In a world of Tinder and COVID-19, we all need a bit of romance. But when you're either not allowed to see each other or stuck in the same apartment 24/7, how on earth are you supposed to woo your boo?
With Valentine's Day 2021 rapidly approaching, we're all searching for ideas on how to make it seem like, well, not just another day.
Whether you want to celebrate with a first date, the love of a lifetime or even your housemates, we've tracked down some of the sweetest treats to put a romantic spin on things, from coffee and pastries for breakfast to a gorgeous takeout meal that'll knock your socks — and possibly pants — off.
We've got pancakes that get delivered to your door; wine and cheese you can pick up after a romantic stroll; and artisanal chocolate to melt even the coldest of souls.
And because you'll be enjoying it all in the comfort of your own home, you can always just abandon the grand plans and canoodle on the couch….
17 romantic ideas for Valentine's Day 2021
The brunch:
1. Mildred's Temple Kitchen
View on Instagram
Fluffy pancakes crowned with crispy bacon, whipped cream or maple syrup (or all three) are the breakfasts of champions. That's a fact. But there's a knack to getting cloud-like pancakes, and well, we haven't got it. Thankfully Mildred's Temple Kitchen have put together an I Flipping Love You brunch box, complete with video, so you can make their legendary pancakes at home according to Mrs Biederdorf's secret recipe. You'll get some organic coffee thrown in too, or start your day with a spring in your step by adding their cocktail boxes — we'll take a Love Potion No.9.
2. Eggbae
View on Instagram
Gooey, golden and delicious, Eggbae's sandwiches are so good they make us go all heart-eyes-emoji whenever we see them. Forget gold rings, order one of these bad bois for delivery instead — extra brownie points if you get the Notorious B.A.E., with fried egg, prime rib burger patty, arugula, tomato, slow-cooked onions and the signature bae sauce.
3. French Made
View on Instagram
Paris is the romantic capital of the world and while you can't jet off to gay Pareee right now, you can bring your petit choufleur freshly made croissants and coffee from French Made in bed. We'll take a beurre noisette financier, if you're going.
The cocktails:
4. Bar Mordecai
View on Instagram
From ingenious freezer martinis (complete with olives and a mister of lemon oil) to fizz and spritz kits, Bar Mordecai knows how to create a splash with its selection of drinks to make at home. Non-drinkers don't miss out either, thanks to a handful of boxes made with Seedlip's non-alcoholic spirits. If you really want to push the boat out, they're offering three special kits for Valentine's Day: the KOA Natural Skincare Spa Kit; a Breakfast in Bed Munchies Package with a quiche, two mini granola/yogurt jars, three biscotti and two scones; and the Drunk In Love (In Bed). If you don't go for the latter, who even are you? You'll get a 180 ml bottle of their passionfruit lemonade, a 200 ml bottle of Grey Goose Vodka, and mixes to make four cocktails, including the cold brew tonic and the Bar Mordecai spritz.
5. The Cloak Bar
View on Instagram
Our favourite speakeasy spot may be closed for indoor dining, but that hasn't stopped them from getting their creative craft cocktails into our hands. In addition to their boozy kits, they're also selling full sets with all the basic bartending accessories and unique batched cocktails, like their Oaxacan old fashioned and tobacco island punch — and a wine and cheese kit leaning on produce from sister spot Marben.
The wine:
6. Grape Witches
View on Instagram
Toronto's natural wine specialists the Grape Witches have come up trumps with their gift packs, available to buy on their website. There are loads to choose from, but for V Day, the Off The Beaten Bubbles duo is a surefire winner, with a naturally fermented Weingut cider from Pfalz, Germany, and the Masumi "Origarami" sparkling sake, a pét-nat sake — which sounds as off the beaten path as you can get.
The best takeout for Valentine's Day 2021:
7. La Palma
View on Instagram
In the days BC (before COVID), La Palma's sophisticated surrounds made it ideal date night fodder. Sadly you can't soak up its simply delightful atmosphere right now, but you can sample its delicious food. The restaurant is doing dedicated V Day hampers, stuffed with treats for two: oysters two ways (one with 'nduja, the other with mignonette); wild mushroom and ricotta cannelloni; beef short rib bourguignon; and an ooey, gooey gianduja chocolate tart, studded with hazelnuts. La Palma, you're talking our language.
