Valentine’s day 2023 food and drink gifts: romantic meals, sweet treats and dates nights

1. AFTERNOON TEA AT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE RESTAURANT: 9-15 FEBRUARY – LONDON The Lane is celebrating the most romantic date of the year with a Valentine’s Day afternoon tea, served in the

opulent surroundings of the Grand Saloon at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the heart of London’s Covent Garden. Available between 9-15 February, the special Valentine’s edition features a

sumptuous layered chocolate sponge adorned with pink icing and red love hearts, accompanied with mini sticky toffee with custard oozing from the centre and pink lemonade tarts topped with a

heart meringue. Savoury bites include madeleines topped with lapsang-souchong glazed salmon and pickled fennel, bitesize cannelés with goats cheese and pickled beetroot, and a signature puff

pastry sausage roll made with Cornish sausage meat. Warm scones will be brought to the table with salted whipped butter, cream and homemade jam while you sip Rare Tea Company teas.

Perfectly paired for the occasion with a bottle of bubbly by Taittinger or Nyetimber. From £59; thelane.co.uk SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEEK Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news,

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The Week delivered directly to your inbox. From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. 2. THE IVY RESTAURANT:

10-19 FEBRUARY – UK WIDE An indulgent three-course Valentine’s set menu will be served at all of The Ivy’s restaurants from 10-19 February. After receiving a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rosé

Champagne on arrival, guests can choose from a selection of culinary delights, including duck liver parfait, creamy buffalo mozzarella and truffle arancini to start, while main course

options include lobster linguini or fillet of beef. Make sure to leave a little room for the raspberry heart mille feuille dessert. Indulgent heart-shaped layers of white chocolate and puff

pastry, finished with a warm raspberry sauce. £75 per person; ivycollection.com 3. THE GRILL AT THE DORCHESTER RESTAURANT: 11, 12 AND 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON Tom Booton, head chef of The Grill

at The Dorchester, has crafted a delicious four-course meal for Valentine’s. To be enjoyed in the opulent elegance of the gilded restaurant, the meal begins with cured brill and lamb and

finishes with an irresistible chocolate orange temptation. The four-course menu including welcome cocktail costs £280 per couple and will be available on 11, 12 and 14 February. £280 per

couple; dorchestercollection.com 4. SEVEN PARK PLACE BY WILLIAM DRABBLE RESTAURANT: 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON Five-star St James’s Hotel & Club will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a beautiful

set menu served in its restaurant, the Michelin-starred Seven Park Place by William Drabble. An evening of fine dining and paired wines will feature a chef’s menu that’s been carefully

curated to showcase the finest ingredients. Diners will begin with a hand-selected assortment of canapés, followed by langoustine consommé with black winter truffle; seared Scottish scallop

with celeriac, apple and vanilla; and roasted breast of duck flavoured with honey and black pepper. Dessert is a set cream with rose jelly and pistachio alongside an assiette of chocolate.

£210 per person; opentable.co.uk 5. THE PUMP ROOM BATH RESTAURANT: 14 FEBRUARY – BATH Many dates have taken place over the waters since The Pump Room opened its doors in 1789. Featured in

novels by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, this is a must-visit destination in Bath �� especially for an afternoon tea or dinner on Valentine’s. Be serenaded in the stunning Georgian

surroundings by a classical music trio and share the moment with a loved one over an afternoon tea (from £35 per person). Available from 12pm-4pm, enjoy a decadent selection of savouries,

freshly baked sweet treats and homemade scones, coupled with an optional chilled glass of Moët Chandon to toast the day. In the evening a special Valentine’s dining menu will be available

(£60 per person). Enjoy a glass of Chandon sparkling wine together on arrival, before settling down to a four-course menu, accompanied by music from the resident pianist. Evening sittings at

6.45pm, 7pm, 7.15pm and 7.30pm. sevenrooms.com 6. ALEX WEBB ON PARK LANE RESTAURANT: 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON Hosted in the new Alex Webb on Park Lane restaurant at the InterContinental London

Park Lane, _MasterChef: The Professionals_ 2020 winner Alex Webb is serving up a five-course tasting menu on Valentine’s, inspired by nostalgic flavours from his childhood and travels. The

evening starts with a raspberry and champagne cocktail and canapés on arrival, followed by five dishes featuring creative flavour combinations such as Langoustine tail, scallop and black

mushroom ravioli with smoked leek purée and ash; a rib-eye of beef with chicory and beef jus; and black cod served with sea herbs, onion purée, pickled onions, crispy potato and champagne

sauce. Finish off with the show stopping croquembouche for two with strawberry crème patisserie and poached strawberries. Price is £110 per person (additional £45 with three paired wines).

parklane.intercontinental.com 7. SEARCYS AT THE GHERKIN RESTAURANT: 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON Boasting panoramic views of The City, Searcys at the Gherkin will have special set menus running on

the day. Located on level 39, the Helix restaurant will be offering a fizz-tastic Champagne Valentine’s Afternoon Tea with traditional tea-time treats and a glass of Moët & Chandon (£80

per person), or tuck into a four-course dinner accompanied by a glass of rosé champagne (from £149 per person). Highlights include Orkney Bay scallops, shellfish bisque; Norfolk mussels,

celeriac, cavalo nero, lemon and chive butter sauce; and Lake District lamb rump. Dessert to share includes island dark chocolate hazelnut dome and a milk chocolate ganache with raspberry

coulis. sevenrooms.com 8. KITCHEN W8 RESTAURANT: 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON Mark Kempson, head chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Kitchen W8 in Kensington, will serve up a six-course seasonal

tasting menu for 14 February. Dishes include warm parmesan churros with pickled walnut and winter truffle; Scottish langoustine and crab broth; Cornish monkfish with wild leeks; and passion

fruit cheesecake. The Valentine’s Day tasting menu costs £110 per person or £175 per person with a flight of wines. A discretionary gratuity of 15% will be added to the total bill.

kitchenw8.com 9. BŌKAN RESTAURANT: 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON Dine among the clouds at sky-high bar and restaurant, Bōkan, in Canary Wharf and indulge in a delicious seven-course tasting menu from

executive chef Robert Manea. Menu highlights include sweetheart cabbage, sauerkraut and burnt mayo; cod cheek, ras el hanout and lemon condiment; and chocolate and orange bon bon, with a

glass of champagne. £150 per person; bokanlondon.co.uk 10. KITCHEN AT HOLMES VALENTINE’S MOVIE TERRACE EXPERIENCE: 9-19 FEBRUARY – LONDON Kitchen at Holmes at Holmes Hotel London is running

its popular secret rooftop cinema experience again this year, launching on Thursday 9 February and showing a series of the best Valentine’s Day movies. Available from 9-19 February

(6pm-10pm), the special offering will feature a tasting menu which includes smoked burrata, black truffle arancini and courgette spaghetti alongside a glass of Perrier Jouet Grand Brut to

have in the restaurant prior to heading upstairs onto the secret terrace. Guests can enjoy an abundance of fur throws, a special popcorn menu and a screening of romantic classics including

_Pretty Woman_, _Crazy Stupid Love_, _10 Things I Hate About You_, _The Sweetest Thing_, and _A Star is Born_. Tickets are £70 per person which includes dinner, film and a welcome drink.

From £70; designmynight.com 11. CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE MOVIE NIGHTS AT BOMBAY SAPPHIRE DISTILLERY EXPERIENCE: 10, 11, 14 AND 18 FEBRUARY – HAMPSHIRE Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Hampshire is

hosting Valentine’s movie nights on Friday 10 February, Saturday 11 February, Tuesday 14 February and Saturday 18 February. Starring Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling and Steve

Carell, _Crazy, Stupid, Love_ will be shown in the distillery’s cinema room and guests will also get a Valentine’s cocktail on arrival and light snacks and interval cocktail to enjoy

throughout the film. £35 per person; bombaysapphire.com 12. DRAKE & MORGAN X TASTE FILM’S MEAN GIRLS CINEMA AND DINING EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE: 11-12 AND 18-19 FEBRUARY – LONDON This

immersive “eat what you see” _Mean Girls_ experience from Drake & Morgan and Taste Film is _so fetch_. Nestle in at The Refinery City Point in Moorgate, London, and indulge in a menu

consisting of six imaginative dishes and drinks, all cleverly inspired by the cult film’s favourite moments. Screenings will be held on the weekends of 11-12 February and 18-19 February. £75

per person; tickettailor.com 13. M’S WAGYU ON WATER CRUISE EXPERIENCE: 11-14 FEBRUARY – LONDON M Restaurants is partnering with Thames Limo for the ultimate Valentine’s experience on the

