Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest nights of the year for restaurants. It’s right up there with New Year’s Eve and brunch on Mother’s Day. Chefs trot out special dishes for the occasion or compile prix-fixe menus to keep service flowing smoothly and provide predictability for the kitchen and wait staff on nights when restaurants are at maximum capacity. But not everyone blows a wad of cash on a fancy dinner out for Valentine’s Day.
From a romantic dinner at an Atlanta neighborhood favorite and heart-shaped foods to a unique dinner and a movie experience and dive bars offering live music, check out these options for Valentine’s Day in Atlanta.
Casual Valentine’s Day dinner at Sun in My Belly
2161 College Avenue, Kirkwood, Atlanta
Tuesday, Feb. 13, and Wednesday, Feb. 14., 7 p.m.
The owners of this popular Kirkwood breakfast and brunch restaurant know a thing or two about romantic occasions. Its catering business is often hired by couples for their weddings. Sun in My Belly is turning the lights down low in the dining room for Valentine’s Day, with a special dinner offered on Tuesday, Feb. 13, and Wednesday, Feb. 14.
Dinner begins with a welcome cocktail, followed by four courses of dishes like beef tartare, a seasonal salad, miso-glazed salmon, and dark chocolate espresso mousse cake for dessert. Wine pairings are optional. Zero-proof drinks are also available. The atmosphere at Sun in My Belly is cozy and convivial, good for couples looking to enjoy a relaxed Valentine’s Day dinner or for a group of friends celebrating together. $80 per person. $120 per person with wine pairings. Email info@suninmybelly.com to reserve.
“Like Water for Chocolate” dinner and movie from Eatavision x Plaza Theatre
1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue, Poncey-Highland, Atlanta
Wednesday, Feb. 14., 7 p.m.
If dinner and a movie are more your speed on Valentine’s Day, consider this unique experience that combines the two. Quynh “Q” Trinh, the founder of We Suki Suki and Qommunity food space in East Atlanta Village, launched Eatavision dinner theater two years ago. Eatavision offers dishes and drinks from movies to create multi-course tasting menus. Each course is paired with a specific scene from the movie being shown during an event. For Valentine’s Day, Eatavision is partnering with the Plaza Theatre in Poncey-Highland to offer an 11-course dining experience for the movie “Like Water for Chocolate”. The Eatavision meal is also available for takeout to watch the movie at home. Eatavision “Like Water for Chocolate” meal $69 per person (movie ticket not included). Order online. Movie begins at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Plaza Theatre.
Heart-shaped taco platter and pizza
Taco platter in Smyrna and Kennesaw; pizza in Atlanta
Tacos La Villa in Smyrna and Kennesaw is offering a heart-shaped platter filled with 15 tacos for Valentine’s Day. The platter comes with a choice of meat, including birria. On Valentine’s Day, the Monroe Drive and Krog Street Market locations of Varuni Napoli are serving a heart-shaped Margherita pizza.
Mise en place dinner for two from Star Provisions
1460 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard, Blandtown, Atlanta
Pick up Wednesday, Feb. 14., between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Order dinner for two on Valentine’s Day from Chef Anne Quatrano’s cafe and market Star Provisions to enjoy at home. The menu this year includes sister restaurant Bacchanalia’s popular crab fritter, a choice between beef Wellington or salmon en croute, sides of potato puree and haricot verte, a cheese course, and a decadent chocolate tart and heart-shaped shortbread cookies for dessert. Dinner at home for two $304.92. Order online.
Head to a dive bar on Valentine’s Day
For those looking to escape the Valentine’s Day fanfare at restaurants, nothing beats the laissez-faire environs and drinks at a dive bar. We don’t need to tell you where to go, because you already have your favorite spot. But if we’re choosing, maybe consider the Valentine’s Day karaoke ball at Star Community Bar in Little Five Points, some saxophone vibes at Northside Tavern, or head to Smith’s Olde Bar for the Valentine’s Day rock show with Trashy Annie and Robin Shakedown.
NFA Burger x Taqueria Del Sol Valentine burger
Inside Chevron, 5465 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody
Wednesday, Feb. 14; Valentine burger special $10.
Dunwoody burger joint NFA Burger is teaming up with Taqueria Del Sol to offer a special double-stack smashburger on Valentine’s Day. The $10 burger features two patties topped with American cheese, onions, pickles, and Taqueria Del Sol’s take on spicy Valentina hot sauce.
Pop-up flower shop from Nourish Botanica at Ponce City Market
PCM food hall near Williams Sonoma, 675 Ponce De Leon Avenue, Atlanta
Pop-up shop opens Feb. 8 – Feb. 25., 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Nourish Botanica, the Joyland plant shop and restaurant incubator owned by Quianah Upton, is popping up at Ponce City Market with a flower shop over the next month. Starting Feb. 8, the pop-up takes over the former JJ’s Flower Shop space selling bouquets and vases of fresh and dried flower arrangements. Head over to French Broad Chocolates afterwards to indulge in bonbons, sipping chocolate, or one of the shop’s decadent fudge brownies.