Recipes Holidays + Events Valentine's Day Our Most Romantic Dinner Ideas By Food & Wine Editors and Megan Soll Megan Soll Megan Soll is a senior commerce editor for Food & Wine. She joined Dotdash Meredith in 2015 and has over 10 years of experience writing and editing food, entertainment, and lifestyle content. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 2, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio Whether you're serving a roasted rack of lamb or silky, rich pasta, a romantic dinner for two can make an ordinary evening a little more special. Go big with a lemon-herb roast chicken or steak frites, or try your hand at homemade pizza. For a special holiday, anniversary, or a spur-of-the-moment surprise, add these romantic dinner recipes to your arsenal; you'll come back to them time and time again. 01 of 17 Rack of Lamb with Mustard-Shallot Sauce © Kate Mathis A rack of lamb is the right move for a special dinner for two, as it's the perfect portion of meat to split and works with almost any side dish. Get the Recipe 02 of 17 Oysters with Pikliz Oriana Koren Easily elevate a home-cooked dinner by serving oysters on ice. This recipe can be prepped beforehand, too. Get the Recipe 03 of 17 Juicy Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken Greg DuPree Pulling off a restaurant-quality roast chicken at home starts with bagging the best bird you can find. This recipe is the other essential piece. Get the Recipe 04 of 17 Littleneck Clams in the Style of Escargot Victor Protasio Easy-to-find littleneck clams stand in for snails in this play on the French classic. We can't imagine a better snack to pair with Champagne while enjoying each other's company. Get the Recipe 05 of 17 Steak Frites with Black Garlic Butter Victor Protasio Nothing says romance like a perfectly cooked steak and crispy fries. This one with black garlic butter is matchmaking material. Get the Recipe 06 of 17 Sweet Potato Gyoza with Beet Puree Victor Protasio Sweet potato and hazelnut butter make up the filling for these inventive and satisfying gyoza. A silky beet puree shot through with preserved lemon adds a hit of brightness. Get the Recipe 07 of 17 Charred Vegetable Ragù Victor Protasio "Ladled over a pile of tagliatelle and topped with more cheese, this nourishing sauce tastes slow-cooked and comforting, especially on a wintry weeknight," F&W editor Kelsey Youngman says. Get the Recipe 08 of 17 Calabrian Carbonara © Christina Holmes Chef Andrew Carmellini uses Calabrian 'nduja, the spicy, spreadable sausage, to bring loads of delicious heat and flavor to his silky carbonara. Get the Recipe 09 of 17 Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Crème Fraîche Erin Kunkel Roasting the butternut squash with honey and a touch of salt intensifies the natural sweetness of the squash and caramelizes the honey. Take time browning the onions; cooking them low and slow deepens the foundational flavor of this hearty soup. Get the Recipe 10 of 17 Grapefruit and Escarole Salad © Christina Holmes Chef Jennifer Jasinski tops this excellent winter salad with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Get the Recipe 11 of 17 Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce Greg DuPree Chef Missy Robbins swaps chickpeas for pasta in her riff on spicy pomodoro. She finishes the dish with a shower of fresh herbs and salty pecorino cheese. Get the Recipe 12 of 17 Pork Chop au Poivre with Red Wine–Shallot Sauce Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This bone-in pork chop riff on the classic French au poivre preparation is so good, we may never go back to beef. Using a blend of peppercorns, not just classic black, adds notes of floral and vegetal spice to this simple dish. Get the Recipe 13 of 17 French Seafood Bisque with Baguette Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen The freshest seafood — preferably sourced from your local fishmonger — is the highlight of this velvety-smooth bisque. Take care to cook each type as directed to preserve its delicate flavor and texture. This resourceful recipe uses every last bit of your briny haul to yield a rich seafood stock that enhances this thick, soppable soup. Get the Recipe 14 of 17 Classic London Broil with Rosemary and Thyme Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce effortlessly infuse quick-cooking flank steak with bold flavor. Serve with buttery baked potatoes and a salad of crisp lettuces, and pile any leftovers of the thinly sliced steak on crusty rolls for sandwiches. Get the Recipe 15 of 17 King Oyster Mushroom Steaks with Pesto and Almond Aillade Photo by David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero Chef Julia Sullivan employs a duo of cast-iron skillets to prepare the tender, crispy-edged mushroom steaks; one for cooking the mushrooms, the other for pressing them flat so they cook evenly. Buttery roasted almonds balance the sharper notes of garlic and lemon in this rustic French sauce. Get the Recipe 16 of 17 Brown Sugar–Glazed Salmon with Buttery Roasted Squash Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Chef Erick Williams recommends thick cuts of salmon for this recipe; they cook quickly while remaining juicy and tender and are well-balanced by the sweet, gingery glaze. If delicata or acorn squash aren't available, substitute butternut squash. Get the Recipe 17 of 17 Grandma Pie Pizza Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland Spread with an oregano-spiked tomato sauce and topped with plenty of part-skim (not fresh!) mozzarella, this recipe delivers an old-school pizzeria experience at home. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit