Restaurants get romantic

We’ll soon be celebrating our first – and hopefully last – Valentine’s Day in lockdown. February 14th is not ordinarily the most popular day of the year in the hospitality industry, with restaurants limited to tables of two, packed with couples who tend to take more time over their meal and spend less money than usual. In a very different landscape this year, many have recognised the commercial opportunities the day presents.

As couples look to celebrate at home, there’s some surprising restaurants launching Valentine’s Day meal kits. Having recently picked up its third Michelin star, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught has created a five-course menu of its signature plates for the first time, complete with caviar and white truffle. Daniel Humm’s fine-dining restaurant Davies and Brook has also launched five Valentine’s boxes, ranging from £195 to £380, complete with caviar and Krug, or guests can just order a chocolate and hazelnut tart to go. Customers can even get their hands on Dinner by Heston Blumenthal’s famous meat fruit, along with a five-course menu.

They join a long list of restaurants which have created new offerings for the day. For instance, Hawksmoor quickly sold out its nationwide delivery, but guests can still order potted crab and steak from their London restaurants. Homeslice founder Mark Wogan is hosting an hour-long virtual pizza and cocktail class on Valentine’s Day, and Angela Hartnett’s Cafe Murano has a new menu with mushroom arancini, crab tortellini and more. 

Let’s hope consumers take the opportunity to spend money on a romantic meal at home that they don’t have to cook themselves and that Valentine’s Day gives a boost to our struggling restaurants.

To discover more at-home kits the CODE team loved, click here