11 Best Valentine’s Day Menus in London 2020By Francesca Brooking
Valentine’s Day; it’s a time for celebrating love with a partner or having fun with your favourite people. In Mexico, 14th February is known as El Dia del Amor y la Amistad – The Day of Love and Friendship. Whatever you’re celebrating, there’s no better way to honour love and companionship than with food. From authentic Cretian cuisine to bold Japanese flavours, here are our top Valentine’s Day menus in London 2020 – enjoy:
1. For a Colourful Celebration of Love: Ella Canta
What: Famed Chef Patron, Martha Oritz of the acclaimed modern Mexican restaurant, Ella Canta has unveiled an exciting six-course tasting menu in celebration of El Día de San Valentín – Valentine’s Day.
The Lowdown: Available between 10th to 22nd February, this menu has been inspired by the Mexican celebration El Dia del Amor y la Amistad (The day of Friendship and Love) when towns are painted red with balloons, roses and hearts scattered across the streets throughout the month of February. Each one of Martha’s dishes encapsulates this spirit with striking combinations of bold flavours and splashes of striking red woven through each course. Just some of the highlights on this menu include red snapper with guajillo adobo, red raddichio, hummus and beef fillet, red mole and crispy hibiscus. The menu also includes a Mexican Seduction cocktail. We recommend The Flower Prince, made with Cazcabel, 1800 Resposado infused pink peppercorn, lemon, cantaloupe and egg whites.
Where: One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London W1J 7QY
How to Book: The Mexican Seduction menu is £70 inclusive of one Mexican Seduction cocktail. Reserve a table by emailing reservations@ellacanta.com or call 020 7318 8715.
2. For Seafood Lovers: Fancy Crab
What: Fancy Crab, one of London’s best seafood spots, has a sumptuous three-course Valentine’s Day menu available only from 14th to 16th February.
The Lowdown: This Valentine’s Day, treat your partner to a delicious seafood dinner. Tuck into pan-seared mackerel fillet for starters, served over a bed of beetroot and apple salad. Prawn fans will certainly love the crispy panko prawns with a classic sweet chilli sauce. For the main, we recommend poached cod served with fresh asparagus and lemon butter sauce. Of course, if you really want to mark the occasion then why not go all out with Fancy Crab’s Lobster Thermidor served with homemade linguine? It comes with a £5 supplement. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with a strawberry chocolatina with vanilla ice cream. Wash it all down with a glass of Sparkling Black Queen Shiraz and you’ve got yourself a perfect Valentine’s Day treat. For seafood lovers, it’s one of our top recommended Valentine’s Day menus in London.
Where: 92 Wigmore St, Marylebone, London W1U 3RD
How to Book: £45 a head for three courses. Reserve a table via Fancy Crab, Book a Table, OpenTable, Quandoo.
3. For an All-Encompassing Dining Experience: New Street Warehouse
What: If you’re unsure about what to do this Valentine’s Day, why not head down to the New Street Warehouse for an all-encompassing dining and drinking experience.
The Lowdown: Start your evening at Old Bengal Bar. Here, live acoustic soul duo Soulfly will be playing hits from 6 pm to 11 pm and the bar features an extensive list of cocktail and drinks menus to suit any taste. If you start to get peckish, head over to New Street Wine where you will find mouth-watering traditional Raclette served with sourdough, speck ham and potatoes for two to share, paired with a bottle of Chateau de Belleverne. If fish takes your fancy, the Fish Market is bringing diners a slice of the coastal life to the city with a three-course set menu for just £45. The menu was curated by Head Chef Joginder Dham, focuses on fresh and seasonal produce from the sea. Meat loving couples will love the New Street Grill which features a menu centred on provenance, three-course set menu for £60 that features prime cuts of British meat and fish.
Where: 16 New Street, London EC2M 4TR
How to Book: Find out more information here.
4. For an Afternoon Tea: The Chelsea Courtyard
What: The Chelsea Courtyard is offering couples the chance to enjoy an exclusive afternoon tea with pink bubbles and a sharing menu from 14th to 16th February.
The Lowdown: It can’t get more picture-perfect than an afternoon tea at The Chelsea Courtyard. Tranquil, tucked away and set within a romantically lit terrace, The Chelsea Courtyard has been adorned with stunning foliage selected by the Chelsea Gardener’s flagship store to mark the romantic occasion. The Chelsea Courtyard has put together a one-off afternoon tea menu served with a glass of pink bubbles. Freshly baked scones loaded with clotted cream and jam, will be accompanied by traditional sandwiches and bite-sized sweet treats, including coconut, mango and passionfruit pannacotta, caramel cheesecake and triple chocolate squares. There will also be two limited-edition cocktails on offer, available for the Valentine’s weekend only. Enjoy a Love Potion, made from Ketel One vodka, raspberry and strawberry puree, lemon & lime juice, egg white with a fresh raspberry garnish, or a Fifty Shades of Pink, consisting of Gordon’s pink gin, tonic, glimmer sugar, prosecco and a rhubarb heart to garnish. Sweet lovers will adore this afternoon tea and it’s one of our favourite Valentine’s Day menus in London.
