Treat Yourself this Valentine's

Now that the Super Bowl is behind us, we can turn our/our s.o.’s attention towards Valentine’s Day! No matter your “status”, it’s a great excuse to treat yourself, and we like to do that with a night out at a new restaurant. Valentine’s is next Tuesday and many Denver restaurants are offering special dinners, menu items, or events. Here are a few on our radar that showoff the delicious diversity of the Denver dining scene. Cheers love bugs~

Ace Eat Serve is offering a luxurious prix fixe meal for two for $100 Friday, February 10 – 14th. Or if you’re looking for a more affordable, fun vibe, consider entering the weekly Tuesday ping pong tourney on Valentine’s evening, or simply gather a group to play a few rounds for fun (Ace has 11 ping pong tables). Plus, the $1 spicy Asian BBQ wings, $5 Bulleit Bourbon specials, and $20 bottles of Prosecco are the perfect pairing.

Beatrice & Woodsley, the beautiful wooded restaurant on Broadway, is throwing the ultimate Galentine’s Day dinner party for 16 guests, below the main dining room in their private wine cellar. Along with a cupid piñata filled with secret gifts and treats, bubbles and delicious food will be bountiful at this female-only, community-style dinner! For $48 per person, guests will enjoy a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception at 6:30, followed by a three-course prix fixe menu, with optional wine pairings available. Reservations are required (303) 777-3505.

11th annual Wine & Chocolate Weekend at Bonacquisti Wine Co, February 11th, 6p-9p and Feb. 12th, 1p-4p. 2016. The pairings include:  Sparkling Riesling with Cashew S'more Toffee
[d] RED with Jamon Serrano and Manchego Cheese Truffle
2015 Cabernet Sauvignon with Manhattan Truffle
Sangria with Sangria Truffle

Tickets are $30 ($25 for Wine Club members). https://www.bonacquistiwine.com/collections/frontpage/products/2017-wine-chocolate-weekend

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House is celebrating Friday, Feb. 10 – Feb. 14 with Oysters & Pearls For Two, $48 Chilled Oysters on the Half Shell, Caviar Mignonette paired with 2 Glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne or Grey Goose VX Vodka. Or Chateaubriand For Two,  $130 Roasted & Sliced Tenderloin, Butter Poached Lobster, Green & White Asparagus with Hollandaise, Peppercorn Sauce and Bordelaise.

Guard and Grace downtown is offering a full weekend of Valentine’s Day features February 10-14. Specials include an extravagant 45-Day Dry-Aged Ribeye with Périgord black truffles & sauce perigueux and for dessert an Aphrodite’s Sphere with macadamia pecan brownie, milk chocolate mousse, passion fruit cream, chocolate five-spice ganache, and caramel.

Infinite Monkey Theorem GALentine's Day! Ladies will receive 20% their tabs all night long 4-10pm. So grab your gals and head down for a little “Valenwine”. The following night, IMT will be holding a “Wine & Cheese Me” night, February 15th. 6:30-8:30pm. The Truffle Table will be there to host a wine and cheese pairing of 5 wines and 5 cheeses at $35/person. Reservations are required - email or call 303-736-8376 x4 to reserve your spot.

Jax Fish House in Glendale is offering a romantic prix fixe menu of sustainably-caught seafood specialties. Dinner begins at 4pm and is $65 per person for 3-courses, and an a la carte menu will be available at the bar as well. In addition, Jax will offer 25% off bottles of wine $50 or over.

Jax Fish House in LoDo is also offering a special prix fixe menu for the evening showcasing some of the finest delicacies of the land and the sea, with raw bar selections and an optional wine pairing. The 4-course dinner is $75 per person and the wine pairing is an additional $35.

La Sandia Northfield and Park Meadows Valentines Day 4-course modern Mexican dinner $32 each or ala carte option. Includes soup or salad, tuna tartar, tamales, pollo, steak, and a Mexican cheesecake or chocolate mousse to savor.

La Guera, Richard Sandoval's new gastro-cantina, is having an anti-Valentine’s Day special, with all drinks buy one get one free and $2.00 tacos.

