The Best Takeout for a Romantic Dinner at Home

Lighting candles; making use of the fine china; setting the mood for love—there’s nothing like a classic romantic dinner at home with your one and only. The at-home date idea has always proven to be successful. You don’t have to worry about reservations, you’re in your comfort zone, and you can easily have delicious food brought directly to your door. 

Whether you’re struggling to come up with stay-at-home Valentine’s Day ideas or you’re simply looking to show your appreciation for that special someone, surprise your S.O with an enticing meal from their favorite restaurant. When setting up a romantic dinner at home, here’s where to get the best takeout to elevate your dining experience. 

What To Order For A Romantic Dinner At Home

Yank Sing

Location: San Francisco

Whoever said there’s no such thing as romantic takeout clearly hasn’t ordered from Yank Sing. Who wouldn’t want to indulge in award-winning dim sum delicacies with their partner? Yank Sing is also offering a curated Valentine’s platter, which includes dumplings, noodles, and several other dim sum favorites. Upgrade your romantic dinner date at home with this tempting and appetizing spread that’ll make you fall in love all over again.

La Cocina

Location: San Francisco

La Cocina is a nonprofit food business incubator in the Bay Area that’s here to help you with romantic dinner ideas at home. Instead of ordering from your usual spot, get the Valentine’s Day snack box delivered to your door—it includes ube jam Linzer cookies, wildflower honeycomb, chocolate-cherry cupcakes, and guava-cream cheese empanadas. Both you and your date will be swooning over the heavenly treats. 

Pacific Catch

Locations: Walnut Creek, San Mateo, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Dublin, Campbell, Corte Madera, Cupertino

Pacific Catch is an incredible fish and sushi restaurant for having a romantic meal at home. Experience an explosion of flavors with your one and only while savoring the coconut shrimp, Korean-style pork ribs, a classic California roll, and guaca-poke. If you end up spending over $50, you’ll receive two complimentary cans of sparkling rosé, so you can make your anniversary dinner at home extra special.

Telefèric Barcelona

Locations: Walnut Creek, Palo Alto

Have you ever wanted to go to Spain but dreaded the hassle of traveling there? Bring the country to your home by ordering a romantic dinner for two at home from Telefèric Barcelona’s Barcelove-birds menu. Indulge in hand-carved jamón ibérico de Bellota, dry-cured sausage, pitted Manzanilla olives, Manchego cheese wedges, and paella. Then, top it all off with chocolate ganache and a Spanish chocolate bar. 

Causwells

Location: San Francisco

Don’t think too hard about romantic dinner ideas for two at home; let Causwells do the job for you. The S.F. bistro serves up Southern comfort food with American and European accents. Choose between the Americana burger, short ribs, shrimp and grits, and pork belly. Snack on deviled eggs and arugula salad, then end your evening with a Basque-style cheesecake. 

MINA Family Kitchen

Location: San Francisco

Plan a romantic dinner at home with MINA Family Kitchen that’ll allow you to have a one-of-a-kind culinary experience. Chef Michael Mina is offering a deluxe Valentine’s Day Box that consists of a six-course tasting feast. Introduce your special someone to signature Mina dishes like the ahi tuna tartare, Ora King salmon, and Maine lobster thermidor. Indulge in roasted chicken with Périgord truffles and dry-aged, Yemenite-spiced rib eye, and end your evening by sharing a trio of panna cotta (strawberry, blood orange, and chocolate caramel). 

La Mar 

Location: San Francisco

Peruvian cuisine is always a great choice for an at-home candlelit dinner idea, and La Mar is offering a special Valentine’s Day menu to entice your taste buds. Delectable dishes such as cebiche clásico, tiradito de cangrejo, pasta con cangrejo, and lomo saltado will fill your stomach with love and satisfaction. As for dessert, the torta de chocolate will reignite the flame in your relationship—or make it burn even brighter.  

