Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just a memorable dinner to share with your significant other, when you’re looking to book a nice night out, you may Google “something romantic” and hope for the best result. But the definition means a little something different to everyone: Some picture a classic white-tablecloth restaurant for the ultimate romantic dining destination; others prefer an intimate hideaway with eclectic decor. Highlighting 14 restaurants in and around Boston, this map aims to cover a variety of vibes, neighborhoods, and price points that guarantee a romantic night out.
Read MoreThe 14 Most Romantic Restaurants Around Boston
From white-tablecloth classics to eclectic hideaways
Spoke Wine Bar
Gorgeous small plates come out of Spoke’s tiny kitchen; one might find a dish such as sunchoke doughnuts with XO gouda and powdered leeks on the compact menu, or perhaps chocolate-beet torte with pistachio and fennel shortbread. Nestle in with a glass of wine you’ve never tried, and get to know your date over wagyu beef cheeks or crudo.
The Eaves
Tucked into a corner of Bow Market, this dimly lit Vietnamese spot by the owners of Cicada Coffee Bar oozes romance from every red-tinted light bulb housed in a vintage lampshade. The former garage space and broom closet has been transformed into a chic, intimate dining space offering up Vietnamese classics spun with a New England seafood twist.
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Zuzu's Petals
This little nook in Inman Square features the best desserts around by co-owner Alexandra Whisnant, the master chocolatier behind Gâté Comme Des Filles — think ultra-rich chocolate mousse, made-from-scratch tiramisu, and more. It’s positioned as a wine and dessert bar, so don’t feel weird about going just for dessert, but there are also cheese and charcuterie boards available. Romantic bonus: This is a cell-phone-free zone.
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Prima
From the dark wood accents to the rich velvet textiles, Italian steakhouse Prima in Charlestown offers a vintage elegance to match its satisfying menu of homemade pastas, crudo, and a house-made mozzarella bar. For the most romantic table in the house, head to the Rose Room, a hidden dining space past the kitchen where a crackling fireplace, cozy banquets, and low lamp lighting turn up the romance. Note: If your date eats gluten-free, take them here on a Monday night when the menu is all gluten-free friendly (even the pasta!).
Pammy's
Beautiful space, hospitable staff, impeccable food — Pammy’s is a great fit for a wide variety of occasions, including date night. The gochujang-spiked lumache Bolognese is a must at this self-described new American trattoria.
Mamma Maria
Pasta is for lovers, and this North End classic boasts plenty of pasta and plenty of romantic vibes. It features a variety of rooms, each with a different personality, great for private event bookings small and large, but it’s just as nice for a regular date night. The restaurant follows Italian cuisine’s ethos in terms of local sourcing by showcasing New England ingredients in traditional Italian dishes that lean northern in the fall and winter and southern in the spring and summer.
No. 9 Park
Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park has been a Beacon Hill staple for over two decades, serving upscale fare that draws inspiration from French and Italian cuisines. Head here for a classy special occasion, and go all-in on a chef’s tasting menu or choose among a la carte options like the prune-stuffed gnocchi, which has been on the menu since day one.
Bogie's Place
For many diners, a steakhouse is a classic special occasion spot — and we’re not talking about the chain Ruth’s Chris. Bogie’s Place is a shoebox-sized steakhouse tucked speakeasy-style behind cocktail bar The Wig Shop in Downtown Crossing. Inspired by the era of Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart, it serves up reimagined classics, craft cocktails, and caviar service. A no-cell-phones policy keeps the low-lit restaurant romantic all night long.
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Jiang Nan 江南
This elegant, white-tablecloth restaurant serves self-titled Chinese fusion dishes that celebrate flavors from each region of China. One of their specialties is a whole roast duck meant for two or more people (perfect for date night) that comes with a bevy of sauces and accompaniments from hoisin sauce and pineapple to sugar, cucumber, and scallions.
O Ya
For those who seek out high-end omakase, O Ya is one of the best options around, and the small, quiet space lends a romantic ambiance to the hours-long, many-course meal. Be sure to reserve a table several weeks in advance.
Casa Romero
Well before the speakeasy trend hit Boston, Casa Romero was welcoming diners through their back alley entrance in Back Bay. In fact, this refined Mexican restaurant has been facilitating date nights since 1972. The menu features top-shelf tequilas and classic dishes like mole enchiladas and carne asada plates piled high with plantains.
Nathálie
A perfect date doesn’t always have to mean dinner. At Nathálie, the intimate wine bar in Fenway, it might mean a few glasses of a choice red and a matching soft cheese. The menu does offer full plates but this snack-as-you-go spot makes for a perfect progressive date night. Best of all, the wine bar features wines by small production female-owned and natural wineries.
Tres Gatos
This cozy Spanish tapas spot serves imaginative small plates and paella on the first floor of a former single-family home in Jamaica Plain. In the summer, the front patio is surrounded by flowers and makes for a perfect romance-fueled date night, and the restaurant offers year-round live music and flamenco dancing on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. After dinner, peruse the adjoining record shop and bookstore to find the perfect soundtrack for the rest of the evening.
Via Cannuccia
This locally owned Italian restaurant has been bursting at the seams with hungry diners since it opened in Dorchester in May of 2023. The space is small and romantic, featuring a gallery wall of oil paintings, a bar spilling over with luscious plants, and a comforting olive-green color scheme. The menu boasts handmade pizzas and pastas native to chef Stefano Quaresima’s Italian hometown Anzio. Plus, a meal here comes with a live love story: Quaresima and his wife Tsedenia Kiros co-run the restaurant and it was their romance that launched the trattoria.