Where to Eat on Valentine's Day

14 best Houston restaurants to love for dining out on Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is less than two weeks away, so it's time to start making plans to celebrate the occasion with your beloved.

With an array of multi-course dinners, as well as a few more casual options, we've rounded up the 14 best Valentine's celebrations Houston has to offer. As with any Valentine's Day, we highly recommend reserving your seats in advance.

Emmaline
Get cozy and celebrate with four courses and a glass of champagne at this stylish Montrose restaurant. Prix fixe options include squid ink linguini with lobster fonduta, seared fresh sea scallops, and lamb chops, as well as delicious desserts including a buttermilk panna cotta and a dark chocolate espresso torta. Guests can add a romantic floral arrangement from Petals and Palette Design Co. for an additional $75. The menu costs $75 per person. 3210 W. Dallas St.; 713-523-3210

Verdine
Celebrate at Verdine with a completely vegan menu inspired by traditional steakhouse fare. The three-course, prix fixe menu includes choices like Maryland “crab” cake, Beyond Meat filets, and tempeh piccata, as well as dessert options like a brownie banana split and white chocolate cheesecake. The menu is $60 per person and reservations are required. 449 W. 19th St.; 713-876-4768

Le Colonial
Enjoy a romantic dinner at hotspot Le Colonial with a three-course, prix fixe dinner highlighting the restaurant’s upscale Vietnamese cuisine. The menu presents decadent options such as tuna tartare, truffle and squash dumplings, pan-seared sea bass, and roasted Hudson Valley duck. The menu is $85 per person and reservations are suggested. 4444 Westheimer Rd.; 713-629-4444

Arnaldo Richards’ Picos
At Arnaldo Richards’ Picos, guests can take a culinary adventure without the travel. A special Valentine’s menu showcases the traditions of Spanish cuisine and features paella, tapas, charcuterie, and dessert. The menu is $85 per person. 3601 Kirby Dr.; 832-831-9940

Bistro Menil
Bistro Menil offers a special prix fixe menu on February 14 and 15, allowing for a bit of flexibility with your Valentine’s plans. The four-course menu includes entree options like seared diver scallops with beurre blanc, caviar, and creamy lemon risotto or sous vide duck breast with tart cherry sauce and savory roasted chestnut puree. The menu is available for $110 per person or $79 without wine pairings. 1513 West Alabama; 713-904-3537

The Annie Café and Bar
For an unforgettable evening featuring dinner, drinks, and dancing, check out Supper Club at The Annie on Sunday, February 16. The restaurant will present live musical entertainment from the Richard Brown Band, as well as a three-course, prix fixe menu from executive chef Robert Del Grande. Tickets are $150 per person and seatings take place at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Reservations are required. 1800 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 6170; 713-804-1800

Helen Greek Food and Wine
Head to Rice Village hotspot Helen Greek Food and Wine for a cozy Valentine's dinner for two. The special menu, available on February 14 and 15, features three shareable courses, including an entree of either lamb shank or whole plaki fish. The menu is $90 for two people or $115 with a bottle of wine. 2429 Rice Blvd.; 832-831-7133

State of Grace
Enjoy a romantic evening at State of Grace with a special, prix fixe menu from Chef Bobby Matos. The menu features dishes like tuna carpaccio, smoked chicken and andouille gumbo, and chargrilled oysters, as well as entrees like pan roasted diver scallops, pancetta-wrapped monkfish, Berkshire pork cheeks, and petit filet mignon. The menu is $85 per person and reservations are recommended. 3258 Westheimer Rd.; 832-942-5080

Davis Street at Hermann Park
Join Davis Street at Hermann Park for a four-course, prix fixe menu highlighting chef Mark Holley's Southern fare with pan Asian flair. The menu features offerings like grilled lamb chops, Thai-style fried snapper for two, or harissa-dusted Cornish hen, as well as decadent desserts including their down south coconut cake. The menu is $80 per person. 5925 Almeda Rd.; 877-328-4778

La Lucha
Enjoy a cozy evening at La Lucha with a three-course, prix fixe menu to share with your loved one. The menu features Southern dishes with an upscale flair, including potato pancakes with caviar, fried chicken with roasted winter squash, and sweet potato spoonbread. The menu is $49.95 per person. 1801 N. Shepherd Dr.; 713-955-4765

Verandah Progressive Indian Restaurant
Celebrate Valentine's Day with an exotic tasting menu at Verandah Progressive Indian Restaurant in Upper Kirby. The four-course, prix fixe menu features dishes representing all of India's regions and includes a glass of champagne for each diner. The menu is $75 per person and wine pairings can be added for an additional cost. 3300 Kirby Dr.; 281-501-0258

