The most romantic day of the year is upon us, and there’s no better excuse to get out the house to celebrate. You know what that means? It’s time to ditch the sweatpants and scrub up for one night only, while enjoying a delicious meal with the love of your life. Whether it’s a romantic atmosphere you’re after or something a little bit more casual, here’s our guide to the best Valentine’s Day offers to take advantage of this year in Manchester.
1. Australasia
One of Manchester’s most special restaurants, Australasia is set to pull out the stops for Valentine’s Day, with a stunning four-course meal designed to bring the romance. Inspired by their best dishes over the past decade, the menu at this underground haven includes sushi and sashimi sharing plates, their signature selection, delicacies from the Japanese robata grill, and a luxurious finish with their mango souffle and iconic Bento Box dessert. This menu, which costs £75 per person, also includes a complimentary Whitley Neill Gin Koisuru Club cocktail. Australasia, 1 The Avenue, Deansgate, M3 3AP.
2. Ducie Street Warehouse
The perfect place for those who prefer a more casual atmosphere, Ducie Street Warehouse has created a special Valentine’s sharers menu for those looking for the perfect date night with a wholesome meal and treat. Starting off with some small plates, the menu highlights include mini fondue with focaccia sticks, and tempura oysters with shaved chilli, lemon and ginger.
Larger plates include prawn ravioli with bisque, and 6oz lamb rump with chilli yoghurt, figs and sundried tomato. And for something sweet to share, the desserts menu includes molten s’mores cookie dough pie with honeycomb ice cream, and vegan pavlova topped with whipped coconut cream, fresh figs, caramelised orange, red berries, passionfruit, basil puree and gold leaf. Ducie Street Warehouse, Ducie St, M1 2TP.
3. INNSiDE Manchester
INNSiDE by Meliá is offering a stay and dine package with Gino D’Acampo for this romantic occasion. If you’re after the perfect gift for the Valentine’s weekend, the package is available for just £175 per couple and includes an overnight stay, a bottle of wine, a delicious breakfast, and £75 to spend how you wish on food and beverage.
On February 12, guests can enjoy a special Valentine’s dinner at the Manchester hotel with starters like calamari, arancini, caprese or Parma ham bruschetta. For main, there’s linguine with king prawns, slow cooked beef, wild mushroom risotto or chicken with marsala sauce. And for dessert, crema Catalana, tiramisu, chocolate fondant or gelato. The Valentine’s menu includes a welcome glass of prosecco or beer on arrival and is available between February 10-14. INNSiDE by Meliá Manchester, 1 First St, M15 4RP.
4. MOTLEY
Feeling a tad overwhelmed with planning a date? Well, luckily MOTLEY has Valentine’s Day taken care of, as you can cosy up in their booths, sip cocktails at their stunning neon-lit bar and indulge in their special set menu running for a limited time. Whether you’re celebrating Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day, the MOTLEY set menu, which costs £28 for two courses and £35 for three, offers starters like a sharing baked Camembert or ham and Manchego croquettes.
For mains, enjoy MOTLEY’s steak frites or wild mushroom tagliatelle with red peppers, butternut squash, tomatoes and sofrito sauce. But be sure to leave room for dessert and tuck into caramel chocolate mousse, sharing strawberries and cream, or MOTLEY’s white chocolate blondie served with black coconut ice cream and dried raspberries. And to make it extra special, why not add a bottle of Champagne for £65? MOTLEY, 115 Deansgate, M3 2NW.
5. Ewe Restaurant & Bar
This Valentine’s Day it’s all about Ewe. Celebrating its first Valentine’s Day as a new opening, the restaurant offers an escape from the Manchester city centre with a cosy, rural restaurant located in Westhoughton near Bolton. Offering a dreamy four-course sharing menu for £95, diners can tuck into marinated olives and rosemary garlic bread followed by chargrilled lamb skewers, roasted baby beetroot, salsa verde, savoy cabbage and pine nuts.
Then for the third course you can enjoy beef Wellington surf and turf, lobster thermidor, smoked mash, Chantenay carrots, baby spinach and black truffle jus, followed by an indulgent dessert to share. Plus you can add a bottle of fancy fizz to really make the evening magical. Ewe Restaurant & Bar, 370 Chorley Rd, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3NB.
6. Sunset by Australasia
Why not treat the gals to a Galentine’s date at the stunning heated Sunset by Australasia terrace this February? With a selection of sweet and savoury treats and frozen Pornstar Martinis for just £29.50 per person, it’s one of the best offers going in Manchester this Valentine’s Day as a way to show your appreciation for your close friends.
Or you can opt for the restaurant’s Exotic Afternoon Tea on its own for £22.50 per person. Plus, guests can enjoy a second cocktail for just £7.50. With its gorgeous, Instagrammable décor be sure to get some pics too. Sunset by Australasia, 1 The Avenue, M3 3AP.
7. Grand Pacific
Turning up the romance factor in the most Grand Pacific way possible, the city centre restaurant has transformed their delicious High Tea for the occasion – with plenty of tasty treats to share with your loved one. Boasting sumptuous sweet and savoury delights, guests can enjoy the intimate, unique treat while Cupid gets busy.
