February 13 & 14
Twice the Romance: The Pluckemin Inn
Owner, Gloria LaGrassa, and executive chef, Andrew Lattanzio of the Pluckemin Inn are offering two times the romance with a Valentine’s prix-fixe menu on February 13th and 14th. Cost is $85 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Reservations at 908-658-9292. 359 U.S. 206, Bedminster Township.
February 13, 14, 15
Satis Valentine’s Weekend
Satis Bistro is offering a weekend (Feb 13 – 15) of Valentine dining that sounds nothing short of spectacular! A four-course prix-fixe at $75 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Wine pairing is available for an additional $45 per person. (The a la carte menu is also available on Friday and Sunday.) 212 Washington St, Jersey City, 201-435-5151.
February 14 & 19
Celebrate Valentine’s Day & Carnival at Samba
There are two ways to "share the love" at Samba Montclair this February. First, Samba’s cozy, rustic dining room is the perfect setting for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Samba will serve its regular à la carte menu on Saturday, February 14, along with several enticing dinner specials. Expect to see pomegranates on the menu; Brazilians believe they bring good luck when eaten this time of year. Next up: Nobody does Carnival like Samba Montclair. This year’s celebration will take place on Thursday, February 19 (a little late due to Valentine’s Day). Live music, dancers, and lots of delicious specials. Guests are welcome to join Ilson and his team in masquerade costumes as they go all out to celebrate the most famous festival in Brazil. 7 Park St, Montclair, 973-744-6764.
February 14
Valentine’s Day at Tiny Elephant, Montclair
Tiny Elephant and part of Watchung booksellers will be transformed to provide guests with a romantic, intimate and unique dining experience. Guests will be given a complimentary glass of champagne upon arrival and then enjoy a three-course meal off of a special pre-fixe menu. Price is $68 per person. There will be three seatings: 5:30PM, 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM. Reservations are required and space is limited. BYOB. 54 Fairfield St, Montclair, 973-774-7252.
Valentine’s Day with Vegan Offering at Escape Montclair
Chef Bryan Gregg will be celebrating the sweetest holiday of the year with a three-course dinner showcasing locally sourced ingredients in all their glory. Cost: $68 per person, plus taxes and gratuity. Click here to see the menu. Reservations for this special dinner can be made by phone at 973-744-0712. 345 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair.
The Stone House
Chef Jerry at The Stone House has prepared a delectable pre-fixe menu for you to enjoy this Valentine’s Day. The price per guest is $85 excluding tax and gratuity. Call 908-754-1222, for more information and reservations. 50 Stirling Rd, Warren.
The Ryland Inn
For Valentine’s Day, The Ryland Inn is offering an extravagant four-course dinner for $75 per person. The dinner features foie gras, oysters with caviar and yuzu, and a foie gras terrine. Other highlights: a N.Y. strip with hedgehog mushrooms and smoked onion, and a chocolate tasting to finish off the night. For more information, call 908-534-4011 or visit online. 111 Old Highway 28, in Whitehouse Station.
The Liberty House
Chef Kenny of The Liberty House has created a delectable menu to celebrate this special day. Call 201-395-0300 for more details and to book reservations. Click here to view the menu! Liberty House Restaurant 76 Audrey Zapp Dr. Jersey City.
Blu
Chef Zod Arifai at Blu will be serving a five-course menu, with options for each course, for $95 per person (excludes tax and gratuities). 554 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, 973-509-2202.
Liberty Prime Steakhouse
Enjoy a “sweet and savory” four-course, prix fixe celebration of love and friendship. Register to make your reservation. 111 Montgomery St, Jersey City, 201-333-3633.
Anthony David’s Celebrates Romance!
For an evening of intimate, romantic dining, try Anthony David’s. Offering a special three-course menu at $85 per person. Reservations available between 5 and 10 PM. For reservations, call 201-222-8359. 953 Bloomfield Street, Hoboken.
D’floret
At D’floret, chef Dennis Foy will be featuring a four-course, $55, prix-fixe dinner. Menu highlights include sauteed day-boat diver scallop, warm Tuscan-bean salad, lardons, chive and slow-roasted, dry-aged filet mignon, glazed cardamom carrots, Béarnaise. 18 South Main St, Lambertville, 609–397–7400.
Rosa Mexicano
For couples looking to spice up the evening, Rosa Mexicano has crafted a four-course, prix-fixe menu featuring a selection of Rosa classics and festive specials such as the Rosa Royale: sparkling cava with fresh pomegranate juice, Cointreau, and agave nectar. Begin with the restaurant’s signature tableside Guacamole en Molcajete, followed by the choice of an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Riverside Square Mall, 390 Hackensack Ave, Hackensack, 201-489-9100.
