Celebrate your special someone with the best views and menus in town
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we’re already feeling the love. We all know that delicious food and expertly crafted cocktails can be the key to your special someone’s heart (along with good views and even better company!); this year, we’re here to help you plan the perfect evening with your lovebird. We’re breaking down the best foodie date spots in San Diego to celebrate your love life—whether you’re celebrating the start of a new relationship or decades of love. These eight San Diego restaurants are sure to make Valentine’s Day 2023 one to remember.
Salvatore’s Cucina & Lounge
For an evening that perfectly blends cozy elegance with sophisticated nightlife, treat your date to an evening at Salvatore’s Cucina & Lounge. This downtown spot (and speakeasy) is known for its modern European decor and Italian fusion cuisine with menu items ranging from yellowtail crudo and fried gnocchi, to rigatoni arrabiata. Don’t forget to toast to your date with Salvatore’s special V-Day cocktail: the Peanut Butter Love Punch, which features Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Chambord raspberry liqueur, Giffard Vanille de Madagascar, raw sugar, clarified whole milk and lemon juice. Bar Manager Tommie Hererra describes this silky smooth concoction with golden clear hue as a Valentine’s Day must!
Location: Gaslamp Quarter
Coco Maya
Is there anything more romantic than a rooftop date night? We don’t think so. Little Italy’s newest addition, Coco Maya, is serving up a special Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu for $149 per person with the option to upgrade with a wine pairing. The menu is packed with Caribbean flavors to match the lush rooftop garden setting, featuring dishes like Oyster Honeymoon, beef tartare, antipasto salad, beef Wellington, 24K filet mignon and champagne-infused strawberries and cream. If you don’t opt for the wine pairing, impress your date with the special Blue Suede Midnight Love cocktail by Ariana Dimou. This seductive drink features a blend of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, smoked bacon fat-washed bourbon, Giffard Banane Du Bresil and two dashes of Angostura Bitters. “The Blue Suede Midnight Love is named after Elvis, who was notoriously known for his midnight snacks,” says Bar Manager Rob McShea. “His favorite snack was a peanut butter, bacon and banana sandwich. We aimed to mimic the flavors of this treat in this old fashioned variation.”
Location: Little Italy
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Parc Bistro-Brasserie
Head to the streets of Paris with your amour this year without the hassle of travel. Neighboring Balboa Park, Bankers Hill’s Parc Bistro-Brasserie’s warm and inviting ambiance and top-notch service makes for the perfect Valentine’s Day date. For dishes that transport you to cobblestone streets, order the escargots de Bourgogne (trust us!) and the boeuf Bourguignon. Don’t forget to top off the night with the Noisette Romance cocktail, made with Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, dark chocolate liqueur, toasted pecan bitters, homemade Licor 43 whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top. Bar Manager Nilton Vanegas of Parc Bistro-Brasserie describes this cocktail as “a nutty passionate delight!”
Location: Bankers Hill
Mister A’s
Date night got an upgrade with Mister A’s 180-degree views of the San Diego skyline and shimmering bay, which are best soaked up from the restaurant’s cozy nooks adorned with chandeliers. Alongside its 15-page wine list, this fine-dining icon is offering a special four-course prix fixe menu with impressive options like Blue Pool Oysters, Lobster Vol au Vent, Maple Leaf Farm duck breast and a chocolate fondue for two. Finish your evening with the Burnt-Orange Old Fashioned made with Templeton Rye, burnt-orange reduction and orange angostura. Be sure to dress to impress—Mister A’s has a business-casual dress code.
Location: Bankers Hill
The Marine Room
With arguably the best views in San Diego, the elegant Marine Room is located on the water in La Jolla Shores, where you can catch waves crashing up against the expansive glass windows. This sophisticated hot spot is known for its globally influenced dishes, and its Valentine’s Day menu will not disappoint. The four-course experience includes items like Ora King salmon tataki, seafood risotto and a Prickly Pear Tart with wildflower gelato. If you’re flying with your Galentines this year, snag a reservation in The Marine Room’s sleek Lounge, which features a GNO cocktail and a three-course bite menu.
Location: La Jolla
SEA180° Coastal Tavern
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Dinner is better with a view, and Imperial Beach’s SEA180° Coastal Tavern understood the assignment. Located in the Pier South Resort, this oceanfront restaurant is offering a special three-course prix fixe meal for $69.95 per person this Valentine’s Day. Kicked off with an amuse bouche, menu options include Short Rib Pappardelle, acorn squash stuffed with Humboldt Fog goat cheese and chocolate pavlova. Cuddle up and soak up the breezy beauty of the Imperial Beach pier by snagging a reservation around one of the restaurant’s cozy outdoor patios.
Location: Imperial Beach
Valentina
Just steps away from the beach on the bustling 101, Leucadia’s olive tree-lined and beachy white-washed Valentina is celebrating the season of love with a special three-course dinner for $89 per person. The romantic European-style bistro’s menu boasts a curated selection of favorites like fresh oysters and sea bass with potato pave and picada sauce along with specials fit for love like the pepper-crusted carpaccio and lamb chop with sunchoke puree and chimichurri. You’ll feel the sparks flying under Valentina’s twinkling lights.
Location: Leucadia
Marisi La Jolla
Italy meets San Diego at Marisi La Jolla, and what’s more romantic than an evening on the Amalfi Coast? No detail is left untouched at this Italian trattoria-style restaurant with its lush white flowers and vines, expansive courtyard, colorful floor tiles and bottle-lined walls. Soak up the setting with a special four-course meal for $125 per person. Nostalgic and comforting dishes pack the menu, including Cacio e Pepe Gougere, black truffle cappelletti and prime flat iron steak. We recommend pairing it all with an espresso martini or Manhattan.
Location: La Jolla
