Valentine’s Day is the second-busiest dining out day in America—falling only behind Mother’s Day. About $7 million will be spent at restaurants with bills averaging from $87 to $287 in cities like San Francisco or New York.
Diners, of course, have unique preferences and expectations when it comes to food and atmosphere, but certain types of restaurants can always expect to see a bump in foot traffic on or around February 14. Around this time, couples prefer to feast on French, Italian or Spanish style cuisine.
Steakhouses and wineries are also popular choices, and even though Asians restaurants typically don’t top the list, Google searches for “sushi” spike every year around mid February suggesting that couples who cook or order take-out go this route.
GrubHub, an online food-ordering company, reports the most popular item ordered on the holiday is the heart-shaped Valentine sushi roll.
About 25% of people dine out on Valentine’s Day, according to National Restaurant Association research.
In celebration of our nationwide love affair dining out this particular day, OpenTable, an online restaurant reservations service, has compiled a list of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America. More than 10 million reviews were verified and calculated for more than 24,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
“These winning restaurants understand that sharing a delicious meal is a universal rite of courtship at any stage of a relationship,” said Caroline Potter, OpenTable Chief Dining Officer. “Whether diners are out celebrating Valentine’s Day or simply connecting over a flirty dinner, this year’s honorees excel at setting the table for romance.”
If you’re part of the 62% of American adults who celebrate Valentine’s Day, hopefully this will take some of the guesswork out of where to dine with your sweetie for a relaxing and romantic evening. Cheers!
2017 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America
Alexander’s – Roanoke, Virginia
Antebellum – Flowery Branch, Georgia
Arabellas Italian Ristorante – Winter Haven, Florida
Arielle’s Country Inn – Sellersville, Pennsylvania
BakerStreet – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Bertrand at Mister A’s – San Diego, California
The Bistro at Gervasi Vineyard – Canton, Ohio
Bistro L’Hermitage – Woodbridge, Virginia
Bistro San Martin – Arlington, Washington
Boulevard Bistro – Elk Grove, California
Byrd and Baldwin Bros. Steakhouse – Norfolk, Virginia
Café Central – El Paso, Texas
Café Matisse – Rutherford, New Jersey
Cafe Renaissance – Vienna, Virginia
Carlos’ Bistro – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Chef’s Table at the Edgewater – Winter Garden, Florida
Chez François – Vermilion, Ohio
Chez Nous French Restaurant – Humble, Texas
Chimney Park – Windsor, Colorado
Christopher’s World Grille – Bryan, Texas
The Chop House – Multiple Locations
Circa 1886 – Charleston, South Carolina
Coldwater Cafe & Catering – Tipp City, Ohio
Collage Restaurant – St. Augustine, Florida
Cygnus 27 – Grand Rapids, Michigan
Daniel’s Restaurant – Hamburg, New York
Del Alma – Corvallis, Oregon
The Dining Room-Biltmore Estate – Asheville, North Carolina
Don’s Pomeroy House – Strongsville, Ohio
Edgewood Restaurant – Stateline, Nevada
El Gaucho – Tacoma, Washington
The English Grill at Brown Hotel – Louisville, Kentucky
Fearrington House Restaurant – Pittsboro, North Carolina
Firefly – Panama City Beach, Florida
Flagstaff House – Boulder, Colorado
The Flatiron Cafe – Omaha, Nebraska
Fleurie – Charlottesville, Virginia
Four Winds Steakhouse – Wills Point, Texas
Franklinville Inn – Franklinville, New Jersey
Gabriel’s Restaurant – Sedalia, Colorado
Gardner’s – Olympia, Washington
Geja’s Café – Chicago, Illinois
The Goodstone Inn & Estate Restaurant – Middleburg, Virginia
Gracie’s – Providence, Rhode Island
Harry’s Restaurant – Manhattan, Kansas
The Hobbit – Orange, California
Hugo’s Cellar-Four Queens – Las Vegas, Nevada
Inn at Barley Sheaf Farm – Holicong, Pennsylvania
The Inn at Little Washington – Washington, Virginia
Jackson’s Steakhouse – Pensacola, Florida
Jillian’s – Palm Desert, California
Joshua Wilton House – Harrisonburg, Virginia
Katherine’s Steakhouse – Mesquite, Nevada
L’Auberge Chez François – Great Falls, Virginia
La Cocina International Restaurant – St. Augustine Beach, Florida
La Cremaillere Restaurant – Bedford, New York
Latitudes – Key West, Florida
Le Cep – Fort Worth, Texas
Le Vallauris – Palm Springs, California
The Little Dipper – Wilmington, North Carolina
Mahogany Prime Steakhouse – Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Melting Pot – Multiple locations
Michel’s at the Colony Surf – Honolulu, Hawaii
Monarch – Scottsdale, Arizona
Montalcino Ristorante Italiano – Issaquah, Washington
Mr. Lester’s Steakhouse – Charenton, Louisiana
Nick and Nino’s Penthouse Steakhouse – Springfield, Illinois
The Old Inn On The Green – New Marlborough, Massachusetts
Orchids at Palm Court – Cincinnati, Ohio
Over the Moon Cafe – Tacoma, Washington
Penrose Room-The Broadmoor – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Pepper Tree Restaurant – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Perry Street Brasserie – Galena, Illinois
Pier W – Cleveland, Ohio
Primavista – Cincinnati, Ohio
Quiessence at The Farm at South Mountain – Phoenix, Arizona
The Refectory Restaurant & Bistro – Columbus, Ohio
The Restaurant at Convict Lake – Mammoth Lakes, California
The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn – Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Restaurant Iris – Memphis, Tennessee
Rey’s – Raleigh, North Carolina
Ristorante Massimo – Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Russell’s Steaks, Chops, and More – Williamsville, New York
Saint Jacques French Cuisine – Raleigh, North Carolina
Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern – Raleigh, North Carolina
Sedgley Place – Greene, Maine
Ski Tip Lodge – Keystone, Colorado
Sky’s Restaurant – Grand Forks, North Dakota