Atlanta Restaurants Entice Guests for Romantic Nights Out
Storico Fresco heart-shaped ravioli photo by Jose Pereiro
There’s more to love than ever at Atlanta restaurants this Valentine’s Day. Atlanta chefs lure guests with a variety of sweet deals and swoon-worthy special menus. From Galentine’s night out at HOBNOB and multi-course meals at Aria and 5Church to live music and dancing at Sankranti and festive pop-up experiences at The Blind Cupid and Virtue Rooftop, Atlanta restaurants are spreading the love throughout Valentine’s week.
Buckhead
Cupid is paying a visit to 5Church Buckhead on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant is offering a romantic four-course prix fixe menu with optional wine pairings for $100 per person with a half-bottle of Champagne per couple and $120 per person with a full bottle of Champagne per couple. Menu highlights include scallop crudo, sweet potato bisque, fig salad, shrimp and grits, duck confit tagliatelle, beet risotto, filet mignon, black cod, Springer Mountain Farms chicken with blue grits aligot, and dessert. The regular menu will not be offered. Make reservations online.
Love is in the air at Aria in Buckhead. The elegant restaurant lures guests on Valentine’s Day with a four-course prix fixe menu with multiple options. The cost is $115 per person, excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity. Reservations start at 5:30 p.m. and can be made online.
Gypsy Kitchen transports guests to the Mediterranean for a culinary adventure this Valentine’s Day. The Buckhead Village eatery will be showcasing its classic dinner menu along with curated chef features, innovative cocktails and a romantic setting. Chef features include a seafood lobster paella, shrimp, and crab fritters, grilled 16-ounce prime New York steak and a seared duck breast with brown butter parsnip purée. Make reservation online.
The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill whisks guests away to the beach for a relaxing date night this Valentine’s Day. The neighborhood beach house will feature its classic menu along with specials including sesame honey-glazed grilled salmon served over a bed of spinach aglio ($26.95) and grilled whole Maine lobster served on baked fettuccine with heirloom tomatoes and feta ($56.95). Reservations can be made online.
Love is making the rounds at The Blind Cupid, the Valentine’s pop-up bar at The Blind Pig Parlour Bar. Hopeless romantics and the lovelorn alike will go wild for this popular experience that brings Valentine’s Day-themed sizzle with a menu of festive drinks, decadent menu snacks and over-the-top pink and floral décor. The Blind Cupid will be open for a brief fling beginning Jan. 20 through the end of February. In January, days and hours are Wednesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. until late. In February, The Blind Cupid will be open seven days a week including Galentine’s Day (Feb. 13) and Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14). Reservations are strongly recommended, and the festive venue may be reserved for small parties and special events any day of the week.
The Southern Gentleman presents a four-course meal on Feb. 14 that will sweep guests off their feet. Highlights include white truffle crostini, whipped pimento cheese and piccalilli relish; grilled jumbo shrimp with smoked tomato butter and sopping toast; white corn soup with black truffle and cornbread croutons; seared dayboat scallops with parsnip puree, savoy spinach and curry fried shallots; grilled pork tenderloin with sweet potato grits, spring vegetables, Marsala cream and demi; and choice of chocolate ganache tart or vanilla bean cheesecake for dessert. Cost is $79 per person excluding tax and gratuity. View the full menu and make reservations online.
Storico Fresco marks the season of amore with a special heart-shaped ravioli available Feb. 7-17. The ricotta-pecorino cheese ravioli is served with brown butter, sage and pine nuts and is topped with Parmesan cheese. Reservations can be made online.
Italian wine bar Storico Vino is decorating with a “San Valentino” theme and bring back its heart-shaped ravioli over Feb. 7-17 (including Monday, Feb. 13 when normally closed to give guests and extra day to celebrate). The ricotta-pecorino cheese ravioli is served with brown butter, sage and pine nuts and is topped with Parmesan cheese. Storico’s ravioli pairs perfectly with the eatery’s selection of Italian wines and classic Italian cocktails. Reservations can be made online.
West Midtown
Traditional Italian restaurant Forza Storico is serving its menu of classic Roman dishes along with a heart-shaped ravioli special over Feb. 7-17 (including Monday, Feb. 13 when normally closed to give guests and extra day to celebrate). The ricotta-pecorino cheese ravioli is served with brown butter, sage and pine nuts and is topped with Parmesan cheese. Reservations can be made online.
Your 3rd Spot invites guests to ditch traditional chocolates and flowers this Valentine’s Day and celebrate love with a fun gaming experience, world-class food, and incredible vibes. Located in The Works on Atlanta’s Upper Westside, Your 3rd Spot is the world’s first and only upscale, tech-infused bowling, arcade, darts, curling and more experience with five-star food and drinks. Couples, singles, families and friends can book online for an unforgettable Valentine’s game night with seatings from 5-7 p.m., 7-9 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. The cost is $113 and includes a specialty menu, gaming passes and two specialty cocktails. The exclusive excursion promises plenty of room for Instagrammable photos and TikTok videos.
Midtown
5Church Midtown rolls out the red carpet for Valentine’s Day with a romantic four-course prix fixe menu with optional wine pairings for $100 per person with a half-bottle of Champagne per couple and $120 per person with a full bottle of Champagne per couple. Menu highlights include scallop crudo, sweet potato bisque, fig salad, shrimp and grits, duck confit tagliatelle, beet risotto, filet mignon, black cod, Springer Mountain Farms chicken with blue grits aligot and dessert. The regular menu will not be offered. Reservations can be made online. Upstairs, Virtue Rooftop, the sexiest rooftop bar in Midtown, transforms into a Be My Valentine pop-up bar over Feb. 2-19. From 5 p.m. until late, guests will step into a world of romance boasting love-inspired cocktails perfect for couples or those embracing the single life; indulgent foods from sweet treats to personal fondue stations; and a rotating playlist guaranteed to set the mood. Be My Valentine pop-up is first come, first served for those 21 and older.
