Though it may be frigid outside, restaurants all around Baltimore are heating up in anticipation of one of the biggest dining-out holidays of the year. Whether you’re planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your partner, BFF, family members, or a group, there are plenty of places to make a ravishing reservation that will fill both your stomach and your soul. Here are a few suggestions:
Charleston: Romantic red decor will set the mood for chef Cindy Wolf’s “Saint Valentine’s Day” menu, complete with optional wine pairings and a complementary dessert. The evening on the waterfront in Harbor East will begin with seafood starters like Chesapeake Bay oysters, caviar, or lobster curry soup, followed by savory courses including lamb, pork and foie gras balotine; white truffle fettuccine; pan-roasted red snapper; and braised beef short rib. $189 per person, $274 with wine.
Dear Charles: Are gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan options a requirement for you and your dining companions? If so, this hotel tavern near the Johns Hopkins University campus might be your match. Aside from dishes (like salmon latkes with caviar and a half rack of lamb) for those without dietary restrictions, the kitchen will whip up gluten-free roast chicken and strip steak, as well as a vegan potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms. Diners will have the option to add on a glass of celebratory Lunetta Rosé Prosecco for $10. $55.
Eddie’s of Roland Park: For some, fine flatware and linen tablecloths just aren’t the vibe. That’s where Eddie’s comes in. If you’re hoping to stay in this year, the local grocer is offering a special heat-and-eat dinner for two with appetizers, entrees, sides, and dessert. Sumptuous options include baby lamb lollipops, French onion soup, and filet mignon with your choice of herb compound butter or mushroom demi-glace. The meal can be upsized further to include a broiled lobster tail or jumbo lump crab cake. $130 for two.
Gunther & Co.: Settle in for four globally influenced courses at this Brewers Hill favorite, with the opportunity to ball out with add-ons like wine pairings, a shellfish spread, and an oyster course. Luxe dishes on the holiday menu include whole milk burrata, lobster rangoons, buttermilk-fried quail, seared scallops over mushroom risotto, and Honolulu Fish Co. tuna loin. End the night with a sweet and savory chili-chocolate budino, an order of classic profiteroles, or a slice of olive oil cake. $150+.
Limoncello: Take a trip to Southern Italy by way of South Baltimore with Limoncello’s list of V-Day specials. For the occasion, the restaurant is bringing back its iconic seafood tower, piled high with chilled crab, shrimp cocktail, oysters, mini crab cakes, fried calamari, crab arancini, and Scallops Rockefeller. Other lavish plates will include lobster pappardelle, filet with crab cake, and an eight-ounce filet mignon topped with seared foie gras.
One Eyed Mike’s: The Fells Point fixture boasts a cozy dining room, hand-carved wooden bar, and iconic walls lined top-to-bottom with bottles of Grand Marnier—making it a gem of a spot for V-Day. Check out staples such as the wedge salad, crab cakes with house tartar, and Roseda Farms steaks.
Ovenbird Bakery: Quick reminder, you have free will, which means you can totally have dessert for dinner. From Feb. 13-14, this bakeshop in Little Italy, Hampden, and Highlandtown will be offering fitting specials including a hazelnut heart (hazelnut milk chocolate mousse in a crunchy chocolate shell), tiramisu entremet (mascarpone mousse, espresso caramel, and coffee-soaked sponge), strawberry matcha choux with matcha whipped-ganache and strawberry compote, and, of course, chocolate-dipped strawberries for good measure.
Petit Louis Bistro: Spend an evening in France by way of Roland Park with the bistro’s “Saint-Valentin” menu, offered Feb. 13-14. The four-course meal will feature dishes such as vol-au-vent aux escargots, fried calamari, grilled lamb tenderloin, pan-seared rockfish, Parisian gnocchi, and classic Paris-Brest. $119 per person.
Rec Pier Chop House: Do it up with a swanky evening the Pendry’s restaurant in Fells Point. A three-course menu starts off with a caviar tartlet amuse bouche before getting to the main event—your choice of Manhattan strip steak, pecorino-filled pasta with pear and prosciutto, porchetta-spiced Iberico pork, and halibut al cartoccio, among others. (You can also add truffles for a $40 upcharge.) Desserts on deck include angel food cake, Dulcey crème brûlée, and the house chocolate bar with hazelnut mousse. $135 per person.
Rusty Scupper: Go classic with dinner and a view at this Inner Harbor fixture, which is offering a three-course “land and sea” experience. For the main course, choose from grilled Chilean sea bass, braised beef short rib, spiced roasted airline chicken breast, and more accompanied by sides of Yukon mashed potatoes and veggies. Fittingly, strawberries are the theme for dessert, with New York cheesecake and tiramisu accentuated with the holiday’s favorite fruit. $110 per person.
The Ruxton: Set the mood with a two-in-one experience at this Harbor East highlight. Starting the evening at the property’s art deco speakeasy, Order of the Ace, you can sip a smokey, herb-infused cocktail or espresso martini while grooving to live jazz. After light starters, transition to the dining room to fill up on butcher-cut steaks, chicken-fried lobster tail, caviar-topped tots, classic crab cakes, and the famous mac and cheese.
Rye Street Tavern: Nothing says romance like a dinner with a glowing waterfront view. Head to the Baltimore Peninsula to celebrate with elevated surf and turf specials. Mix and match a six-ounce Linz Heritage Black angus steak with shrimp or jumbo lump crab cakes, served with a bordelaise sauce and sides of broccolini and cauliflower. Seared scallops in a lemon-parsley caper sauce and red velvet cake with vanilla bean ice cream are also among the amorous specials.
Yeibo Kitchen: Known for its fusion of American and Asian cuisine with Southern influences, this Old Goucher destination is showcasing a five-course “Lovers & Friends” dinner. Start with lobster and crab-filled wontons and a crab Caesar before a palate cleanser of a strawberry sorbet and Champagne float. Then, move on to your choice of Asian ribeye with garlic mash, crab imperial roasted chicken, or Maine lobster with rigatoni. Luckily, the dessert course is meant for sharing, so you can take a taste of the mini strawberry cheesecake or strawberry-banana pudding even if you’re stuffed. $135 per person.