Move Over Karl, Love Is In The San Francisco Air
Rose petals are scattered, chocolate boxes are stacked, and dinner reservations are booked. Valentine's Day must just around the corner! Cupid is sure to shoot whether you're trying to dodge the arrow or not. There are plenty of happenings going on in the city to keep yourself busy whether it's with your boo or your gal pals. Step out of your comfort zone and explore the endless options San Francisco's most renowned restaurants have to offer, from multi-course dinners to deluxe wine and cheese tastings to bubbles and brunch. Drop the box of chocolate and flowers, and check out some of your local listings for your next romantic outing:
Mister Jiu's
Dine on a six-course feast featuring some of chef Brandon Jew's favorite dishes for $125 per person; $75 per person wine pairings. Book your reservations online.
The Riddler
The Riddler will have special rosé magnum pours of JCB No. 69.
Rich Table
The prix fixe will be $110 per person with optional wine pairings. The bar will also be open for reservations (with the same prix fixe).
Birba
Birba's Valentine's Day menu will feature baked cheeses, caviar, and buckets of Champagne alongside in-house favorites like charcuterie and Spanish-inspired small bites. Order a Valentine's Day picnic until Feb. 11, and then pick up on either Feb. 13 or 14. The basket will include everything you need for a romantic night from utensils to cheeses to Champagne.
Al's Place
Although not normally open on Tuesdays, Al's Place will open specially for Valentine's Day. Chef Aaron London has put together a special family-style menu highlighting some of the restaurant's most popular dishes. The menu will cost $110 per person with optional wine pairings.
Jardinière
The restaurant is offering a $185 per person menu and wine pairings for an additional $65. Complete menu is here and features all the goodies — crab, truffles, Wagyu, and chocolate.
Barzotto
Valentine's Day coincides with SF Beer Week this year so dine out with Barzotto's Valentine's Day Sparkling Ale Dinner with Calicraft Brewery. The dinner is $60 per person and includes a tasting flight of three Calicraft sparkling ales, a salad, halibut tortellini in brodo with roasted fennel and pancetta, and the choice of a porchetta, chicken, or veggie board. The à la carte menu will also be available.
Haven
Haven will serve a special three-course Valentine's Day menu for $85 per person. View the menu here.
The Commissary
The prix fixe, for $110 per person with wine pairings, includes fava leaf soup, charred pearl onions, pata de cabra cheese, Cacao octopus, cauliflower, tomato chocolate mole, suckling pig and black garlic tortellini, garrotxa, almonds, short rib estufado, pearl onions, Anson Mills polenta with Spanish churro, chocolate, and merengue for dessert.
Aster
The restaurant will only offer a five-course tasting menu, with a choice of entrée (dry-aged beef or smoked trout) for $125 with optional wine pairing. Aster will not be offering an à la carte menu for the evening.
Coi
Although typically closed on Tuesdays, the restaurant will open for Valentine's Day with an eight-course tasting menu at $295 per person.
Hyatt Regency San Francisco's Eclipse Kitchen & Bar
A special Valentine's Day prix fixe for two will including a glass of prosecco, choice of first course, grilled sustainable salmon or Niman Ranch New York strip steak as a second course, and a choice of two delectable desserts for only $55 per person.
Try a chocolate art event with Valentine's Day Artbar Workshop that supports Valrhona's Clean Water Project. Join master chocolatier Michael Recchiuti in the Recchiuti Kitchen on Friday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m., or Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. and create a one-of-a-kind work of art with Illanka chocolate, an intensely flavored dark chocolate made with rare Peruvian white cocoa beans. Tickets are $250 a couple and can be purchased here. Guests will illustrate chocolate images and designs by piping chocolate then painting the artwork with a palette of tinted white chocolate, and the Recchiuti staff will then cover the artworks with Illanka 63 percent chocolate and cut into individual chocolate bars for guests to take home and savor. The experience also includes a small plate of cheese, charcuterie, pickled vegetables, and beverages.