Where: 151 Sydney St, Chelsea, London SW3 6NT
How to Book: Afternoon Tea, £39 per couple (sittings 2:30 pm & 4:30 pm). Reserve a table here.
5. For an Italian Feast: PASSO Shoreditch
What: On 14th February, Italian-inspired restaurant PASSO Shoreditch will team up with British Sicilian-born accomplished chef, Emilia Strazzanti, to create a 4-course Sicilian- inspired feast. The menu will focus around the flavours of the Sicilian almond, which blossoms in February and whose tree is synonymous with love in Greek mythology.
The Lowdown: PASSO’S Head Chef Joe Howley has collaborated with Emilia to create an exclusive menu, bringing together his passion for bold Italian flavours and her knowledge of the culturally dynamic cuisine of her homeland. Guests will be greeted on the evening with a refreshing Aperitivo crafted by the quintessential Italian gin VII Hills served up with a selection of Stuzzichini to whet the appetite. This will be followed by handmade basil-infused pasta with Pesto Trapanese, swordfish served with caponata, marinated raisins & smoked almonds Contorni and a delightful Biancomangiare served with almond & orange Cantucci will conclude the meal. PASSO has also partnered with Shoreditch-based Italian wine specialists Passione Vino who will be pairing each course with their favourite Sicilian wines.
Where: 80 City Road, London EC1Y 2BJ
How to Book: Tickets are priced at £45 per person. Email info@passorestaurant.co or call +44 (0)20 3883 9377 to reserve a table.
6. For Live Music: Q Live with Kimberly Davis at Quaglino’s
What: For a Valentine’s Day filled with food and live music, it doesn’t get much better than Q Live with Kimberly Davis at Quaglino’s.
The Lowdown: Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a powerhouse performance from one of the UK/US’s most celebrated female artists and lead singer of Chic, Kimberly Davis while enjoying a sumptuous three-course set menu. Completing the lineup will be Aimee Sophia and Jermain Jackson before Kimberly takes the stage. Guests can enjoy a brand new sharing cocktail menu or opt for a Champagne package with canapés. Highlights of the set menu include a vegan Jerusalem artichoke soup with vanilla and almonds for starters and roast halibut, egg yolk ravioli, braised and burnt leeks with sauce vierge. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the ‘Q’ Love Bomb, a Jivara chocolate mousse served with morello cherry and dark chocolate sponge, vanilla parfait and popping candy.
Where: 16 Bury St, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6AJ
How to Book: Prices start from £60. Reserve a table here.
7. For a Date with a View: Boundary London
What: Boundary London will be hosting a romantic evening for couples this Valentine’s Day, with a special four-course meal, served alongside stunning views of the Shoreditch skyline.
The Lowdown: Available exclusively on the 14th February, this decadent menu can be enjoyed inside the Orangery, the rooftop’s indoor dining room. The experience will begin with a French Rose 75 welcome cocktail, followed by a selection of delicious homemade canapés. Guests will then be invited to take their pick of a range of starters with choices including celeriac ‘risotto’ with truffle parmesan and main dishes such as line-caught hake with cauliflower, kale and shallots, and tempura vegetables with wild rice pilau and pomegranate sauce vierge for vegetarians. The dessert is real the star of this menu. Designed to be shared, it’s a delicious passionfruit tart with chocolate ganache, rhubarb and crème fraîche dressed in edible flowers. For an all-round evening of good food, great views and romance, it’s one of our best Valentine’s Day menus in London.
Where: 2-4 Boundary St, Hackney, London E2 7DD
How to Book: Priced at £75 per person. To reserve a table email events@boundary.london or call 020 7613 7564.
8. For an Iconic Landmark: The Gherkin
What: The Gherkin is an iconic landmark on the London skyline so it’s fitting that it makes an ideal dining destination to celebrate love on the most romantic day of the year.
