DINNER
A dinner out on the town is an integral part of any Valentine’s Day date. Eating great food, drinking great drinks, and enjoying each other’s company is one of the most popular ways to celebrate your relationship and each other. Spend some quality time with your partner at one of these amazing restaurants! Don’t forget: if you’re planning on getting dinner at one of these spots on Valentine’s Day, we definitely recommend calling ahead and getting a reservation. It’s going to be a busy night for everyone, so guarantee yourself a table by booking ahead!
CRAFT FARMACY
Craft Farmacy is one of our favourite spots in the entire city to get a bite to eat that makes you feel fancy. The restaurant has an air of class to it, without even coming close to stuffy or uptight. It’s fun, it’s stylish, and best of all, the food is incredible.
The Craft Farmacy menu is a wonderful, eclectic mix of dishes inspired by all sorts of styles and cuisines, elevated to fine dining. From gnocchi to schnitzel, and one of the best steaks you’ll find in the city, Craft Farmacy has got something for everyone.
The drink menu is just as exciting. Craft beers galore, a wine list to die for, and a cocktail menu that will have you wondering whether you can handle trying one of everything, because you really, really want to (please drink responsibly).
Don’t forget to get an order of oysters! They’re fresh as can be – shipped to the restaurant that day and only shucked once you’ve placed your order. Oysters are often thought of as aphrodisiacs, making them a perfect part of the ultimate romantic dinner. Celebrate your love and local cuisine this Valentine’s Day at Craft Farmacy!
HUNTER & CO.
Hunter & Co. is another spot that never fails to impress. The ambiance is on point and the food and drink are obviously incredible. Their menu is always changing to stay fresh and seasonal, but you can bet that anything being offered at Hunter & Co. is going to blow your mind.
The Hunter & Co. menu consists of awesome small plates that you are perfect for sharing between the two of you. Share a charcuterie board, a big platter of oysters, or the roasted bone marrow, which is a perpetual favourite here at Locorum.
Don’t forget about drinks! Their cocktails are some of the best in the city, they’ve got an excellent beer selection, and their wine list is extensive. Find something to pair perfectly with your meal and enjoy! Sharing a dish or two at Hunter & Co. is a wonderful, intimate experience that is perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day.
ANDERSON CRAFT ALES + PEAS AND THANK YOU
Anderson Craft Ales, one of our favourite craft breweries in town, has teamed up with the vegan pop-up restaurant Peas and Thank You to bring you a Valentine’s Day dinner that you’ll never forget.
To get into the brewery, you must buy a ticket ahead of time. Your ticket doesn’t just grant you access, it also gets you a three-course prix fixe meal and a glass of beer. Your dinner is 100% plant-based, as brought to you by Peas and Thank You. The appetizer is a veggie charcuterie board, the main is a “chk’n” parm, and for dessert you’ll be having a passion fruit and raspberry cake.
Of course, your beer is an Anderson brew. Take your pick of anything they’ve got on tap and enjoy! This is the perfect Valentine’s Day date for vegans, beer lovers, and vegan beer lovers! Buy your ticket today!
THE IN HOME CHEF
The In Home Chef invites you and your partner to enjoy Valentine’s Day with a fantastic meal. Thomas Waite, the eponymous chef, has crafted a four-course meal that will make you feel love like you’ve never felt before (just don’t tell your partner that).
The meal is absolutely delectable, an elegant and exciting exploration through the world of food. Your meal begins with a brown butter Jerusalem artichoke soup, followed by a root vegetable box. The third course is a choice between either braised beef cheek or seared cod. Finally, a crème brule for dessert. So many rich, delicious flavours that will leave your date happy, full, and impressed. They’ll definitely consider themselves lucky if you take them there.
To top it all off, champagne and strawberries, two classic parts of Valentine’s Day. Who would say no to a little bit of bubbly?
THE SPRINGS
The Springs is an upscale bistro found in a renovated church on Springbank Drive. The vibe is welcoming, cozy, and intimate – perfect for dining with the love of your life on Valentine’s Day.