8. Aloette
View on Instagram
From the same tribe of sleek, sophisticated and utterly delicious cuisine as La Palma, Aloette is another top spot for special occasion wining and dining. It's doing a special menu for Valentine's Day, complete with the signature Aloette wedge of lettuce with avocado, parmesan, wild rice and pumpkin seeds and followed up with truffle cavatelli and king crab with yuzu kosho. Hurry up and marry us already.
9. Four Seasons
Whatever you're dreaming of this Valentine's Day, chances are Four Seasons has got it. A beautiful afternoon tea with sweet and savoury bites plus the option to add on caviar? Check. A scrumptious three-course menu featuring your choice of veal cheek à la Bourguignonne or a whole rotisserie duck? Check. A decadent macaron tower? Check. Handcrafted chocolates that are almost too stunning to eat? Sign us up. They even have a special Valentine's family dinner that feeds five, in case your household includes more than just your S.O.
10. Ufficio
If your sweetie is a vegan or a veggie, knock their socks off with a three-course dinner from pescatarian Italian joint Ufficio. Both of their offerings start with house-made focaccia and olives, and cap the night off with tiramisu for two. In the middle, vegans will get insalata (beets, vegan mozzarella crema, orange vinaigrette) and risotto funghi with wild mushrooms, cashew cheese and Tuscan kale. Meanwhile, the other menu features creamy burrata and your choice of leek and ricotta-filled tortelli and sautéed shrimp in a spicy prawn bisque (pescatarian) or potato gnocchi with rapini pesto, crispy eggplant and Tuscan pecorino (vegetarian). Buon appetito!
11. Piano Piano
Pizza became the food of love the moment Dean Martin first crooned "When the moon hits the sky like a big pizza pie, that's amore." And he hadn't even seen Piano Piano's heart-shaped pizzas yet! The restaurant has teamed up with Peroni for its Valentine's specials this year, available on UberEats and for curbside pickup. And with options like the To Rome with Love carbonara pizza and Love of the North with black truffle, heart nuts, brown butter and mozza, we'll take a-more of these pies any day.
12. Maple Leaf Tavern
Maple Leaf Tavern isn't pulling any punches with its Valentine's Day special, with a lineup of seriously big, seriously classic romantic hitters. Think oysters, surf and turf and potato gratin, all topped off with chocolate cake. Easy, tiger.
13. The Parlour
You won't want to swipe left on this one. The Parlour has thought of everything you'll need to turn up the heat this Valentine's Day and put it all into one convenient bundle. Their Swipe Right package comes complete with a 375 ml bottle of Grey Goose and a 200 ml bottle of St. Germain, plus lemons, Fever Tree tonic, glasses, straws and stir sticks — and we haven't even gotten to the food yet. You'll also get a pizza of your choosing, an arugula or caesar salad and a special Valentine's dessert — all for just $69 (wink wink, nudge nudge).
14. Summerhill Market
Summerhill Market first opened its doors back in 1954 as a neighbourhood grocer under the helm of Frank McMullen. More than 50 years later, the business is still in the McMullen family —with a fourth location opening up in March. Head to one of their locations or purchase the market's top-quality produce online, plus, it's doing three special fine dining Valentine's Day meals, created by new executive chef Ted Corrado. There's a duck cassoulet and soy-braised beef short rib — but it's the vegan heirloom carrot wellington that gets our vote.
The best dessert delivery and pickup for Valentine's Day 2021
15. Bakerbots Baking
View on Instagram
OK, so maybe you don't fancy a full-on feast — but you can still pick up a lil sweet treat during the day. A dozen cookies? A cheesecake? Butter tarts? Lemon cream pie? No matter what your poison, you'll be floating along on a sugar-spun high.
16. Death in Venice
View on Instagram
If you do one romantic thing for Valentine's Day, for pete's sake — buy some ice cream. And buy it from Death in Venice, because you'll get proper creamy gelato in a whole array of gorgeous flavours, from white chocolate almond sesame to saffron vanilla ginger.
17. Choc/ed
View on Instagram
Nothing — literally nothing — says romance like chocolate-covered strawberries, and now you can get them delivered to your door, complete with your boo's name on them. Single? Order them for yourself and pretend you had a secret Valentine. Go on, we won't tell.