The Lowdown: Guests are invited to enjoy a cosy evening with unbeatable views of the city at Helix Restaurant on level 39 of The Gherkin. Head Chef Shaun Rowlands has created a special Valentine’s five-course tasting menu with a keepsake gift to take home, but that’s not all. If you happen to be looking for love this Valentine’s Day, London dating events start-up My Friend Charlie is hosting a dinner party in two of the Gherkin’s stunning private dining rooms. Guests can find romance over a Champagne dinner, followed by a dessert station for an opportunity to mingle. The menu here is set to be an irresistible affair, showcasing the very best of seasonal British cuisine with over 70% of all ingredients coming from the UK, and half a bottle of wine selected by Searcys’ head sommelier is included per head.
Where: 30 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8BF
How to Book: Tickets are priced at £89 per head. Book here.
9. For an Exciting Spanish Menu: Ibérica Victoria
Ben Rowton and mother (awaiting name) who have been struggling to sell their Elizabethan manor house for three years and are now putting it up for “lottery”. Ben is organising it and they are hoping that sales of lottery tickets will get them their asking price.
Pic copyright Phil Tragen 26/03/2018
What: Available exclusively on 15th February, Ibérica is hosting a twelve-course tasting menu curated by Executive Chef Nacho Manzanomenu ahead of the launch of its brand-new menu in spring 2020.
The Lowdown: Guests are invited to celebrate the Valentine’s weekend while basking in the authentic flavours of Spain. Nacho Manzanomenu is flying in especially to serve up this feast, drawing inspiration from Spain and his beloved two Michelin-starred restaurant, Casa Marcial. Guests can expect to tuck into mouth-watering mini dishes, including the likes of meatballs, beef reduction, Manchego sauce; salt-baked seabass, with artichoke tea and a wakame seaweed and cep emulsion; sautéed enoki mushrooms, cuttlefish and squid ink sauce. Ibérica’s twelve-course tasting menu boasts an unparalleled culinary journey making it one of the most exciting Valentine’s Day menus in London.
Where: 5-6, Zig Zag, 68 Victoria St, London SW1E 6SQ
How to Book: Tickets are priced at £120.00 for either lunch or dinner. Buy them here.
10. For Sushi: Issho-Ni
What: The intimate, stylish Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar, Issho-Ni, will be hosting a one-off five-course menu for couples looking to treat themselves to a delicious, Izakaya style, shared tasting menu this Valentine’s Day.
The Lowdown: Celebrate your love over a Jasmine Raspberry Spritz on arrival. This glamorous-looking cocktail is a mix of raspberry purée with jasmine liquor and topped with Prosecco. After enjoying your welcome drink, you’ll be invited to indulge in a five-course menu featuring unique twists on Japanese cuisine, designed to be shared. Head Chef Eduardo Aguiar has created a delicious menu filled with bold seasonal flavours and delights will include Wagyu Tataki – A4 Japanese wagyu beef seared on a Himalayan Salt block with orange ponzu, and chef’s sushi selection – a mix of sushi sashimi and maki rolls. Dessert will be a fresh and tangy Hoijicha poached pear with pear and wasabi purée, wasabi cream cheese, sable and sesame shard.
Where: 185 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 6AB
How to Book: £47 per person. Email reservations@issho-ni.com to reserve a table.
11. For a Taste of Crete: Oliveology
What: Get into the Greek spirit quite literally this Valentine’s Day with Metaxa, the original Greek Spirit at Oliveology. On 14th February, guests can enjoy a complimentary Metaxa Mediterranean Highball alongside a delicious five-course Valentine’s Day menu featuring recipes using Metaxa 12 Stars. It’s set to be one of the most popular Valentine’s Day menus in London.
The Lowdown: The menu for the evening, created by Oliveology chef and anthropologist, Lida Pappamatthiaki, brings to life traditional flavours inspired by her home of Crete. Promising a culinary experience that awakens the senses, she will also be combining Metaxa’s unique tastes of Samos Muscat wines, aged wine distillates and Mediterranean botanicals. Guests will be welcomed with a Metaxa Mediterranean Highball featuring Metaxa 12 Stars, pink grapefruit juice, tonic water, and garnished with rosemary, paired perfectly with honey-drenched figs and walnuts to whet your appetite. Next, you’ll get honey and carrot soup made with Metaxa 12 Stars followed by crunchy fennel and green apple salad and lamb burgers with a cranberry & peach chutney with crunchy grilled potatoes. Vegetarians will be treated to mushroom trahana risotto with truffle oil instead of lamb. To finish off, couples will be served a delicious and aptly named Aphrodite’s Fruit with spiced poached pears in dark chocolate sauce with bee pollen and Metaxa 12 Stars.
Where: Dockley Road Industrial Estate, Dockley Rd, Bermondsey, London SE16 3SF
How to Book: £50 per person. Reserve a table here.