They have crafted a menu specific to celebrating Valentine’s Day. It’s a whopping six courses, with multiple choices for four of them, meaning you get to try a whole lot of food, with more flexibility and customization than your average prix fixe menu.
You get an amuse bouche, an appetizer, two entrées, a palate cleanser, and finish off with dessert. And all for only $80 per person! One of the dishes that really caught our eye is the pork belly (found in entrée 1), which incorporates coffee in two ways – as a rub and a sauce – and blueberry jam, two elements that intrigue us to no end. As everyone knows, Santa has a serious coffee addiction, so infusing it into his dinner is an exciting prospect.
Six courses may seem intimidating, but when the food is so tasty, you’ll be wishing you had more. Check out the Springs this Valentine’s Day for a seriously tasty meal!
PLANT MATTER KITCHEN
Vegans love Valentine’s Day too! Plant Matter Kitchen is giving vegans an excellent option for a Valentine’s Day out on the town with some fantastic food. A three-course meal for you and your sweetheart, no reservation required (but it might be a good idea for a guaranteed table immediately).
The first course is futomaki, which is a “fat” rolled sushi filled with veggies and tofu. Alongside it is a lightly pickled tomato cut into a rose for that beautiful Valentine’s aesthetic that you can eat! The main course is a vegetable tower. Zucchini red pepper, and tomato stacked high, with sweet sesame jack fruit and crispy potato! The final course (presumably a dessert) has yet to be revealed, so stay tuned to their social media to find out!
They’re also serving their regular menu, if the prix fixe doesn’t appeal to you. Burgers, salads, and entrées that are all plant-based and all delicious! Enjoy your Valentine’s Day in a cruelty-free fashion at Plant Matter Kitchen!
ENTERTAINMENT
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about the food. There are many other ways to enjoy time with your significant other! Try these activities on for size!
TERRY BARBER AT THE AEOLIAN HALL
Join Terry Barber at the Aeolian Hall, one of the best concert venues in the city, for a night of romance, joy, and music. Terry Barber is a Grammy award winning artist, known for having an incredible vocal range and impressive technique. He has performed all over the globe in amazing venues, and now he graces the Forest City.
The concert will feature some classic showtunes written by Andrew Lloyd Webber along with some romantic classics that will have you singing and dancing with your significant other – a wonderful and intimate experience, even if you aren’t particularly good at either.
COUPLES SKATE AT STORYBOOK GARDENS
Assuming the weather is cooperating the evening of Valentine’s Day, you and your partner can head to Storybook Gardens for a leisurely and romantic skate around the park. This is an 18+ event, so you don’t have to worry about trying to skate around kids, just adults that haven’t gone skating in a while.
You have to buy your ticket ahead of time, none are sold at the door. A ticket is $20 and is valid for two people. It also includes one Beavertail pastry and two hot drinks, which you can enjoy next to a campfire before or after your skate.
Don’t have skates of your own? Don’t worry! For a small additional charge, you can rent some skates right then and there!
COOKING CLASS IN THE COVENT GARDEN MARKET
Who says you have to go to a restaurant for a fantastic Valentine’s Day dinner? Book yourself a Valentine’s Dinner cooking class at the Covent Garden Market, and you’ll be whipping up a three-course meal so delicious and romantic, that you’ll consider opening a restaurant yourself.
The class is 2.5 hours long, led by Chef Shauna. She will take you through the fundamentals of making an amazing, vibrant, and healthy meal! It starts with a sun-dried tomato baked brie with toasted baguette, followed by an immaculate plate of pork ribs with mashed potatoes and greens! Finally, a flourless chocolate cake that is as indulgent as it is gluten free (100%)!
TINDER TALES AT THE REC ROOM
This Valentine’s Day, the Rec Room is hosting a stand up show centred on the trials and tribulations of dating. Whether you’re single or in a committed relationship, you can grab yourself a ticket and laugh at the romantic blunders of these comedians!
The show is called Tinder Tales, a comedy show that has sold out venues internationally! The lineup of seven comedians share tales of dating, relationships, and how they’ve managed to screw it all up. But don’t worry, it’s all in good fun.
Valentine’s Day could be all about serious romance, or you could have some fun with it at the Rec Room!