You’ll Fall in Love With These Romantic Restaurants This Valentine’s Day

Eat and drink around the world without ever leaving the city

From bustling French bistros to the richly-aromatic streets of Cambodia, there’s no better way to celebrate the season of love than by indulging in elegant wines, decadent desserts, and expertly-made food. These internationally-inspired restaurants, conveniently located right in NYC, provide the perfect romantic backdrops—and the perfect tastes—to complete your perfect Valentine’s Day! There’s something for every happy couple at these restaurants, whether you prefer an elaborate and high-end night on the town or a low-key dinner date over candlelight. And thanks to the discounts offered by the HungerPass app, your Valentine’s Day can become even sweeter!

ChouChou $$

215 E 4th Street, New York, NY 10009

Add some heat to your Valentine’s Day by dining at ChouChou, the restaurant that blends contemporary and traditional Moroccan foods with incredibly mouth-watering results. As a recipient of the Michelin Bib Gourmand award in 2018, the food pretty much speaks for itself: From ChouChou’s specialty-made deviled eggs made with harissa, lemon juice and mayonnaise to its salty roasted almonds, the hors-d’oeuvres will have you reaching for your cool mint tea before the entrée has even arrived. It only gets hotter from there, if ChouChou’s menu featuring Lobster Tagine, Kefta Couscous, and other foods hailing from the Maghrebi region are any indication. If you start to get a little overheated, drink like royalty by ordering the Duchessa, a sweet beer with Italian and Belgian influences. The restaurant itself mirrors the food it serves; The New Yorker likens ChouChou to “a sultry nightclub where the mood is determinedly romantic and the lights are dangerously dim.” Sounds like the perfect setting for any blooming romance!

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Yefsi Estiatorio $$$

1481 York Avenue, New York, NY 10075

Don’t risk consuming that questionable gyro from the food truck! Go to Yefsi for Michelin-quality Greek food you can enjoy alone, with family, or, of course, with your S.O. this Valentine’s Day. Executive chef/owner Christos Christou cooks authentic Greek food that will have you dreaming of white Grecian beaches from the comfort of what Zagat considers one of the best restaurants on the Upper East Side. Chef Christou’s dedication to cooking with carefully procured vegetables, meats, and fish, as well as his passion for authentic Greek dining, truly comes through on the menu in the form of the tongue-twisting meal “Kolokithokeftedes”, zucchini croquettes with feta and kefalograviera cheese and fresh herbs on a bed of caper yogurt. For the meat-lovers out there, try Soutzoukakia, or Greek meatballs served over rice, and Solomos, AKA grilled wild salmon with leek rice pilaf. To truly kick off your Valentine’s Day meal, try the aptly-named Aphrodite’s Mule, a specialty drink made with fig vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer so luscious you’ll think you’re drinking ambrosia.

 

Activate your HungerPass for 10% off Monday through Thursday!

 

 

Caffe Buon Gusto $$

236 E. 77th Street, New York, NY 10075

Caffe Buon Gusto is all about that classic, glitzy New York vibe. In fact, it is self-described as offering “cozy, intimate, candle-lit, authentic Italian cuisine”—so basically, the ideal setting for a romance-filled Valentine’s Day. A truly Italian restaurant, Caffe Buon Gusto strives to foster a comfortable, customer-centric atmosphere where each guest is not only treated like family but fed until fill to bursting! There’s so much pasta to choose from that it’s separated from the rest of the menu: There’s penne, capellini, linguine, farfalle, rigatoni, and fusilli, all served with your choice of sauce from 11 options, including alfredo, vodka, and puttanesca. Voted one of the best trout restaurants in NYC, Caffe Buon Gusto’s Trout Emiliano, in which the trout is pan seared over sauteed spinach, tomato, virgin olive oil, and garlic, cannot be missed. Of course, there’s no better way to finish off the perfect Italian dinner than with such gooey, chocolate-covered, and layered desserts as the chocolate souffle, chocolate-covered strawberries, and tiramisu. With its near-endless selection of pasta and elegant, romantic atmosphere, Caffe Buon Gusto is the ideal restaurant to have your Lady and the Tramp moment this Valentine’s Day!

 

Activate your HungerPass for 10% off Monday through Sunday!

 

 

Angkor Cambodian Bistro $$

408 E 64th Street, New York, NY 10065

Searching for a unique restaurant to really impress your date? Look no further than Angkor Cambodian Bistro, a sophisticated restaurant providing one-of-a-kind food and ambiance you won’t soon forget. One of the only Cambodian-inspired restaurants in the city, Angkor’s menu, lauded as “a wonder” by the New York Times, is a vibrant blend of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. These invigorating combinations are evident in dishes like the Papaya Salad, which is comprised of chopped green papaya with chili pepper, crispy dried prawns and crushed peanuts soaked in lime juice and fish sauce. There are also Frog Legs sauteed with fresh basil, ginger, lemongrass, chili pepper, onion, and rice for the more adventurous diner, and Khmer Red Curry (red curry sauce, pumpkin long beans, chili pepper, bamboo shoots, coconut milk, and rice) for the couple craving some heat.

 

For dessert, there’s everybody’s internet-famous favorite Mochi Ice Cream, which is vanilla ice cream wrapped in powdered sticky rice. For a heady and alluring complement to any meal, try the sweet Plum Wine from Kobe, Japan. If you want a more classic taste, the Red Pinot Noir from Marlborough, New Zealand is always a winner. And is there any better place to celebrate love than, as the New York Times describes, a restaurant where “time halts and the city seems to hover, half-real, around you”—the perfect fairytale setting for your perfect Valentine’s Day dinner.

 

Activate your HungerPass for 10% off Monday through Thursday!

 

 

Excuse My French $$$

96 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002

What’s more lovey-dovey than a cocktail shared in front of the Eiffel Tower? Well, perhaps a cocktail shared in Excuse My French, the restaurant that promises unique drink combos, tasty tapas and an atmosphere Bedford & Bowery likens to being “transported back to the 1920s.” Its French-inspired appetizers such as the country-style pâté and baked camembert will make anyone dream of Paris. Of course, the tapas are the main event; there are tenderly grilled sea scallop tapas served with orzo curcuma, and for a more authentic Parisian taste, there’s the escargot persillade tapas. Also served are French staples such as the cheesy Croque Monsieur and colorful Ratatouille.

There’s nothing more French (or more romantic!) than a cocktail, and Excuse My French delivers in the form of three signature cocktails just right for celebrating love: The Royale Family is like a liquid bouquet of flowers, mixed with house-made syrups, kir, hibiscus, rose, lavender, and orange blossom; The Champs Elysée is reminiscent of the sparkly, vintage Paris of the 1920s, with its powerful blend of cognac, chartreuse, and absinthe; and the Hanky Panky, made of gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca, is sure to make you smile. For a daring dessert, try the Fois Gras Lollipops, or a less-daring but zesty choice, the classic Crêpe Suzette. No matter your romantic style, Excuse My French’s classy, romantic atmosphere and food are sure to provide a Valentine’s Day you’ll always savor.

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By Emma Thompson