For just £25.95 per person you can sip on a choice of tea or upgrade your Valentine’s Day dining experience by order a 200ml bottle of Kaiken Sparkling Rosé each or a cocktail if preferred for £32.95 per person or a glass of Moet bubbly for £34.95 per person. Grand Pacific, 50 Spring Gardens, M2 1EN.
8. The Ivy
Things are getting extra romantic at The Ivy in Manchester with their Valentine’s Day offers. Celebrating the season of love with a romantic set menu and bespoke cocktails available from Friday 10th February to Sunday 19th February, The Ivy is one of the perfect places to spoil a loved one.
After receiving a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose Champagne on arrival, guests can choose from a selection of dishes from a delicious three-course set menu (priced at £75 per person), which finishes with a Raspberry Heart Mille Feuille. Alongside the sumptuous set menu, a duo of cocktails inspired by love will be available, including the Heartbreaker on the Rocks or a sweet Passion Berry Martini. The Ivy, The Pavilion, Byrom St, M3 3HG.
9. Peru Perdu
With its flickering candles, trailing botanicals and hot pink decor, Peru Perdu is adorned with soft furnishings and cosy textures, making it the perfect romantic hideaway this February. This Valentine’s, Peru Perdu is offering an elevated set menu for £75 per person.
After starting with a course of ceviche, diners will move onto small plates, with stand-out items such as Slow Tuna and Langusto followed by large plates such as Lomo Saltado (rolled fillet tails, truffle, sweet potato, liquorice jus, king blue oyster mushroom) and Snapper (Exmoor caviar, rainbow chard, butter-braised fennel, coconut, wild rice, black beans). For dessert, opt for either the sumptuous Dulce de Leche Cheesecake or Peru Perdu’s decadent Chocolate Truffles. Peru Perdu, 74 Princess St, M1 6JD.
10. The Alan
Curated by Executive Head Chef, James Hulme, The Alan’s Valentine’s menu includes a range of sharing plates including Aged Beef Tartare, Truffle Cheese Gougeres and Aged Goosnargh Duck. The sharing set menu is £65 per couple and includes 2 glasses of prosecco. The hotel’s restaurant will also be offering an exclusive cocktail called ‘The V’Alan’Tine’ – a sweet combination of Tanqueray, Elderflower liquor, crème de framboise, cranberry juice and apple juice. The Alan, 18 Princess St, M1 4LG.
11. King Street Townhouse
A meal at The Tavern within King Street Townhouse is the ultimate treat for Valentine’s Day. Dining offers start at £99 per couple, where you can relish a delicious two course meal with a bottle of wine, or for £199 per couple you can indulge in three courses.
There is also the option to upgrade to a bottle of Laurent-Perrier, adding something special to your evening, for an additional £55 per couple. If wine isn’t your thing, there’s no need to worry. You can swap out the bottle of wine to instead be greeted on arrival with a cocktail, created by the Tavern’s expert mixologists. King Street Townhouse, 10 Booth St, M2 4AW.
12. Evelyn’s
Adding to the romantic Valentine’s Day food is Evelyn’s in Manchester, which offers an extensive menu starting off with an aphrodisiac of oysters. Pick at nocellara olives with your partner then move on to munch on the likes of oyster mushrooms in teriyaki sauce.
Evelyn’s even make vegetables the star of their plates and packed with flavour such as their hispi cabbage with vegan miso butter. Or why not opt for larger plates like salmon tartare, baked sea bream with harissa and rose or fried chicken with smoked chilli mayo. Finish your meal on a high with a chocolate mousse, key lime pie or spiced date pudding (sharing is optional). Evelyn’s, 44 Tib St, M4 1LA.
13. Albert’s Schloss
Albert’s Schloss’ Cook Haus has created not one, but two ultimate sharing dishes for this Valentines Day. Whether you choose to share with your valentine, gal-entine, pal-entine or devour to yourself, the time for indulgence is now.
For one day only the Alpine restaurant will be serving up a 16oz, 40 day dry-aged sharing rump steak; with shoestring fries, a watercress, onion + parmesan salad and bearnaise sauce. For two to share for forty English pounds. Plus, Albert’s Schloss has given their Schloss Fondue a sweet twist for the occasion, with molten Belgian chocolate and Haus-baked sweet treats for dipping. Albert’s Schloss, 27 Peter St, M2 5QR.
14. Fat Hippo
Adding some spice to the Valentine’s Day offers is a new February special at Fat Hippo Manchester, located within Lane7, The Salt 2My Pepa burger. Inspired by takeaway classic, salt and pepper, the chicken burger features buttermilk chicken (or plant-based chkn for those vegan lovers) seasoned with salt and pepper chilli, pink onions, bang bang cucumber, lettuce and Yum Yum sauce, served in a toasted demi brioche sub. Available throughout the whole month of February, you can wash it all down with Fat Hippo’s new Cherry Floss cocktail, guaranteed to romance any sweet tooths. Fat Hippo, Lane7, Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate, M3 4EN.