Top Valentine's Day Dinners in Philadelphia for 2018

The Twisted Tail - True love is the willingness to share your food, right? Society Hill’s Southern-influenced restaurant and bar, The Twisted Tail is offering a sharable $55 four-course family style menu for couples to experience together. The full Valentine’s Day menu can be found here, dishes include:

• Amuse Bouche: Cheese Fondue served with ham, toasted bread, cornichons, candied walnuts, apples
• First Course: Wild Mushroom Velouté with truffle and basil oil
• Second Course: Ora King Salmon “Sashimi” with beet, citrus vinaigrette, herb (pictured below)
• Third Course: Crispy Branzino
• All third course dishes served with mac & cheese, brussel sprouts, baked beans, cream of spinach and pickled cauliflower

509 South 2nd St. | 215-558-2471 | thetwistedtail.com

Ocean Prime - Center City’s Seafood and Steakhouse, will offer luxurious additions to its dinner menu on Valentine’s Day. Philadelphians can look forward to the following featured items by Executive Chef Jenn Grosskruger:

• Cocktail: “Blueberry Crush” - Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Club Soda ($13)
• Entrée: 8oz. Filet Mignon with Lobster Scampi, Asparagus ($58)
• Entrée: Florida Grouper, PEI Mussels, Fennel, Fingerling Potato, Pernod Citrus Broth ($46)
• Both entrées will be available from February 10-18
• Dessert: Strawberry Butter Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream ($12)

124 South 15th St. | 215-563-0163 | ocean-prime.com

Square 1682 - Romantic V-day date idea: evening stroll through Rittenhouse Square followed by a three-course dinner at Square 1682. Executive Chef Bobby Surdam is offering a $65 prix fixe dinner and guests can partake in an optional wine pairing with each course for $35. Full Valentine’s Day menu available here, highlights of the menu include:

• Amuse: Sparkling Cava Brut Rosé
• First Course: Beet Salad with goat cheese fondue, baby carrots, endive, strawberries, pumpernickel, toasted almonds topped with a blood orange vinaigrette
• Entrée: Roasted Duck Breast served with mustard spaetzli, wilted rainbow swiss chard, cherry port sauce
• Dessert: Red Velvet Trifle served with mascarpone, cherry manhattan, pecans

121 South 17th St. | 215-563-5008 | square1682.com

Red Owl Tavern - Lovers interested in an interactive dining experience can head to Red Owl Tavern, across from Independence Mall, for a three-course Valentine’s Day Murder Mystery Dinner. From 7 to 10 p.m., guests will attempt to solve the mystery and dine in the private Shanghai Room. Tickets are $90 plus tax and gratuity and beer and wine is included, tickets are available here. The three-course meal includes:

• Starter: Winter Greens with roasted asparagus, pickled turnips, shaved radish, fromage blanc, blood orange vinaigrette
• Entrée: Pan Seared Branzino served with potato risotto, royal trumpet mushroom, sauce aurora
• Entrée: Braised Beef Short Rib with lingonberry braise, whole grain mustard spaetzli, melted leeks
• Entrée: Vegetarian options available upon request
• Dessert: Chocolate Custard served with mascarpone whip, salted caramel and chocolate pearls

For guests looking for a delicious meal sans the murder mystery, Chef Caitlin Mateo created a $70 four-course meal available here. Dinner highlights include:

• Starter: Pappardelle with Parmesan, egg yolk and shaved black truffle
• Entrée: Beef Tenderloin served with vadouvan carrots, Romanesco and sherry

 433 Chestnut St. | 215-923-2267 | redowltavern.com

Rex1516 - South St.’s Southern-influenced restaurant, offers a charming atmosphere of exposed brick, voluminous curtains and candlelit lighting perfect for sharing a Valentine’s Day dinner. Chef Justin Swain has crafted specials everyone will fall in love with:

• Starter: Crawfish Arancini ($8)
• Starter: Celery Root Soup with smoked maitakes, crispy celery root and apples ($10)
• Entrée: Salmon with a collard pesto and hoppin john ($23)
• Entrée: Fried Half Chicken and Caviar served with chive biscuits, Alabama white bbq sauce, cucumbers, paddlefish and tobiko caviars ($50)
• Dessert: Triple chocolate cake ($9)

1516 South St. | 267-319-1366 | rex1516.com

Urban Farmer - modern American steakhouse, is offering a special à la carte menu in addition to the regular dinner menu, including:

• Starter: Shellfish Bisque with black truffle cracker, whipped crème fraiche ($14)
• Entrée: Prime Beef Wellington with mushroom duxelle, foie gras bordelaise ($60)
• Entrée: King Crab Legs served with black river osetra caviar butter ($38)
• Dessert: Espresso Affogato with caramel crème brûlée ($12)

Imbibers can indulge in V-Day-inspired cocktails including:

 "His and Hers" - Two separate cocktails meant for a couple

• Hers- Bulleit rye, lemon, luxardo, raspberry
• His- Bluecoat gin, Crème de Violette, Lillet
• "The Purple Heart"- Shared cocktail
• Hendrick's gin, hibiscus. lemon, prosecco split
• "Medusa's Stare" - Cocktail pairing with dessert
• Buffalo trace, crème de cacao, cointreau, ancho reyes

 1850 Benjamin Franklin Parkway | 215-963-2788 | urbanfarmerphiladelphia.com

Café Ynez - Couples craving authentic Mexico-city cuisine can enjoy a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at Café Ynez. In addition to Chef Juan Carlos Piña’s dinner menu, three savory à la carte specials are available at the BYO:

• Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb with pimiento romesco, lemon zest, chopped parsley and micro greens ($18)
• Chicken al Pastor Tacos served with queso fresco, cilantro, radish, lime and jalapeño ($8)
• Pan Seared Salmon with cannellini beans ragout and small fennel salad ($17)

2025 Washington Ave. | 215-278-7579 | cafeynez.com

Jet Wine Bar - For lovers wishing to travel, Jet Wine Bar on South St. is the ideal destination for a romantic dinner that inspires wanderlust. The following Valentine’s Day specials all pair perfectly with a carefully curated international wine list:

• Sea Scallops with a grapefruit gastrique and bacon ($12)
• Lamb Sliders topped with a pomegranate glaze and spicy slaw ($13)
• Charcuterie and artisanal cheese plate, chef’s choice ($15)
• Paired wines can be sampled in a flight of three for ($14)

1525 South St. | 215-437-3807 | jetwinebar.com

Keen - Graduate Hospital’s eclectic neighborhood restaurant and bar, is offering swoon-worthy dinner and drink specials, including:

• Bottles of Champagne for $30
• Hearts on Fire Cocktail- Hearts-chambord, spicy lime juice, raspberry sorbet, topped with sparkling rosé ($10)
• Housemade Gnocchi in blush sauce ($15)
• Surf & Turf Entrée- Lobster Thermidor and flank steak served with rice and broccoli ($50)

1708 Lombard St. | 215-515-5336 | keenphilly.com