BOH Pasta
Chef Ben McPherson's Italian restaurant at Bravery Chef Hall offers a four-course, prix fixe menu that's designed to be shared by two people. Dishes include beef carpaccio, lobster and crawfish ravioli, and Borolo-braised short rib. The meal costs $105 per couple and seatings are available at 5:30, 7:30, and 9:30. 409 Travis St.; 713-364-5502

Politan Row
The nine food vendors and cocktail bar at Rice Village's food hall unite for an evening dubbed "Solamente Amor: Single Bites from Around the World." Designed for people who are singled or coupled up, the menu features dishes such as lemon cake from Italian restaurant Bronson's House, Peruvian ceviche from Pasha Nikkei, and crispy chicken dumplings from Kin. Tickets are $50, and the party starts at 7 pm. 2445 Times Blvd.; 713-489-2546

Street to Kitchen
Make it a vegan Valentine's with a five-course menu of dishes from chef Benchawan Painter, who serves authentic Thai flavors using locally-sourced ingredients. Her menu includes garlic chive pancakes, royal pad Thai and black truffle dumplings, and mango sticky rice. Tickets, $85, also include mimosas made with sparkling wine and freshly-squeezed juices from Juice Girl owner Gretchen Todd. 2424 Times Blvd.

Braised lamb shank is on the menu at Helen in Rice Village.

Courtesy of Helen Greek Food & Wine

Braised lamb shank is on the menu at Helen in Rice Village.

holidays dinner

Coming soon to Fredericksburg

Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Bottega Salaria

Valerio Lombardozzi is opening Bottega Salaria in the former home of La Bergerie.

Valerio Lombardozzi’s culinary career has taken him to the world’s finest kitchens, including restaurants owned by icons like Alain Ducasse, Giorgio Locatelli, and Joël Robuchon. In Houston, he led La Table and Tavola, where he earned a reputation for being one of the city's most engaging front of the house personalities.

But his latest project might be his biggest accomplishment yet. The hospitality veteran is opening Bottega Salaria, a homey Italian osteria and artisan market, in the former home of La Bergerie at 312 E Austin St in his adopted home of Fredericksburg.

Lombardozzi says the restaurant, expected to arrive in winter 2026, fills a gap in the Hill Country dining scene, but, more importantly, it's a reflection of his personal history and time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Rome.

“[It’s about] where I grew up, how I grew up, and how I eat,” he shares.

The three-concept experience is inspired by Italy’s Via Salaria, the ancient route Italians used to transport salt from the Adriatic Sea to Rome. The menu acts as a sort of travelogue, borrowing from the different cultures along the road, and the way village fishermen and shepherds ate.

Lombardozzi is quick to say he didn’t want to open a chef-driven restaurant. Instead, the osteria will serve traditional Roman staples such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and branzino carved tableside.

“I was one of the last to be exposed to the old generation of professionals who knew how to carve elegantly for the guests,” he says.

The adjacent bottega will stay open during restaurant hours, offering fresh pasta made on-site, house-made sauces, imported Italian pantry items, cheeses, salumi, breads, and biscotti. Patrons will be able to shop for individual items or put together custom gift baskets.

Outdoors, La Fraschetteria will debut a new hospitality experience in the U.S. The self-guided experience invites diners to grab wine directly from garden shelves, gather a spread of meats, cheeses, bread, or pasta, and linger around long communal tables lit by string lights.

Keeping the chit-chat going will be a thoughtful beverage program anchored by a primarily Italian wine list and imported beer. Lombardozzi says the cocktail menu might be a surprise, offering only gin and tonics, spritzes, and negronis. The latter has been made into a game where diners roll dice to determine the evening's combination of gin, vermouth, and bitters.

After dinner, guests can select an amaro from a rolling cart, sip grappa and limoncello, or sip a neat whiskey.

Lombardozzi shares that he wants Bottega Salaria to be just as comfortable for Fredericksburg locals as it is for destination travelers. Beyond daily service, Bottega Salaria plans community events such as garden wine nights with live music, Sunday movie nights, and hands-on cooking classes.

The space is designed for ease with a warm palette combining olive green and pomegranate reds. The decor blends heritage and modernity, bringing in objects like antique mirrors, plates, custom-made lamps, and even old tablecloths and curtains for an Old World feel.

"We’re not just opening a restaurant,” Lombardozzi says. “We’re creating a gathering place. A home for everyone who loves Italian food, culture, and the joy of sharing a meal with others.”

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