Livingston Restaurant + Bar, the Atlanta dining institution located inside the historic Georgian Terrace hotel, spreads the Valentine’s Day love over three evenings, Feb. 10 and 11 from 5-11 p.m. and Feb. 14 from 5-10 p.m. Executive chef Steven Meese has planned a prix fixe menu showcasing a mixture of local and European influences. Highlights include she-crab soup with sherry foam and chives; tuna crudo with ponzu, pickled cucumber and matcha crisp; filet and butter-poached lobster with saffron risotto and sugar snap peas; rack of lamb with pecan gremolata, farro, roasted winter vegetables and lamb jus; a special heart-shaped dessert and more. The cost is $150 per person, and reservations can be made online.
Poncey-Highland
Normally closed on Tuesday, Southern Belle + Georgia Boy welcomes diners on Valentine’s Day. Southern Belle will serve a five-course tasting menu with upgrades available, and Georgia Boy will serve its normal tasting menu. Make reservations for Southern Belle and Georgia Boy online.
Alpharetta/Johns Creek
Cattle Shed Wine & Steak Bar spreads the love with a variety of specials over Feb. 10-14. For starters, guests can splurge on caviar service boasting Osetra golden caviar with classic accoutrements and house-made blini ($130); add two glasses of Champagne for an additional $30. Oyster specials include four roasted West Coast oysters with Champagne foam ($17) and West Coast oysters with house mignonette and cocktail sauce (six for $19 or 12 for $35). The entrée special features braised short rib ossobuco for two with orzo pasta, crispy shallots, and jus ($79) and chocolate-covered strawberries (six for $8 or 10 for $10) or chocolate ganache hearts (two for $16) for dessert. Sparkling, white, red and a supersonic wine flight also will be available ($23-$60). Reservations can be made online.
Ocean & Acre is popping some bubbly and bringing on the seafood towers for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day. The Alpharetta eatery celebrating fare from land and sea is featuring its classic menu in addition to chef specials including pan-seared Chilean sea bass ($48), lemon rosemary rack of lamb ($52) and a surf and turf with a six-ounce center-cut filet and lobster tail ($45). In addition to wine specials, Ocean & Acre is mixing a special Cupid’s Kiss cocktail made with tequila, triple sec, lime, strawberry puree, coconut cream and garnished with coconut flaked rim and strawberry heart ($15). Make your reservations online.
On Saturday, Feb. 11, Sankranti invites guests to a Valentine’s night to remember. Guests will start the night with a special four-course dinner in the candle-lit restaurant. Along with dinner, there will be live music, dancing and special giveaways. Reservations for groups of two, four or six can be made online; reservations for odd-numbered parties or parties larger than six can be made by calling 770-242-6899.
Crabapple
Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails invites guests to cozy up with a special someone over a three-course prix fixe dinner on Feb. 13 and 14. The unforgettable evening costs $85 per person. Reservations can be made online.
Multiple Locations
Valentine’s celebrations begin early at all HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern locations. The Atlantic Station and Halcyon locations are throwing a Galentine’s Party on Saturday, Feb. 11 with ladies’ night and Champagne flight specials, $5 sweetheart shots and DJ tunes starting at 8 p.m. Admission is free with reservation: Atlantic Station reservation and Halcyon reservation. Over Feb. 11-14, Brookhaven and Perimeter locations invite guests for dinner along with Champagne flight specials and $5 sweetheart shots. On Feb. 14, all locations will offer Valentine’s trivia starting at 7:30 p.m. with bonus prizes for couples. Reservations can be made online.
Marlow’s Tavern sets forth a special four-course Valentine’s Day menu for lovebirds. Among the options are jumbo lump crab cake, warm brie fondue, classic Caesar salad, grilled center-cut filet with broccoli casserole, pumpkin-crusted trigger fish and warm molten chocolate cake. The cost is $45 per person and $65 with wine pairings. Menus may vary by location so guests are encouraged to call their neighborhood tavern for more details and make reservations online.
NaanStop gets in on the Valentine’s Day action with a February buy one, get one free promotion. Diners who purchase an entrée, side and a drink will get a free entrée for their date or friend. Naanstop serves a mouthwatering menu of naan wraps, rice bowls and fresh salads and more. NaanStop’s promotion is available only to loyalty members and runs through Feb.15; guests can sign up for the program when checking out.
For those looking for a lowkey, romantic Valentine’s Day without reservations, waits and crowds, Postino WineCafe’s date night to-go packs are just the solution. Options include “Takeout & Make Out” with one Snacky Thing, a bruschetta, a board and a salad ($55/feeds two) and “Snacks in The City” with three Snacky Things, a bruschetta, a board and salad ($80/feeds four-six). Don’t forget the wine: guests can add select bottles to go for $24 each. Postino’s Valentine’s specials are available for takeout only at both locations—Buckhead and newly opened West Midtown—Feb. 6-17, and orders can be placed online. Postino is always the perfect destination for groups of friends to gather, pop bottles, have snacks and enjoy one another’s company, and Wine Cult memberships make a perfect gift for a special someone.
Out of Town
Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails in Black Mountain, North Carolina, lures guests for a Valentine’s Day getaway and romantic dinner. Guests will cozy up with a special prix fixe menu for $65 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Make reservations online.