DOSA
At the Fillmore location, dine on a delicious prix fixe for $95 per person with optional wine pairings for $55. DOSA Valencia will be offering à la carte options with family-style menus and a variety of Valentine's Day specials. Guests will also receive a complementary splash of bubbles and a take-home treat. DOSA's wine director/sommelier, Todd Smith, has also put together special wine pairings that are a friendly battle of France versus Italy. Reservations for DOSA Fillmore can be made online or by calling (415) 441-3672; and reservations for DOSA Valencia can be made online or by calling (415) 642-3672.
La Crema Healdsburg Tasting Room
Both Valentine's Day "haters" or "daters" can celebrate at La Crema's Healdsburg Tasting Lounge. Two special flights — the "Haters Flight" or the "Daters Flight" — will be available on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both flights conclude with a delicious food bite, expertly paired with the final wine. The event costs $15 per person and is complementary for club members. For more information, visit the website.
Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens
Kendall-Jackson will be hosting a Valentine's Day dinner at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. The dinner will begin with a reception serving appetizers such as Hog Island oysters, blini, and Trout caviar, crab cakes, and butternut squash soup, and 2015 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay. The event costs $125 per person or $100 per club member; limit two reservations. Please call (800) 769-3649 for reservations.
The Marker
Celebrate love at the most romantic hotel destination in San Francisco with the Bubbles & Brunch getaway package. The package includes hotel accommodations in a boutique guest room or luxury suite, brunch for two at Tratto Restaurant & Bar, and a bottle of bubbly upon arrival. Book online.
Will you be my Palentine? Like Valentine's Day, Palentine's Day is a day to celebrate friends. This year, Americano Restaurant & Bar is hosting an extended happy hour to be available from 3 to 11 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13 and Tuesday, Feb. 14. Americano will have a happy hour cocktail, red wine, white wine, draft beer, and bottled beer available along with chef's choice bar bites.
This Valentine's Day, Americano Restaurant & Bar will be offering a special three-course prix fixe with an optional pasta course (for $14 surcharge) prepared by the creative and talented executive chef Josh Perez. The cost will be $70 per person with wine pairings available for $105 per person.
Located at Levi's Stadium, this steakhouse offers a delicious à la carte Valentine's dinner or a three-course menu for $95 a person. A spectacular shellfish tasting menu for two ($84) will whet your appetite with Alaskan king crab, Gulf shrimp, and Kusshi oysters. Or choose from truffle Gougere ($15) with Black River Osetra Caviar and whipped crème fraîche or Santa Barbara Spot Prawns ($19) with caramelized fennel and green garlic. Main courses from the wood-fired grill include classics such as New York Strip ($52) or a vibrant Wood Roasted Branzino with Meyer lemon mojo and Romanesco ($36). Pair any choice with locally farmed sides such as crispy broccoli with yuzu garlic ponzu ($9) or fingerling potato poutine with short rib gravy ($12). A sweet finish with an opulent Chocolate S'more Bar of dark chocolate ganache with smoked marshmallow and graham cracker ice cream ($11) or a classic Strawberry Shortcake replete with white chocolate mousse ($12). Don't forget Bourbon Steak's award winning wine list from around the world.
Waterbar
With romantic views of the waterfront and Bay Bridge, and a decadent prix fixe menu, Waterbar is the place to treat your special someone this Valentine's Day.
The restaurant will be offering an exclusive four-course prix fixe menu at $105 per person. The menu features a variety of delicious and sensual dishes such as loaded Kusshi oysters with white sturgeon caviar, champagne granita, and rhubarb; smoked ora king salmon with warm blini, cucumber, fromage blanc espuma, and radish flowers; and chocolate chili mousse with almond brittle, candied chilies, and cinnamon ice cream.
Brasserie S&P AT Loews Regency
No boo? No problem! It's all about your best friend at this Valentine's Day cocktail-and-bite pairing that Brasserie S&P is serving for you and your real match made in heaven – your BFF. The PALentine's Pairing features the playful and sweet cocktail, a blend of vodka, pomegranate juice, pinot grigio, white cacao and orange bitters. The cocktail is served with a mini basket of decadent truffle garlic fries that can be indulged with no fear of puckering up a for garlic kiss at the end of the night. The pairing is available for $15 from Feb. 11 through Valentine's Day.
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