River Thames. Board a private boat that takes you past some of London’s most iconic buildings and sights and sip on Laurent Perrier champagne while indulging in three decadent courses with

each showcasing the highest quality Wagyu beef (vegetarian options available). Private hire of the boat including a three-course meal for two and a bottle of Laurent Perrier champagne is

priced at £2,700 for two hours or £3,700 for three hours. Available to book from 11-14 February. Timings are 12.30pm-3.30pm, 4pm-7pm or 7.30pm-10.30pm. mrestaurants.co.uk 14.

MICHELIN-STARRED MASTERCLASS AT BENARES MAYFAIR EXPERIENCE: 12 FEBRUARY – LONDON Couples who love to cook together can book a Michelin-starred seafood cooking experience at Benares Mayfair,

from 10am-1pm on Sunday 12 February. Hosted by executive chef Sameer Taneja, guests will get access to his top tips and tricks while making spectacular Indian dishes. After the masterclass,

head to the main dining room for a romantic lunch for two. £225 per person; benaresrestaurant.com 15. SKY GARDEN EXPERIENCE: 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON Take in glittering, panoramic views of The

City at Sky Garden. Choose from a standing access package with a glass of Moët & Chandon Rosé (£22) or book a table for two and enjoy a sharing board and a bottle of Moët & Chandon

Brut Imperial Champagne, alongside a live DJ (£150). Alternatively, opt for one of the decadent dining packages, including elevated fine-dining menus from head chef Kerth Gumbs at Fenchurch

or relaxed yet refined dishes at Darwin Brasserie. skygarden.london 16. ALBA AT SILVERLEAF WHISKY TASTING EXPERIENCE: 14 FEBRUARY – LONDON East London bar Silverleaf at the Pan Pacific

London hotel will host whisky tasting sessions every Tuesday and Thursday until 28 February. Whisky experts from the Silverleaf team will present an intimate sensory tasting experience

within the bar’s hidden tasting room, Alba. With a tasting session on Valentine’s Day, enjoy a romantic date by sampling a range of rare and deliciously peaty and smoky tipples. Each tasting

consists of five different whiskies, served in 25ml measures. From £50; panpacificlondon.wearegifted.co.uk 17. LINA STORES VALENTINE’S DAY BOX FOR TWO MEAL KITS Italian delicatessen Lina

Stores has created the “perfect night in” to celebrate Valentine’s. The box includes a pasta kit for two of choice; green cerignola olives; truffle cheese; finocchiona; focaccia bread; and

pistachio and olive oil cake. There is also a veggie option that will swap truffle cheese for taleggio and finocchiona for sun-dried tomatoes, and an optional bottle of prosecco, too.

£60-£75; linastores.co.uk 18. MADE IN OLDSTEAD SIX-COURSE FEAST AT HOME MEAL KITS Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks and his team have created a Made in Oldstead six-course feast for those

celebrating Valentine’s at home. The three menus (beef, halibut and vegetarian) use ingredients foraged for, picked or grown on or around Banks’s family farm in Oldstead. Dishes include

charred spring onions with confit potatoes and goat’s cheese sauce and prime salt-aged beef wellington with roasted hen of the woods mushrooms, onion sauce and leek top emulsion. Finish with

a salted caramel and yoghurt cremeux served with chicory root caramel. For those wanting to further indulge, there’s also an optional wine pairing available via Banks Brothers. Orders are

open until 10 February for nationwide delivery. £135-£140; madeinoldstead.co.uk 19. FARMISON & CO STEAK TASTING BOX MEAL KITS This steak tasting sharing box (£50, serves two) from

Farmison & Co is the perfect Valentine’s gift for the foodie lover in your life. Showcasing flavoursome grass-fed steaks – fillet barrel, bavette and picanha – the box comes with

bearnaise butter, F&Co chophouse sauce, peppercorn sauce and is served with french fries with chicken schmaltz made using the world-famous Pierre Koffmann potatoes. Other sharing boxes

include beef wellington for two (£45); steak bordelaise (£45, serves two); and the couples chicken and truffle box (£28, serves two). farmison.com 20. DEVON HAMPERS FOOD AND DRINK GIFTS

