the ladies, followed by a romantic evening with whomever you please. With assorted savoury and sweet bites, ranging from Honey Brûléed Brie and Lobster Salad to Cranberry Scones and Macaron Amour, EPOCH's tea will warm you, body and soul. Visit OpenTable to reserve your spot between February 11th and 14th.
A perennial favourite for top-quality ingredients served in stunning style, Minami's lavish four-course feast is just the thing to make Valentine's Day sing. Available on February 14th, each set meal begins with Albacore tuna tartare and ends with a decadent chocolate banana finale that's as spicy and rich as the date of your dreams. To reserve, visit Minamitoronto.com.
Refined yet relaxed, Sara is the type of spot that lets you sample the luxe life without overwhelming you with pretension. Join the team on February 14th for a delightful V-Day prix fixe menu, and you and your crew can catch up as you polish off plates of Buttermilk Fried Oysters, Sara Chopped Salad, NY Striploin, Raspberry Cream Profiteroles, and more. To reserve, visit Sara.restaurant.
Hot and Heavy
It's no coincidence that each of the following restaurants resides in one of the city's finest hotels. A dinner date is swell but following it up with a night in a gorgeous suite? Yes, that's even better. Reserve a romantic dinner at one of these spots and rest easy knowing that, when the aphrodisiacs kick in, you simply need to head upstairs to keep the love affair going.
Invite your plus-one to dine in one of the city's most sensuous spots and who knows where the evening will take you. For Valentine's Day, Casa Madera's specials include Ceviche de Amor, with white fish and serrano peppers, and the sultry La Pasión dessert, made of passion fruit, chocolate and caramelized bananas. Still, if you want to go all out, nothing tops the Cristalino, a Cristal-infused raspberry cake with macarons and black truffle ice cream. For a night you and your date will never forget, reserve your table at Thecasamadera.com.
Set the mood for an unforgettable Valentine's night with dinner (perhaps more?) at Café Boulud, inside the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Swept away by the seven-course French bistro menu — including highlights like Alaskan King Crab & Apple and Beef Tenderloin Pithivier — you and your sweetheart will hope the night never ends. Visit Opentable.com to reserve.
The perfect recipe for romance? Combine a passionate couple with a healthy dose of luxury, one breath-taking view, a variety of stunning dishes and a dash of artistry, and marvel at the result. A deluxe experience on the 31st floor of the St. Regis Toronto, Louix Louis' three-course prix fixe Valentine's Day menu is one you won't want to miss. To book, visit OpenTable.com.
Bustling and beautiful, Skylight provides the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable Valentine's Day celebration. Lucky guests will find a wealth of Mediterranean-inspired dishes on the five-course, Valentine's Day Indulgence Menu, available on February 10th, 11th and 14th. From Burrata with black truffle to Macadamia Nut & Crab Crusted Mahi Mahi to a Dark Chocolate Heart confection, you'll "ooh" and "ahh" your way through the night.
Snuggle with your sweetie at The Drake this Valentine's Day. Sharing bites of sophisticated dishes such as baked oysters, Ontario lamb rack, steak frites, and more, is guaranteed to rouse all of of your senses. From there, head home or keep the date going in one of the hotel's chic rooms. Visit Thedrake.ca to reserve your adventure.
Fabulously Unfettered
Just because you're swimmingly single doesn't mean you should be denied the soft sparkle of candlelight, the choice menus, the people watching, and the overall "extra-ness" of restaurant dining on Valentine's Day. This year, head out solo (or with like-minded peeps) and relish every ounce of pleasure knowing that you have nobody to please except yourself.
Toast to San Valentino himself with an early V-Day celebration at Eataly on February 10th. Sample an abundance of Italian specialities — from risotto and pizzetta with gorgonzola to strawberries with Venchi chocolate, cannoli, gelato, and more — at the market's Valentine's Taste-Around. Visit Eventbrite.ca to reserve your spot.
If stately and serious aren't your style, you'll want to join the party at Miss Likklemore's this Valentine's Day. From the atmosphere and the music, to the rum punch and the three-course, Caribbean prix fixe — with options including Nuff Nuff Slaw, Miss Edna's Jerk Chicken, Guyanese Style Pepper Pot Short Rib, Coconut Mousse, and more — you'll be swept away to warmer climes for one glorious night.
Created for duos, Reign's Valentine's Day menu suits groups of two, four, six, or more with exquisite taste. Available from February 10th until the 14th, each menu includes four courses and a host of deluxe treats, from caviar and shrimp to chateaubriand. Plan early; this one is likely to sell out.
Prove that couples aren't the only ones who deserve V-Day treats, with a reservation at The Chase this February. On offer February 13th through February 15th, the refined prix-fixe menu includes oysters, foie gras, halibut and mille feuille in its four sumptuous courses. To reserve, visit Exploretock.ca.
The Dog & Tiger Kitchen and Bar
A farm-to-table pub with a seasonal focus, The Dog & Tiger offers a perfect balance for a casual Valentine's Day night out. On the February 14th menu, find a host of options that allow you to craft your perfect meal. Sample Tuna Crudo, and Lobster Tagliatelle, or Ice Shrimp Salad followed by Beet Steak. Or, dine with a band of buddies, and taste everything the kitchen dishes out.
Party of Three (Or Four, Or Five...)
Too fatigued and shell-shocked from the tantrums to fathom leaving the house? Try to pull yourself (and the hangers-on) together for a little love-day outing, and, if nothing else, at least you'll eat splendidly and not have to clean dishes. Ideal for families, these spots offer cuisine everyone can appreciate, speedy service, and, thanks to the other clientele, the comfort of knowing that your rowdy bunch isn't the only one.
Trust Patrick Kriss and the team at Alo to think of everything you need to make Valentine's Day special — from delivery service to optional kid's meals to add on to your celebration dinner for two. Available for delivery on February 13th, Alo at Home's easy-to-reheat dinner includes gem lettuce salad, burrata with Périgord truffle, lobster with black truffle butter, and more. Treat the kids to their own special menu and ensure you all feel indulged.
Weekend outings are easier when you have tots in tow, meaning that J's Steak Frites' Valentine's Day menu, available February 10th to 12th, is an ideal option for families. Plus, with no decisions to be made, platters of fries at the ready, and decadent desserts on offer, kids will enjoy the outing just as much as their parents. On February 12th, every meal includes a slice of cake you can decorate yourself with fruit, multicoloured sprinkles, and more. Enough said.
Promise pizza and pasta, and you'll have no problem getting the kids enthused about a Valentine's Day dinner out. Mature palates can sample Valentine's Day Features including Truffle Cacio e Pepe Gougeres, Lobster Spaghetti, and Mascarpone Semifreddo. Or, order a round of 100-Layer Lasagna for gourmands of every age, and revel in a happy V-Day for all.
If proper Canadian pub fare warms you to your core, direct the family to Liberty Commons this Valentine's Day. Cozy and welcoming, it's the type of spot where the kids can gnaw on ribs as you melt into Baked Fondue for 2 with your sweetheart. With specials available for dine-in, pickup or delivery from February 10th to 14th, you can toast to love with brisket for days on end.
If your kids love pizza, treat them to some of Toronto's best Neapolitan pies, with a Valentine's Day reservation at Pizzeria Libretto. Visit any of the company's locations on the 14th and enjoy specials including heart-shaped Margherita and Sweet & Spicy Soppressata pizzas, and discounted bottles of wine. Crew too unruly mid-week? Order a pizza kit for pick-up on Valentine's Day, and make your own masterpieces at home.
