Romantic Charlotte: Here are 14 places to eat for Valentine’s Day 2020
With February approaching, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner — the holiday that is either heavily anticipated or greatly dreaded.
Whether you are married, dating, single or somewhere in-between, choosing what to do or where to go on this holiday shouldn’t be a stressor. Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, not argue or go back-and-forth about where you are going to eat.
To make your life easier, below is a list of romantic date-night destinations for all. Check out one of these spots, make a reservation and take your loved one, best friend or yourself out on a date this Valentine’s Day — you deserve it.
(1) Alexander Michael’s
401 W. 9th St.
Alexander Michael’s is located inside of an historic house nestled in Fourth Ward. The locally owned operated American tavern offers a cozy environment perfect for a more laid back date night.
Popular menu items include any of the pasta dishes and the London Broil. Although the restaurant does not take reservations, if you can handle a bit of a wait, this is a great spot to enjoy a little bit of Charlotte’s history while sharing an incredible meal in an unpretentious environment.
(2) Bar Marcel
3920 Sharon Road #160
Newer to South Park, Bar Marcel is a European-inspired restaurant, bringing unique flavors from Italy, France and Spain all into one menu.
For Valentine’s Day, the restaurant will offer a special dinner for $65, including two courses and a dessert. A few dishes off of the special menu include Steak Tartare, Tuna Carpaccio, Crispy Duck Breast and Seared Scallops.
(3) Beef N’ Bottle
4538 South Blvd.
You know what they say, don’t judge a book by its cover. Follow the same principle with Beef N’ Bottle. From the outside, it may look like an average dining establishment, but its food is far from average.
Beef N’ Bottle is a Charlotte gem that has been serving award-winning steaks since 1958. The restaurant’s atmosphere is classic and old-fashioned, while its steaks speak for themselves. Take your date here if you are looking for excellent food while supporting a restaurant that’s stood its ground during the evolution of Charlotte’s food and drink scene.
(4) Benny Pennello’s
2909 N. Davidson St. #100
For Valentine’s Day at Benny Pennello’s, you can go big and go home. Nothing says “I love you” quite like snuggling up on the couch and devouring a heart-shaped pie half the size of your Valentine (or all by yourself, no shame).
This year, to speed the cooking process up, Benny’s is ditching the breadstick arrow and including two heart-shaped cookies made by Burney’s Sweets. According to Benny’s, the plan is to have cheese pizzas cost $30 and a pizza with toppings for $38, which will include the chocolate chip cookies.
Orders will be accepted starting Feb. 3.
(5) Bistro La Bon
1322 Central Ave.; 274 S. Sharon Amity Road
Bistro La Bon is a quaint date night spot with a romantic atmosphere. Dishes are made using ingredients sourced from local farms to create incredible small plates and entrees with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Popular menu items include Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Brie Brulee, Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Bouillabaisse and Bourbon Bread Pudding.
(6) Chima Steakhouse
139 S. Tryon St.
Meat lovers, this restaurant is for you. Dining here is quite the experience. Gauchos, or South American “cowboys,” roam the dining room carrying skewers of rotisserie meats, including top sirloin, filet, ribs, lamb, pork, chicken sausage and fish. As they approach, you have the option of trying the meat or passing and waiting on the next skewer to come around.
If you are looking to try a variety of meats all while enjoying a unique experience, Chima will not fail you.
(7) Cicchetti
100 N. Tryon St.
Order a bottle of wine along with savory small bites or dessert and espresso at Cicchetti, a wine bar in the First Ward area that features authentic Italian small plates.
Its impressive wine selection is derived from countries all over the world and is priced with a small corkage fee to enjoy in-house. This is a perfect spot to either set the stage for the evening, or spend some time tasting a variety of small plates as the night lingers on.
(8) Fig Tree
1601 E. 7th St.
Fig Tree, located in the historic Lucas House, offers a seasonal French and Italian inspired menu and wine list. For Valentine’s Day, the cozy and romantic house will serve its full menu along with special features for the evening, such as raw oysters, lobster and plenty of champagne.
Additionally, Fig Tree’s most popular dish, the Elk Chop, has seen some changes since last year; the New Zealand elk chop is now crusted in coffee and served over sauteed root vegetables, Brussels sprouts, red wine reduction and a rosemary pesto.
(9) Haberdish
3106 N. Davidson St.
Haberdish will be serving its regular menu all week but will offer Valentine’s Day features that will be available at dinner Thursday through Sunday. Although the chefs are not quite ready to announce exactly what they will be serving, customers can anticipate a high-end menu featuring one or two appetizers, one or two entrees, one hot side, one cold side and dessert.
Guests can order any of the features a la carte, but there will also be an option for a special couple’s Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe Option, including an appetizer, two entrees, dessert for two and two glasses of bubbly or mocktails. Pricing is still in the works, but it should be between $65-70 total.
Pro-tip: Walk over to Reigning Doughnuts after to try its holiday flavor, Pistachio and Rose.
(10) Haymaker
225 S. Poplar St.
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Between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Haymaker will be offering a three-course menu comprised of many seasonal and local offerings for $75 per person.
For the first course, Haymaker is offering the selection of either Beet Salad, Tuna Tartare, Fried Oysters or Leg of Lamb. For the main course, the choice is among Beef Tenderloin, Cornmeal Crusted Snapper, Mushroom Tagliatelle or Duck Breast. To top it all off, the dessert options are between a Chocolate and Espresso Swiss Roll or Southern Coconut Cake.
(11) Napa on Providence
110 Perrin Place
Napa on Providence strives to deliver the unique culinary experience and and vineyard aesthetic of Napa Valley to Charlotte.
During Valentine’s Day weekend, you can take a trip to Napa Valley without evening leaving the city by enjoying holiday feature of a three-course dinner menu, champagne toast and live music for $50 per person.
(12) Sea Level
129 E. 5th St.
An obvious go-to for a romantic evening involves oysters and wine. To step that up, Sea Level will be offering its Seafood Tower, available in two-tiers ($75) and three-tiers ($125).
For the ambitious eaters, the three-tiered option, also called “The Hearst” in a nod to its location in the Hearst Tower, features a whole Maine lobster, 24 oysters, 12 chilled mussels, eight chilled clams, shrimp cocktail, salmon tartare, fresh catch ceviche and black sturgeon caviar.
(13) Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy.
Looking to put your love into action? Zipline and Dine at Whitewater Center is a fun and active way to go for adventurous daters out there.
For $85 per person, couples can begin their evening by zipping off a 100-foot tall tower before traversing across rope bridges into the woods. The adventure concludes with a short hike over to River’s Edge and a three-course meal curated with fine wine pairings waiting for you at the end.
(14) Zeppelin
235 W. Tremont Ave.
End or begin your date night with drinks and small plates at Zeppelin in South End. House cocktails are derived from the classics, such as The Uncle Eddy, Zeppelin’s take on a cold smoked Old-Fashioned created using pork belly fat-washed bourbon, apple oleo, tiki bitters and a king cube.
As far as food goes, small plates include options like Buttermilk Hot Fried VA Oysters and Cast Iron Cornbread. Main entree choices include Seasonal Pasta and Brunswick Stew and Grilled Cheese.