HAMPERS Share the love this Valentine’s with Devon Hampers. There’s a whole range of hampers to choose from this year, including the movie night for two (£34); Cornish lust cream liquor and

chocolates (£39.95); Devon love hamper (£58.95); Cornish lager and steak pasty hamper (£33.95); prosecco and truffles cream tea (£35); and the charcuterie-style picnic (£80.50). Other gifts

include a Devon fudge selection box (£25); a Braemar Juliet mug (£12.50); Cornish chocolate letter box gift (£30); and an Apollo RB heart cheese board with three knives (£19.95).

devonhampers.com 21. DARTS FARM CHOCOLATE LOVER’S HAMPER HAMPERS Darts Farm is one of the few UK producers to craft chocolate from bean-to-bar at its in-house chocolatier, Cow & Cacao.

This hamper contains an incredible selection of hand-crafted treats, including a box of truffles, milk chocolate dipped oranges, a milk chocolate and raspberry heart lolly, and expert

chocolatier Louise’s favourite single origin bar. £29; dartsfarm.co.uk 22. PAUL ‘JE T’AIME’ GIFT BOX SWEET TREATS This gift of love from Paul really does say “je t’aime”. The raspberry

millefeuille heart is expertly crafted from layers of buttery puff pastry, raspberry jam, whipped cream and fresh raspberries. The chocolate and praline millefeuille heart is a chocolate

lovers’ dream, with layers of buttery puff pastry, chocolate, chocolate praline cream, whipped cream and hazelnuts for an added crunch. It also comes with a delightful box of mini macarons.

£37.95; paul-uk.com 23. FLAPJACKERY ‘LOVE YOU’ AND ‘BE MY VALENTINE’ FLAPJACK BOX SWEET TREATS With this tasty treat from Flapjackery you can get “Love You” or “Be My Valentine” inscribed in

white chocolate on the top of a giant slab of millionaire flapjack (equivalent to four individual pieces). This centrepiece is then surrounded by eight other pieces of Flapjackery flapjacks

in flavours you choose. Alternatively, choose a smaller box with four, rather than eight, extra pieces of flapjack. From £34; flapjackery.co.uk 24. LOVE AT FIRST BITE WITH PATISSERIE

VALERIE SWEET TREATS Patisserie Valerie’s collection of Valentine’s baked goodies are lovingly handmade and available for nationwide delivery. The menu includes the Valentine’s Patisserie

box (£32.95); strawberry love heart cake (£43.95); chocolate heart cake (£33.95); macaron box (six for £9.95 or 12 for £16.95); and red velvet cake (from £33.95). patisserie-valerie.co.uk

25. DRINKS DISTILLED’S SPIRIT COMPASS GIFTS If you’re stuck for a boozy gift this Valentine’s, then Drinks Distilled’s “spirit compass” could be a great place to help you choose. The

spirits, bar and glassware website has a handy Q&A that will help you find a tipple or product – all in less than a minute. Drinks Distilled also has a range of gift sets on sale for

Valentine’s. drinksdistilled.co.uk 26. KNOOPS VALENTINE’S HOT CHOCOLATE GIFT SET GIFTS Chocolate drinks brand Knoops has launched a sweet range of gifts for Valentine’s. Available in-store

and online, the Knoops Valentine’s hot chocolate gift set (£25) features 43% milk chocolate flakes and a tube of limited edition strawberry marshmallows to create the perfect, indulgent hot

chocolate. The set is wrapped in stylish black and pink gift packaging with heart imagery, ideal for gifting loved ones. £25; knoops.co.uk 27. CHAPEL DOWN ROSÉ BRUT SPARKLING WINE GIFTS

