Food & Drink
Valentine’s Day Dining Guide: Seattle’s Restaurants Have Menus For Everyone—And Every Budget
Whether it’s Champagne and caviar or Netflix and chill, Seattle’s restaurants have you covered for Valentine’s Day.
By Dylan Joffe January 31, 2018
Valentine’s Day can be a polarizing holiday. For those not in a relationship, it’s a reminder or celebration of singledom. For couples, it can be a fun excuse to celebrate one another or a budget-busting, cringe-worthy corporate scheme. Whether you love it or hate it, want to spend some serious dough or settle in with delivery, Seattle’s restaurants have something for you.
Hitchcock, Bainbridge Island
Valentine’s Day serves as the perfect excuse to check out Hitchcock’s newly revamped interior— and stay for Brendan McGill’s signature PNW cuisine. Plus, isn’t there something romantic about taking a boat to dinner? The restaurant’s Valentine’s Day menu reads like eight courses of choose-your-own-adventure, with options varying from beet macarons to wood-fired bone marrow. Some standouts include sheep’s milk cheese mousse, squid ink bucatini frutti di mare, and broiled raclette—because nothing says romance like hot, melty cheese. Valentine’s dinner for two will run you $240, plus another $120 for wine pairings. Reservations are still available, but this dinner with surely sell out.
The TL;DR: The Bainbridge Island favorite is serving up 8-courses for $120 per person.
Staple & Fancy, Ballard
The Ethan Stowell Empire as a whole is celebrating Valentine’s Day, but Ballard’s Staple & Fancy stands out with a menu of oysters of the halfshell with salmon roe; foie gras crostini with fig and balsamic compote; lamb tartare with mint and crispy sunchokes; crab ravioli with carrots, mascarpone, and chives; and Snake River Farms Zabuton with duck fat potatoes and black trumpet mushrooms. The feast costs $85 per person, with an optional $50 wine pairing. Reservations are still available, but if they do book up, or you find yourself interested in a more intimate space, Marine Hardware at Staple & Fancy, the restaurant within the restaurant, has an $85 tasting menu, too.
The TL;DR: $85 a person gets you multi-course meals at Staple & Fancy and Marine Hardware at Staple & Fancy.
Ballard Pizza Company, Ballard
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean mean blowing your monthly budget on one meal. Most nights, staying in with a bottle of wine and delivery sounds like a better option than white table cloths and getting dressed to the nines. If your dream Valentine’s Day includes sweatpants rather than sequins, let it be known that Ballard Pizza Company is including a giant, free rice crispy treat with every large pizza delivered on Feb. 14.
The TL;DR: Free rice crispy treats and delivery pizza.
Eden Hill, Queen Anne
Do you want to celebrate Valentine’s Day but can’t do it on the 14th? Eden Hill’s Valentines Day menu runs from February 7th through the 14th for anyone who has to work on the big day—or just wants to avoid the crowd. Chef Maximillian Petty’s menu includes chestnut pecorino tortellini, roasted duck rossini with seared foie gras, and a whiskey caramel snack pack with actual 24k gold—you know, to show your Valentine you really care. The V-Day menu runs the whole week, but you can still order from the regular menu. February 14th, however, is the Valentine’s tasting menu only. Dinner is $115 per person with two different optional wine pairings. Part of Eden Hill’s charm is its space, which fits 24 diners at a time; we definitely recommend making reservations.
The TL;DR: Valentine’s dinners for $105 a person, February 7th – 14th. Edibe 24k gold on the menu.
RN74, Downtown
Michael Mina’s Seattle outpost is hosting Valentine’s dinner for two. $125 per person for five-courses of French-inspired bistro fare, including oysters and caviar, escargot, Maine lobster thermidor, char-grilled and butter-basted chateaubriand (with foie gras and truffle add-ons available, of course), and pot de creme. While the food always delivers, the true star of any experience at RN74 is the wine. On Valentine’s Day, you can opt for a bubbles pairing of only sparkling wine for $65, the grande wine pairing for $85, or go straight for a bottle. RN74 always has a sommelier on hand to answer questions and a wine list that reads more like a novel than menu.
The TL;DR: $125 for five course tasting menu. $65 for bubbles pairing. $85 for grande wine pairing. Get the wine pairing.
Shiro’s Sushi, Belltown
One of the worst realities of going out for a decadent Valentine’s dinner is that it leaves you too full for anything else. Going out for Seattle’s favorite sushi might just be the dream solution. Shiro’s is celebrating the day of love with subtle touches to their usual menu—a special champagne cocktail, complimentary rose with dinner, and festive cream mousse desserts. Diners can chose from an abundant a la carte menu along with Shrio’s usual five-course or chef’s omakase menus. The normal reservation policy applies, even for Valentine’s Day, which is actually a plus for any late-planners because the sushi bar is always first come first serve.
The TL;DR: Champagne, roses and sushi with no reservations needed.
Poppy, Capitol Hill
A sweet spot for those who want something special that doesn’t break the bank, Poppy’s Valentine’s Day tasting menu offers three courses for $65. The night includes Dungeness crab bisque, 5-spice crisped duck with parsnips and golden beets, and celery root ravioli with black trumpets and white truffle butter. Dessert, which looks like the highlight of the meal, includes funky frozen treats like rose geranium ice cream with apricots, chili peanut ice cream with masala popcorn, and concord grape sorbet. Reservations are recommended, but there is always room for walk-ins at the bar.
The TL;DR: $65 for three courses and some crazy ice cream flavors.
Coyle’s Bakeshop, Greenwood
This popular Greenwood bakery is launching a new event series, “Bakeshop Dessert Night”, on Valentine’s Day. From 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., the day-time shop will turn into a low-key, dessert-only restaurant reminiscent of a Parisian bistro. For Coyle’s, that means a menu full of Profiterôles, Lemon Tarts, and Ile Flottante. There will be sparkling wine flowing and no fee for entry—a recipe for a stress-free celebration with your significant other, family, friends, or self.
The TL;DR: Free entry to a pop-up dessert night from Coyle’s Bakery.
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