LOLA is making date night all the more romantic this Valentine’s Day with a complimentary glass of bubbles and chef’s specials like Whole Maine Lobster Zarandeado, Lover’s Parrillada, and Mexican Chocolate Covered Strawberries (ordered in advance). Dinner reservations start at 5:00 p.m. and are not required but are strongly recommended. An abridged version of the regular menu will also be available. And the Saturday night before LOLA is hosting a Singles Salsa Mixer 9:00 -11:00 p.m. with DJ Joseph Snowhawk spinning some spicy Latin tunes for guests to get down to, cover free.

Los Chingones locations in RiNo and DTC have created a Valentine’s Day feature called Aphrodisiac Valentines Taco. It has seared swordfish, artichoke & smoked Fresno chili puree, fresh arugula salad tossed in rose water/pomegranate/honey vinaigrette, and chili-spiced pepitas for $5 each.

Mister Tuna, trendy new cocktail bar and Hawaiian-influenced restaurant by Troy Guard, is offering a 4-course prix-fixe menu for $69pp or $99pp, with beverage pairings. http://www.mistertuna.com/

Nocturne Jazz invites you to celebrate Valentine's Day in proper fashion with a special four-course tasting menu set to the music of Nat King Cole performed by the Paul Musso Trio. Tickets/Reservations required and you can choose between an early 5:30pm set or a late 8:30 pm set.

Postino Wine Café will have $5 glasses of Mercat Sparkling Rosé and Ioppa Rosé of Nebbiolo, from open ’til close (11 a.m. – 11 p.m.). Got a date? From 8 p.m. on, take advantage of the Tuesday night Board and Bottle special: a bruschetta board and bottle of wine for $20. It’s easily to fall in love with a deal that good!

Punch Bowl Social is a great escape from a dull night with darts, wall size scrabble, giant foosball table, ping pong, skee ball and bowling! Try out the featured February punch, Shot Through the Heart, made with Old Forester Bourbon, strawberry cinnamon shrub and Teakoe pear tea. Don’t forget to grab a photo in front of the famous I Love You wall.

Retrograde Speakeasy & Frozen Matter Ice Cream are a dynamic duo, scooping up sweet treats in front and crafting cocktails behind the freezer door in one dynamic space.  If you haven’t heard of this place yet, it’s a great date spot and they’ve made a special batch of ice cream for February. Rose Tyler has rose water, elderflower liqueur and vanilla. And/or you can get a bottle of wine or two cocktails of choice and an ice cream sundae for $45.

Vesta has been named the “Most Romantic Restaurant” or “Best Date Night” spot in Denver year and again. This year, new Executive Chef Nicholas Kayser has cooked up a menu of sure-fire romantic dishes perfect for sealing the deal along with their special craft cocktails.

Lifestyle | Valentine's Date Destinations | From Bae to Tinder

Valentine's Day is all about roses, red wine and paying inflated prices for a three course meal... all in the name of love. Complain all you want, but Cupid didn’t miss the target when it came to Denver dining. Whether you’re taking bae somewhere nice or trying to impress your latest Tinder squeeze, we’ve got your back… 

For those of you that have been so lucky to find someone to hold hands with on the same side of the booth, we know that upscale, classy is what you’re looking for this VDay and the following restaurants are sure to make bae swoon. 

A great starting point for a romantic dining experience in Denver is Larimer Square. Larimer Square is notorious in Colorado for upscale, delicious dining with ambience. Just stepping onto that square block greets you with twinkling lights, beautiful cars, and an array of cuisines to choose from. Here are Ultra5280’s recommendations for a memorable dinner out for those willing to indulge.