BALEEN Kitchen

Location: Redondo Beach

Bring fine dining to your home with BALEEN Kitchen’s first-rate culinary creations. The restaurant’s seafood-heavy menu is perfect for setting up a romantic dinner at home. The shrimp cocktail, ahi tuna tacos, and charcuterie plate are the perfect starters for your evening. Enhance your dining experience with Parmesan truffle fries, Tuscan lamb bolognese, cast-iron seared salmon, and bouillabaisse. And the cherry on top? A buttery galette featuring local apples and persimmons.  

Il Cielo

Location: Beverly Hills

Romance and Italian cuisine are two things that belong together. Il Cielo will transport you to the European country with its renaissance of flavors. Start out with an assortment of aged Italian meats, Buffalo mozzarella, grilled vegetables, and olive crostini. Then, indulge in a classic meatball pasta—and perhaps reenact a scene from Lady and the Tramp. Whatever you do, make sure to order the tiramisu to amplify your romantic dinner date at home.  

Kokak Chocolates

Location: San Francisco

All you need is love and chocolate—and we’re not complaining. Kokak Chocolates is redefining Valentine’s Day chocolates and bewitching people with every bite. The company’s Valentine Chocolate Bouquet seasonal truffle box, made with the rare “Nacional” cacao variety, tastes, unlike any other chocolate you’ve ever had. Filled with everything from strawberry and passion fruit to coffee and hazelnut, the treats will intensify your passion and affection, taking your relationship to a whole new level. 

Yamashiro Hollywood

Location: Hollywood

Yamashiro Hollywood is one of the best places for Cal-Asian food and sushi in Los Angeles and is guaranteed to make your romantic dinner at home extra special. The eatery’s brussels sprouts are nice and crispy with the right amount of seasoning. The tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and albacore nigiri are also solid choices for takeout. The spicy prawn noodles, topped with bean sprouts and scallions, is one of the best things you’ll ever have in your life.

Citrin and Mélisse 

Location: Santa Monica

Citrin and Mélisse has created the ultimate Valentine’s Day romantic takeout. The seven-course meal—comprised of tuna tartare, Keluga caviar, sweet pea soup, Atlantic black bass, Maine lobster and scallop risotto, and a filet of beef—will take your taste buds on a culinary adventure. The Valentine’s takeout options also include a chocolate cake, red berries, and cream, or a trio of chocolate bonbons for dessert. 

Orange Hill 

Location: Orange

This Valentine’s Day, let Orange Hill help you set up the most romantic dinner at home. Start your evening with crab cakes, calamari, and roasted brussels sprouts. Order all-time favorites such as the coconut shrimp, miso-marinated Chilean sea bass, and Faroe Island salmon. Don’t forget to get a large charcuterie board, which comes with the most luxurious selection of meats and cheeses. 

Pace

Location: Los Angeles

Have an organic, hormone-free romantic dinner date at home with a little help from Pace. The restaurant’s Valentine’s Day menu has the most appetizing options: The grilled pear duck confit salad perfectly complements the lobster black truffle ravioli; the roasted beet salad creates a harmony of flavors with the vegan lasagna; the couscous and potato puree make the perfect sides. As your evening comes to an end, indulge in the chocolate cake, apple fritters, cookies, and berries for a sweet finish.

Castaway

Location: Burbank

Castaway, voted one of the best restaurants for a date by OpenTable, is the ideal choice for ordering romantic takeout on Valentine’s Day. Using seasonal ingredients to craft each meal, the restaurant is worth every ounce of your time, money, and effort to plan the perfect dinner at home. The garlic fries, roasted tricolor cauliflower, 30-day dry-aged rib eye, and wild mushroom pappardelle pasta are to die for.  

Atrium

Location: Los Feliz

Celebrate the Golden State’s diversity this Valentine’s Day with mouthwatering dishes from Atrium. Indulge in tomatoes and peaches with nori pesto, cucumbers, and furikake. Experience a flavorsome explosion with barbecue fingerlings accompanied by a burnt-onion dip. And savor crispy pasturebird with honey—your romantic dinner at home will be 10 times better.