Raise a glass to your loved ones with Chapel Down’s Rosé Brut NV. Made from 100% Pinot Noir and sourced from fruits yielded in Kent, Sussex and Essex, this English sparkling offers great

balance and purity of character. Case of six bottles £222; chapeldown.com 28. HEXCLAD HYBRID COOKWARE GIFTS Is your loved one culinary mad? Treat them to some world-class cookware from US

brand HexClad. Dubbed the “Rolls Royce of pans” by Gordon Ramsay, the range brings the performance of stainless steel, the durability of cast iron, and the convenience of non-stick to your

everyday pan. Pots, pans and woks are available to buy as single items, and there’s also a range of sets. hexclad.co.uk 29. BIRD & BLEND TEA CO. ‘LOVE POTION’ LOOSE TEA GIFTS Start

Valentine’s Day with the perfect cuppa on 14 February. Bird & Blend Tea Co.’s Love Potion is a magical blend of chocolate, rose and strawberry loose tea with added candy love hearts.

From £6.70 for a 50g pouch; birdandblendtea.com 30. NOUVEAU WINE ‘LOVE BITE’ GIFTS Nouveau Wine is 100% vegan and delivered straight to your door. Picked from an old block overlooking the

Atlantic Ocean in South Africa, Nouveau Love Bite is a fresh beaujolais-style Cinsault from the Stellenbosch area. These old vines create a healthy concentration of red fruits, soft tannins

and a moreish saline note in this natural wine. Sealed with a love bite design by artist James Graham. £18.95; nouveauwine.co 31. NO.3 GIN X NUDE PERFECT MARTINI GIFT SET GIFTS The new gift

box includes a bottle of No.3 Gin, which has been voted the world’s best four times, as well as two NUDE x No.3 Gin martini glasses, which have been developed using scientific expertise to

keep liquid cooler for twice as long as a classic glass. £150; bbr.com 32. SILENT POOL ROSE EXPRESSION GIN GIFT SET GIFTS Silent Pool Distillers, the sustainable gin brand made on the Albury

Estate in the heart of the Surrey Hills, has produced a Valentine’s Day gift box for its bestselling Rose Expression gin. Distilled with a unique rose tea infusion, Rose Expression has a

distinctive yet delicate rose flavour, and the 70cl bottle comes packaged with a pair of beautiful Copa-style gin glasses. £72.50; silentpooldistillers.com 33. OUTPOUR CURATED WINE BOX GIFTS

Eighty per cent of wine purchases are made by women, yet wine is still considered a man’s pursuit. Outpour – a female-founded wine shop and women-only wine community – is here to change

that. Founded by Joanne Koukis, who left her corporate barrister job to launch the company, Outpour offers a curated selection of wines and related events designed to make drinking and

learning about wine more accessible and welcoming. From £55; outpour.co.uk 34. WORDS WITH WINE BOOK AND WINE SUBSCRIPTION BOX GIFTS Delight your book and booze-loving Valentine with a

monthly subscription to Words with Wine, the UK’s first book and wine subscription box. Each box arrives with a full-size bottle of wine, a book of the month and an information card.

Recipients have access to an online book club where members can discuss their thoughts on the book and share photos. Non-alcoholic options are also available, as are one-off book and wine

sets. Gift box from £30, or £25 per month; wordswithwine.co.uk 35. FOREST GIN GIFT PACK GIFTS Swap prosecco, rosé and other drinks traditionally associated with Valentine’s Day for a

beautiful bottle of Forest Gin produced by husband and wife team Karl and Lindsay Bond. To make the gin, the pair steep some classic gin botanicals (including organic juniper berries and

coriander seeds) in organic grain spirit before taking a pestle and mortar to bundles of botanicals foraged from Macclesfield Forest in Cheshire. The concoction is then distilled through a

copper condenser and blended with local spring water. This gin is available in a special gift box, where it comes with a branded crystal G&T glass. £53.99; masterofmalt.com 36. CAZCABEL

FLAVOURED TEQUILAS GIFTS Nothing says “I love you” like tequila, right? Cazcabel Tequila is a range of authentic, high-quality, natural tequilas which can be used in cocktails or sipped neat

and savoured. Flavours include Cazcabel Blanco, Reposado, Coffee Liqueur (which is blended with luxury arabica coffee), Coconut Liqueur (made using prized coconuts from Jalisco, Mexico) and

Honey Tequila Liqueur (the first of its kind, which is made with 100% natural honey). From £24.45 for a 70cl bottle; masterofmalt.com