Sunday, February 14th, marks the return to indoor dining at 25% capacity in New York City. Should Cupid’s arrow fail to secure a coveted Valentine’s Day reservation inside or out at one of the many notable Italian restaurants in New York City, there’s another option for wining and dining your significant other. Enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner at home with food delivered to your door or picked up from your favorite Italian restaurant. These renowned establishments are some of the toughest places to score a table, yet you and your sweetheart can feast on their delicious cuisine during prime dining hours with the best seat in your house. And there’s no time limit for lingering. A heart-winning gesture, indeed.
Carbone's Spicy Rigatoni
With waiters styled in tuxes styled by Zac Posen, chairs clad in maroon leather, and floor tile inspiration from The Godfather, dining at this Central Village outpost exudes the romance of a movie set circa 1950’s NYC. (The restaurant recently opened a Miami outpost as well.) Capture this scene in your apartment along with your partner. Dress in character, stream Frank Sinatra into your dining room, and act out with an Oscar-worthy Valentine’s Day menu featuring some of the restaurant’s greatest hits. While the food is a nod to midcentury Italian-American nostalgia, there’s no mistaking these chic dishes are a modern version of the red sauce classics. (A regular delivery menu is also an option.) Try the Caesar alla ZZ for your antipasti, then go all red with the macaroni course of spicy rigatoni vodka and lobster ravioli. Secondi standouts include double lamb chops. Elevate any of these courses with a shaved black truffle upgrade. Share swoon-worthy desserts like lemon cheesecake or try blackout cake for a blissed-out finish.
Il Gattopardo's artisanal ricotta and potato gnocchi with Italian sweet sausage and black winter truffles from Umbria.
This iconic spot located in Midtown’s Rockefeller Townhouses exudes Italian sophistication, style, and glamour. It’s the type of place where Sophia Loren would be a frequent guest if she lived in NYC, and it’s where Stanley Tucci and Paul McCartney are regulars when they are in town. Dust off your Prada and Gucci labels, dress up, and embark on a casa tua date jet set-style with your other half. Valentine’s Day specials are available Saturday, 2/13, and Sunday, 2/14, in addition to the seasonal menu. Share the antipasti combination of oyster, scallops, and fresh shrimp in extra virgin olive oil, lemon, parsley, and pearl onions. Move onto the mouthwatering artisanal ricotta and potato gnocchi with Italian sweet sausage and black winter truffles from Umbria. A glass of organic Pallagrello/Aglianico/Casavecchia “Sabbie di Sopra il Bosco” 2016 Nanni Copé from the expansive wine list is a perfect pairing. In the name of love, order the branzino for two, then end with a gentle kiss of dark chocolate mousse filled with passion fruit sauce topped with strawberry sorbet.
La Lanterna di Vittorio
Love is in the air 365 days a year at this Greenwich Village two-story venue equally sought after by first dates and committed couples alike. But on Valentine’s Day, with the fireplaces roaring, romance abounds. “We have at least two engagements every year,” says Vittorio Jr., son of owner Vittorio Antonini, of the Valentine’s Day festivities. Whether you’re about to put a ring on it or not, fire up the votives throughout your apartment, and order in the special “Lasagna for Two,” four-course prix fixe menu for $65 per person plus tax and delivery charge ($50 per person for non-alcohol version). Sip on the passionfruit champagne cocktail, and munch on rucola con Parmigiano before digging into the lasagna, a choice of pesto, bolognese, or quattro formaggi. Homemade Tiramisu and hot coffee make for a perfect nightcap. Should you plan to keep sparks flying throughout the night, add on the $22 espresso martini flask for two.
Roman's Octopus with cardoons and chickpeas
With inspired farm-to-table menus changing daily and an uber-dark candlelit ambiance, Roman’s is romantic any night of the year. The Brooklyn neighborhood favorite is offering a the Valentine’s “Dinner for 2” four-course menu delivered to your doorstep for $110, not including beverage, tax, and gratuity. (A la carte orders are also an option.) The first course includes an antipasto plate with salumi, finocchiona, prosciutto, artichokes, housemade mozzarella, and olives or a chicory salad with oranges, olive, fennel and Sicilian pistachio. Pasta is a mushroom cannelloni followed by short ribs or octopus with cardoons and chickpeas. The final bow is a torta caprese. Stir up the passion with the featured blood orange cocktail and choose from an assortment of Italian wines and house amaros. (All dishes subject to change.)
Scarpetta's ricotta and spinach baked manicotti
Jay-Z and Beyonce recently spent date night having a leisurely dinner at this Manhattan restaurant’s beautiful outdoor dining space. Recreate a similar experience at home with a Scarpetta meal kit for two. Apertivo hour commences with a bottle of specially made Alban Love Potion infused with strawberry and basil organic vodka. Signature focaccia, yellowtail crudo, and winter citrus and chicory salad are starters. Mains include ricotta and spinach baked manicotti plus the popular braised osso buco with gnocchi alla romana, carrots, parsnip, and glazed sweet breads. For dessert, a chocolate cake topped with banana toffee sauce. This $195 meal kit (plus tax) is available for pick-up only at The James Hotel NoMad location on Friday, 2/12; Saturday, 2/13; Sunday, 2/14.
Sfoglia's chicken al mattone
This Upper East Side gem stole the hearts of devotees on the day its doors opened more than a decade ago. The intimate farmhouse charm belies its sophisticated seasonal menu, including notable additions for Valentine’s weekend. Buy a bunch of wildflowers, roll up your nicest dishtowels to use as napkins, and get cozy with your partner. Order in the primi special of housemade lobster ricotta agnolotti and the pappardelle alla Bolognese. The chicken al mattone, a secondi must-try, is considered by some as NYC’s best chicken dish. It’s seared under a weighted brick to produce the perfect crispy, golden brown skin. Compliment your meal with either a glass or a bottle of the 2017 Poggio Bonelli, Chianti Classico DOCG from Tuscany. You can’t go wrong with any of the desserts but save room for the small box of dark chocolate and blood orange truffles gifted to all in-house and at-home guests.