Photo Credit: Robert Castro

Bistro Vendome: Reminiscent of Paris, features traditional French bistro fare combined with seasonally-changing, local ingredients. http://www.bistrovendome.com/

Corridor 44: A classy champagne bar/lounge that also features a dinner menu designed to complement champagne, such as caviar, truffle fries, filet mignon, chocolate fondue, and crème brulée. http://www.corridor44.com/ 

Milk & Honey: This new restaurant is centered on serving approachable fine dining alongside a full bar complete with craft cocktails, elixirs, and after dinner drinks. http://milkandhoneybarkitchen.com/ 

Osteria Marco: A sophisticated Italian restaurant known for their handcrafted pizzas, meats and artisanal cheeses made on-site and a wonderful (while affordable) wine list. http://www.osteriamarco.com/ 

Rioja: A Mediterranean menu offering the best of Italian, Spanish, and French cuisine with an extensive Spanish based wine list. http://riojadenver.com/

Tamayo: Carefully crafted Mexican food with flair. Chef Sandoval blends traditional Mexican flavors with worldly ingredients and creative cooking techniques to create one of a kind dishes and drinks. Please note they are offering a special your choice 3-course Valentine’s Day menu. http://www.richardsandoval.com/tamayo/ 

Another idea for a memorable Valentine’s Dinner (or even just drinks and dessert) is adding some live music to the mix. Some great spots for this sweet combination, that will keep it romantic, are as follows.

Dazzle Jazz: This jazz gem has been showcasing amazing musicians for years and is really a great venue to relax while soaking and sipping it all in. There are still tickets available for their 9pm and 10:30pm shows Saturday 13th, free admission (reservations required) to their amazing bottomless brunch with live jazz 9:30am – 1:30pm, and tickets for the 5:30 show on the 14th.  http://dazzlejazz.com/ 

Jazz at Jack’s: This award winning jazz club is set above the 16th Street Mall and offers live music, special events, dance classes and a small bites menu. Tickets are available for their Saturday and Sunday night shows http://www.jazzatjacks.com/ 

La Cour Bistro & Art Bar: The live music performed here is tucked away in the upstairs of a charming historical house on South Broadway. In the summer months they migrate to the outside patio. Either way, La Cour makes for an intimate setting with delicious drinks and a decadent dessert menu. Best of all, there is no cover charge (but reservations recommended)!  http://www.denversartbar.com/ 

Nocturne: A beautiful, new music venue in RiNo fashioned after 1940s Supper Clubs. They will be holding two shows on the 13th and on the 14th along with a special four-course tasting menu and music from Wellington Bullings and the Scott Martin Trio Valentine’s night. Their menu is made up of small and large plates, desserts and a “Renditions” menu that changes seasonally and based upon an iconic jazz album. http://nocturnejazz.com/

Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox: A subject of our most recent Edible Beats restaurant series, this eclectic “gastro-brothel” is putting on a special show for their Valentines patrons; a 3-course dinner complete with a burlesque peepshow! They are also holding their usual live-music Sunday brunch and a “Heartbreak Ball” Saturday night at 9pm. Ophelia’s delivers memorable on a whole different level.  http://www.opheliasdenver.com/ 

If forcing conversation for 3 hours while you politely chew on foie gras sounds like a special kind of hell, take a look at our top picks for getting boozy and handsy:

Photo Credit: Robert Castro

Torchy’s Tacos: A rather new staple to the Denver dining scene, but already burning a flame straight to the hearts of taco lovers everywhere. Share a green chile queso Lady In The Tramp style and down some margaritas under the twinkling lights of their DAMN GOOD sign. Trust us, nothing says romance like Torchy’s. 

Gov’s Park: Known for being the oldest bar in Denver (probably not true) and for being the favorite local watering hole of John Hickenlooper (also, probably not true), Gov’s Park is perfect for letting your hair down and while downing strong beverages. If you’re trying to go cheap, show up during happy hour and impress your date with a round of Fireball shots. 

Arby’s: Curly fries. 

Illegal Pete’s: Burritos, queso, margaritas and punk rock. If your date isn’t impressed and leaves you, at least you still have a burrito. Burrito = Bae. 

Taco Bell: Quesalupa, need we say more!

Whatever you do this Valentine’s Day, remember that food is the quickest way to win any heart and alcohol will help ensure you get lucky at the end of the night. Happy Love Day Denver, be ours forever?