Maritime Parc
Executive chef/partner Chris Siversen’s spectacular Jersey City restaurant, Maritime Parc, is nestled in the marina at Liberty State Park and offers extraordinary views of the Hudson River and Lower Manhattan. On Valentine’s Day, couples can take in the view and enjoy a contemporary American four-course, prix-fixe menu ($90 per person + tax and gratuity). Highlights include chilled crab and avocado with mustard coulis and micro kale, ricotta gnudi with kale pesto and winter mushrooms, bacon-wrapped quail with sunshine kabocha squash and roasted-pear vinaigrette, spice-glazed duck breast with parsnip spaetzle, red cabbage kraut and fig jam and a dry-aged rib eye with creamed greens and mustard-roasted brussels sprouts. Finish off with a choice of dessert: Nutella cheesecake or honey nougat glacé. 84 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City 201-413-0050.
The Orange Squirrel: 3 Seatings, 3 Menus
Chef Francesco Palmieri of the The Orange Squirrel is offering three seatings with three different New American prix-fixe menus. 5:30 PM, three-courses $65 per person; 7 PM, four-courses $75 per person; 8:30 PM, five-courses $85 per person (all prices exclude tax and gratuity). For reservations, call 973-337-6421. 410 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield.
Bin14
It doesn’t have to be quiet and dark to be romantic! Enjoy a spirited evening of romance at Bin 14 with specially selected wines and handcrafted cocktails made just for this occasion. three-courses, $80 per person. Seatings: 6, 7:45 and 9:30 PM. For reservations, call 201-963-9463.
Orale: Friends with Benefits
Orale in Jersey City will be offering a Valentine’s Day three-course tasting menu at $65 per person (plus taxes and gratuity) including one specialty cocktail. A second, less formal, option offers a two-hour, open bar at $30 per person (bar only), with live music and dancing. For reservations: 201-333-0001 or [email protected]. Prix-fixe menu subject to change. 341 Grove St, Jersey City.
Avenue
What could be more romantic than dining by the ocean? How about doing so in a setting reminiscent of St. Tropez? Avenue executive chef John Johnson has prepared two special menus for the ultimate Valentine’s experience at the Jersey Shore. A Lover’s Brunch (think lobster hash and pain perdu!) at $30 per person, plus tax and gratuity, will be served on Saturday and Sunday, February 14 and 15, from 11 AM to 3 PM. A prix-fixe dinner menu (starting at $48 per person, plus tax and gratuity) will be offered on Valentine’s Day, from 4:30 PM to midnight. Highlights include tartare of organic salmon, ceviche of diver scallops, open-prairie filet mignon and crispy-skin black sea bass. For dessert: A Chocolate Lover’s Sampler. After dinner, head upstairs to Avenue Nuit for cocktails and dancing. 23 Ocean Ave, Long Branch, 732-759-2900.
Strip House
Spend a romantic evening at Strip House at Westminster Hotel in Livingston, New Jersey’s most seductive steak house experience. Chef Bill Zucosky’s imaginative menu includes prime cuts of meat, signature side dishes (truffle-creamed spinach, goose-fat potatoes) and an extensive wine list. Valentine’s Day specials will be offered in addition to the a la carte menu. Think caramelized onion soup, Dijon herb-crusted prime rib and filet king Oscar, Alaskan king crab. For dessert, indulge in fried s’mores or their famed 24-Layer chocolate cake. 550 West Mount Pleasant Ave, Livingston, 973-548-0050.
Grissini
Couples who crave "vera cucina Italiana"—true Italian cuisine as found in Italy today—will take pleasure in dining at Grissini Restaurant in Englewood Cliffs. Grissini, known for sophistication and service since opening in Bergen County 21 years ago, will offer an abridged version of the a la carte menu. Specials from executive chef Giuseppe Lentini will include heart-shaped raviolis, and each table will receive complimentary chocolate-dipped strawberries. Make it dinner and a show by requesting table-side preparation, available with many menu items. Seatings at 4, 6, 8 and 10 PM. 484 Sylvan Ave, Englewood Cliffs, 201-568-3535.
Jockey Hollow Bar + Kitchen
Jockey Hollow will mark its first Valentine’s Day with four distinct dining experiences prepared by executive chef Kevin Sippel and his team—one for each of the newly renovated Vail Mansion’s rooms. A five-course tasting menu ($120 per person) will be served upstairs in The Dining Room on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Valentine’s weekend. Couples can alternatively choose to enjoy a four-course dinner ($90 per person) on the main level in the Oyster Bar or a three-course dinner ($75 per person) in the German-drinking-hall-inspired Rathskeller. Prices do not include tax or gratuity. The clubby Vail Bar in the mansion’s library will be open for singles throughout the weekend. 1110 South S., Morristown, 973-644-3180.