No matter who your Valentine is this year — a spouse, girlfriend, dad, kid, BFF, lobster risotto — the absolute best way to show them just how much they’re loved is with food.
That is probably why Valentine’s Day is the second-busiest day of the year for dining out. (Mother’s Day is first, in case you’re curious.) Restaurants, of course, know this, and they’re putting their hearts and souls into creating special menus to ensure you and your date (or, heck, just you) have a memorable meal worthy of your affection.
Here are some of the most enticing and creative Valentine’s Day menus at restaurants around town — because flowers die and cards get recycled, but that flourless chocolate cake will attach itself to your body forever.
(Note: Reservations were still available for all restaurants at the time of this writing, but it’s a Valentine’s Day jungle out there, so call soon!)
If you’re anything like us, you’re probably not kicking lobster mac and cheese out of bed. Shanty Supper Club’s Valentine’s menu offers that and more things that you won’t kick out of bed, like strawberry champagne soup, shrimp scampi, crème brûlée and a free bottle of wine. From $50/person. 1033 E. 17th Ave., Denver, 303-830-6637; shantysupperclub.com
Love is a many-splendored thing at Ocean Prime DTC, and by “many-splendored” we mean Alaskan king crab gnocchi topped with roasted sea bass and champagne cream. More splendid dishes and cocktails await on the restaurant’s indulgent V-Day menu. 8000 E. Belleview Ave., Greenwood Village, 303-552-3000; ocean-prime.com
It’s impossible not to fall in love with someone over queso fundido. Nomad Taqueria + Beer Garden is exploiting that cheesy love potion with its $35/person, three-course meal that includes the queso, plus ancho chile-rubbed tenderloin and watermelon tequila sorbet to boot. 18485 W. Colfax, Golden (Origin Hotel Red Rocks), 303-215-2511; omadredrocks.com
More Valentine’s Day:
Galentines and ” Goonies”: 12 Valentine’s Day events for singles in Denver and Boulder
Cheap Valentine’s Day ideas, BOGO froyo and more Denver-area deals you can score in February
Vegan valentines will fall for Charcoal Bistro’s five-course, $65/person vegan dinner on the 13th. With smoked eggplant “caviar,” black truffles and shiitake mushroom toast, there will be no missing the meat. On Valentine’s Day proper, the restaurant will feature a more traditional menu (also $65/person) with scallops and steak. 1028 S. Gaylord St., Denver, 303-953-8718; charcoalbistro.com
Fate will bring you and Courier’s passion fruit bombe together on Valentine’s Day. Thanks, Fate! The $50/person menu also includes oysters Rockefeller, French onion soup and wagyu steak Diane. Fate is also giving you a complimentary glass of champagne, because Fate is sweet like that. 1750 Welton St., Denver, 303-603-4171; courierrestaurant.com
Besides being patient and kind, love is also hearts of palm, salmon collars and black and white hand-made chitarra pasta. Or at least it is at The Bindery. And while love may not envy, you certainly will if you miss the restaurant’s four-course, $85/person menu. 1817 Central St., Denver, 303-993-2364; thebinderydenver.com
Value and V-Day don’t always go together, but Acova is giving couples a free half bottle of wine and appetizer with the purchase of two entrees. Because thrifty equals sexy. 3651 Navajo St., Denver, 303-736-2718; acovarestaurant.com
Spice up your night with Comida’s three-course, $50/person menu. The sweet corn bisque with habanero bacon and diced coconut cake with cayenne chocolate are sure to heat things up. 3350 Brighton Blvd. at The Source, 303-296-2747; eatcomida.com
Lovestruck carnivores will want to meat up (oh, snap!) at Fogo de Chao. Not only will you get to stuff yourselves silly with all the grilled meats you can eat, but if you dine between Feb. 14-17 you’ll also get a card for another free meal. That means even more meat! Could anything be more romantic? 1513 Wynkoop St., Denver, 303-623-9600 and 8419 Park Meadows Center Drive, Lone Tree, 303-481-4001; fogodechao.com
