Valentine's Day in Calgary, AB

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to start planning the perfect date for two. Whether you’re planning on dining out with your sweetheart or some fellow single pals, here are the local restaurants to check out for delicious featured Valentine’s Day menus.

“We’re lucky here,” says wine and food writer, educator and commentator Linda Garson, referring to the exciting wine menus on Calgary’s fine-dining scene. Several of the city’s high-end restaurants maintain wine lists that are as big a draw as their food. “I call them the big guns, because they go in blazing,” says Linda, who shares her insights on these vino giants here.

Ordering takeout Chinese food is convenient, but not a top date strategy. Calgary has no greater concentration of date-night-worthy Asian restaurants than in Chinatown. These eateries combine attractive atmosphere with varied menus that feature Chinese-Western faves (ginger beef, salt-and-pepper squid), stellar Old-Country cuisine (mapo tufu, Peking duck) as well as Japanese and Korean spots.

Moist chocolate cake layered with chocolate icing – it’s wonderful way to end a meal. While basic is beautiful, some restaurants get wild with the classic dessert recipe, adding mousse and chocolate ganache or further layers to the mix. Here’s a list of some of the best chocolate cake spots in town.

A great wine bar has both charm and choice in equal measure. Comfortable and intimate, it inspires conversation commensurate with the sipping and sampling of various premium vinos. These wine bars have that magic combination.

Calgary’s best first-date dining spots feature a little extra something special. Maybe it’s an engaging activity that sparks conversation, or maybe it’s a romantic view that will inspire, well, romance. These Calgary eateries have just that extra ingredient critical in making first-date magic.

The kids are with the babysitter and the night is yours, and all you need to complete a carefree adults-only evening out is a suitably special restaurant. The following eateries encourage visitors to linger over great food and enjoy conversation accompanied by wine or a well-mixed cocktail.