The best dinner ideas for two for Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is the ideal time to spend a romantic evening together at home. If you’re looking for the best Valentine's dinner recipes for two, then read on to discover our top suggestions for a cozy night in with your loved one. We’ve taken the stress out of the planning and shared our favorite menu ideas for a unique evening, with a special seafood focus, for an elevated dining experience.

Oysters

Oysters are a classic addition to any Valentine's meal for two, and a refined menu item that’s a truly elegant and premium start to a romantic evening together. Shucking oysters is part of the fun as a couple and makes for a great evening activity, especially if you’re both new to it! It’s easier than you think. It’ll simply take a bit of preparation to ensure you can source some outstanding oysters locally and invest in a little bit of kitchen kit to help with the shucking.

They’re delicious to enjoy alongside a sparkling glass of Champagne to kick the night off in style, or you can experiment with a few gourmet oyster recipes. It’s widely thought that oysters have aphrodisiac properties, so that’s another box ticked for a Valentine’s evening… Learn how to choose the best oysters and what you’ll need equipment-wise for an enjoyable evening spent sipping Champagne and shucking oysters as a couple.

Tuna carpaccio

Light, sophisticated and effortless to make, this dish is sure to impress your partner and is high on our list of recommendations for dinner ideas for two for Valentine’s Day. Our favorite version of this recipe includes dots of avocado mayonnaise, to really give this dish a restaurant feel at home. Or if you’re feeling brave, you could use the mayonnaise to create a fitting heart shape on the plate for Valentine's. Ensure you buy these ingredients on the day, for the freshest and best tasting fish.

The fresher the fish the easier it will be to achieve those signature thin carpaccio slices. You can swap in different fish for the tuna if preferred, like salmon or scallops, if that’s more to your liking. Prepped in under 30 minutes, this is a great dish to whip up just before the night begins, and have sitting in the fridge ready to serve. Find the recipe here.

Spaghetti with clams

The next suggestion in our series of romantic dinner for two at home recipes, is spaghetti with clams. We happen to think Italians know a thing or two about food and the world of romance, and this dish is an iconic staple on top menus throughout Italy. Bring a slice of Mediterranean magic to your table this Valentine’s Day, and challenge yourself to learn how to cook with clams. Taking only 40 minutes to prepare, this looks really special on the table, and is simple to make. Again, you’ll need really fresh clams for the flavors in this dish to pop.

If you’re planning to follow our menu, it’d be worth finding an excellent local fishmonger to help you with the ingredients sourcing. If you prefer a little color on the plate, this recipe also has the option of including a few cherry tomatoes, halved, and added to the plate after cooking. You'll find the recipe here, including tips and tricks on how to cook clams if this is your first time.

Honey-glazed salmon

For a lighter main course option for a meal for two on Valentine's Day, honey-glazed salmon has to be our top choice. Or you could even pitch this as your main course, and keep the spaghetti with clams as a 'primi' or 'first dish' with a smaller serving of pasta, if you’re ready to tackle four dishes at home. This straightforward recipe can be ready in as little as 15-20 minutes.

It’s the ideal option for casual cooking whilst having a glass of wine with your loved one in between courses. You can serve it with fresh salad or add it to a bed of steamed rice. In our recipe, you have the option of frying the fish or cooking it in the oven. We like the oven-cooked method for Valentine’s Day, so you can continue enjoying each other’s company whilst the food cooks to perfection.  

Chocolate-covered strawberries

For the finale, what else but chocolate-covered strawberries?! If you still have some Champagne left over from the oyster course, this is the time to bring it back out. What’s great about this dessert is that you can make it in advance, so that’s one course done and dusted before the big day. Make sure you invest in good quality chocolate. As it’s a simple dessert, the ingredients will really stand out and cheaper chocolate won’t provide the same tasting experience.

You can also try varying this dish with a mixture of different types of chocolate, from white to dark, and even combine the two for a marbled effect on the strawberries. Once made, you can transfer to the fridge up to a day ahead, to keep the chocolate set. Remove before serving to allow time for the strawberries to come back up to room temperature to bring out the best of their flavor. Here’s our complete guide to how to make chocolate-covered strawberries, for a playful and classic end to a Valentine’s meal.