If carbs are your love language, Chow Morso Osteria has you covered with its four-course, $65/person Buon San Valentino menu. Choose among pasta with rabbit sausage, spaghetti puttanesca and burrata with ciabatta crisps, followed by Valrhona chocolate ganache cake for dessert. 1500 Wynkoop St., Denver, 720-639-4089; chowmorso.com
The Japanese word “omakase” basically means, “I trust you, chef.” Put your trust in the talented Uchi chefs and their Valentine’s Day omakase menu ($190/couple), which involves 11 courses of nigiri, oysters, king crab, wagyu beef and more. 2500 Lawrence St., Denver, 303-444-1922; uchidenver.com
A Valentine’s Day special at beast + bottle includes half of its namesake — a beast! On Thursday, the restaurant will have a dry-aged New York strip on the menu, not to mention chocolate stack cake with malted milk buttercream and hazelnut crunch. (That may not be beast nor bottle, but it sounds pretty tasty.) 719 E. 17th Ave., Denver, 303-623-3223; beastandbottle.com
If you love lobster, then Wine Experience Café & World Cellar’s four-course, $200/couple Valentine’s Day menu is right up your alley. Feast on lobster ravioli, lobster bisque and lobster with squid ink pasta. Even finish up with lobster cake! Kidding; dessert is the crustacean-free apple tart or flourless chocolate pyramid. Maybe next year … . 6240 S. Main St., Aurora, 303-690-1025; wineexperiencecafe.com
You know what they say: All’s fair in love and beef heart tartare. Or something like that. Hearth & Dram’s three-course, $59/person dinner has the heart (and the filet and the cheese plate). Be your own Valentine hero and add the whiskey pairings for $45. 1801 Wewatta St., Denver, 303-623-0979; hearthanddram.com
Citizen Rail is doing Valentine’s Day two ways — one for couples and one for singles. On the big day, lovers can order from a special three-course menu (highlights include foie gras-stuffed quail and 36-day aged ribeye). On Feb. 15, the restaurant will host a Lonely Hearts Club ’90s-themed happy hour at 10 p.m. Besides strawberry champagne Jell-O shots and Campari punch, Lonely Hearts Clubbers will score a free CD of ’90s ballads. Yes, really. 1899 16th St., Denver, 303-323-0017; citizenrail.com
All Valentine’s weekend (Feb. 14-16), Arcana is cooking up a killer, four-course, $75/person menu. Choices include lobster and grits, elk tartare and masa dumplings — and those are just the first two courses. Just imagine the possibilities for the rest. Or go to the website and see the possibilities for yourself and don’t imagine. Your choice. 909 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-3885; arcanarestaurant.com
For the first time in its history, California Pizza Kitchen will be serving heart-shaped pizzas. Feb. 13-17, you can eat delicious pizza-y love via any CPK pizza on a heart-shaped crust, and on V-Day you and your loved one can snag an appetizer, two entrees and dessert for $35. Various locations; cpk.com
The word “aphrodisiac” comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexual love. To celebrate her and all she arouses, FIRE at The ART hotel is hosting an aphrodisiac meal ($65/person). Set the mood with scallops and pomegranate, coffee-crusted filet mignon and cinnamon pineapple shortcake. 1201 Broadway, Denver, 303-572-8000; thearthotel.com
Jovanina’s Broken Italian knows that a little healthy competition is good for any relationship, hence its Loser Picks Up the Tab dessert. The peanut butter and chocolate tic-tac-toe bar comes with almond sugar cookie x’s and o’s so you can battle to the death (or to something a little more romantic) with your date. Besides the special dessert, Jovanina’s will also feature Valentine’s Day-themed dishes. 1520 Blake St., Denver, 720-541-7721; jovanina.com
Colorado’s resident “Top Chef” winner Hosea Rosenberg is showing you the love at his Boulder restaurant, Blackbelly. You’ll be head over heels for the $75/person, five-course tasting menu of bone marrow, truffles, scallops, chocolate and more words that cause our blood pressure to rise. 1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, 303-247-1000; blackbelly.com
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