Best Valentine's Day Dinners In Minnesota
Every year is chocolate, wine and kisses by candle light. That's the easy part. Valentine's Day also often leaves whoever is in charge of planning the date in cold sweats, because what is the perfect restaurant for Valentine's Day? Where do you go to impress her or him and make them feel truly special? Well, there are a lot of great places in Minnesota for the most romantic of holidays, but this list is here to help you get started.
Domacin Restaurant & Wine Bar
102 2nd St S., Suite 1
Stillwater, MN 55082
(651) 439-1352
www.domacinwinebar.com
You want a quiet, romantic evening away from the bustle of the Twin Cities, sure to be packed on a night like this. You want Domacin. Stillwater's wine and dine game got a serious boost when Domacin opened in its charming location just off of historic Main Street. Mediterranean-inspired new American food, and with one of the strongest wine lists you'll find anywhere, the food is a balance of classic Midwest-bred steaks and warm-weather seafood; tartare alongside alives and almonds. Pick up something from the connected wine shop to enjoy back at home once dinner is finished for a romantic, low-key evening you're sure to remember for years to come.
112 Eatery
112 N 3rd St
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 343-7696
www.112eatery.com
Intimate and sexy, the ambiance at 112 never fails to disappoint for a special night out. When the light flickers across your date's face you'll know you've picked the right place, and person, to share Valentine's Day with. The menu, from local restaurant juggernaut Isaac Becker, is always perfect as well. It's a restaurant dedicated to the full dining experience, the ideal place to host those truly dedicated to each other. It's the kind of place you forego large entrees to just share some smaller plates — reach arms across the table to try a bite of this and feed your date a bite of that, smiling all the while. It's the perfect romantic experience.
Meritage
410 St Peter St
St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 222-5670
www.meritage-stp.com
One of the most romantic restaurants in the Twin Cities seems like an obvious choice for the holiday of love. Meritage's standard of quality will guarantee that you and your loved one are well taken care of, but really as long as the food arrives, you'll be happy. French classics with a Midwest-twist, and then of course the seafood, probably the best in Minnesota, fills the menu. For Valentine's Day, it's all about the Prixe Frixe. Not everyone can afford a romantic getaway to Paris, but Meritage brings just a little bit of the City of Light to the streets of St. Paul.
Related: Best Valentine's Day Dates For Parents In Minnesota
The Salt Cellar
173 Western Ave N
St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 219-4013
www.saltcellarsaintpaul.com
When you look back at the great loves of Marilyn Monroe and Jame Dean's time, there seems to be a romanticism that has been lost over time. But standards of fine dining ensure the perfect night. At the Salt Cellar it almost feels like you're lost in a black and white photograph of old New York City and the food, wine, and cocktails match exactly that. But while the focus is on a retro-classic experience, you won't be subjected only to the stuffy standard of yesteryear. Chef Alan Bergo's love of mushrooms (and most all other edibles that come straight from the ground) make this equally exciting for locavores and foodies looking for something new. Don't forget to try the table side options, sure to delight even the pickiest date.
Saffron
123 N 3rd St
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 746-5533
www.saffronmpls.com
You don't always want the usual suspects for Valentine's Day. Sure the Italians and the French have gotten romantic fine-dining right for years, but there is cuisine from the far reaches of the world that deserve equal praise. Enter Saffron, the always-amazing restaurant from Chef Sameh Wadi that is sure to redefine your notions of classic dining. From the stellar service right down to that last bite of dessert (one year it was a chocolate & almond financier and words cannot describe how tasty it was), this Warehouse District restaurant will leave you and your date, well, mindblown. For Valentine's Day you can't go wrong with something just a little different at Saffron.
Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.