With the caveat that "romantic" may be in the eye of the beholder, I've assembled a diverse array of restaurants that could qualify as romantic provided you're with the right person. It seems to me you need a certain set of ingredients for romantic combustion: a willing partner, helpful but unobtrusive service, well prepared food, good wine, and ambiance. These requirements need not automatically decimate your wallet either. I've discovered ten settings (listed from most to least expensive below) for a romantic evening. It's up to you to find the partner!
ZAYTINYA 701 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 (202) 638-0800
Zaytinya isn't intimate. And there are no reservations during peak dining hours. And it sure as hell ain't quiet. This is a large restaurant—spacious to the point of echoey, with the sound of laughter and chatter bouncing off its stark white walls. But it is glamorous and truly fab, and the mezze menu translates into much sharing and picking off each other's plates… And after all, isn't that what a (dining) relationship should be all about? Zaytinya's kitchen pumps out an endless number of Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese small plates—all of them dressed up and popping with flavor. The dining room's atmosphere is buzzy and fast-paced, but each table is welcome to go at its own pace, and I recommend you adopt a Mediterranean attitude and sip and snack and while away the hours. Gorge yourself on ouzo/raki/arak and all the lentils, grilled meats, and lightly fried kalamari you can eat; Zaytinya is easy on the wallet and perfect for young lovebirds who like to flirt in style.
If you're on a tight budget but have somebody to charm, I'd try Yanni's. Romance for me is in the ambiance—Greek bouzouki music in the background, a lovely mural along one wall, adorable Greek (I assume) waiters, and a compact little bar in the back of the room. The menu is large, with items listed first in English, then in Greek. While the food isn't innovative or gourmet, it is fresh and filling. The feta cheese in nearly every dish is the real thing! I love spanakopita (spinach pie in layers of flaky filo dough) and usually begin with that. The beef souvlaki platter comes with seasoned meat skewers in pita bread, tzatziki (cucumber-yogurt dip), Greek salad, and french fries. Since I'm a spinach fan, I've often ordered the spanakorizo, a blend of spinach and rice served with feta cheese, tomatoes, and olives. Save room for the baklava (a classic dessert of filo pastry layered with crushed nuts and pure Greek honey)—it's heavenly! The outside seating is perhaps Yanni’s greatest draw, allowing dining couples the pleasure of people-watching in lively Cleveland Park.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $25–30.
Holiday schedule: New Year's Day-open, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas Day-closed, New Year's Eve-open.
MONTMARTRE 327 7th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003 (202) 544-1244
Montmartre is one of several neighborhood gems in Capitol Hill. This is another restaurant that is small, charming, and French to its core. An example of all things Français: Start your meal with both their pates (mouthwatering!) and kir (a drink made with dry white wine and a splash of the black currant liqueur-cassis, finished with a lemon twist). Your choice of entrees will include calf liver with sautéed onion balsamic sauce, wood pigeon teamed with braised turnips, and a classic confit de canard. Finally, remember to save room for dessert, because the apple custard tart is pure pleasure. Your thoughts will surely turn to love after this repast!
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $35–40
Holiday schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas Day-closed, New Year's Eve-open.
BOMBAY CLUB 815 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 (202) 659-3727
If you're looking to spice up dinner for two, then the Bombay Club should rise to the top of your list. This Indian hotspot has both sumptuous food and decor, with service so accommodating you will feel as though your every whim and culinary desire are being waited upon hand and foot. The dining room is clean and spacious, with fantastic chandeliers dangling from tall ceilings and the sound of live piano music sounding gently in the background. Over the years, everyone from Nelson Mandela to Deepak Chopra to Demi Moore has paid the Club a visit—each one no doubt charmed by the restaurant’s mix of Indian cuisines. With Parsi, Goan, Moghlai, and coastal cuisine specialties on the menu, the restaurant offers a survey of Indian fare, with both vegetarians and meat-eaters well catered to. And in the summer months, the al fresco seating on the patio overlooking Lafayette Park simply can't be beat.
This little gem is located in Cleveland Park, easily accessible to the Metro Red Line. It has abundant French country ambiance—from the bright yellow and blue accents of the Provençale tablecloths to the charming accents of the staff. The gracious proprietor suggested that lunch might actually be most romantic because it's quieter than at night, when the cozy dining room is nearly always crowded. Start with Pate Lavandou or the escargots with their deliciously buttery sauce. Fish entrees include Coquilles St. Jacques en Feuille de Brique (seared sea scallops with braised leeks, topped with a lemon parsley sauce) and a classic Moules et Frites (served in three mouthwatering styles: mariniere, provençale, or epices et basilic). Other entrees cover the gamut of French favorites from grilled beef tenderloin to sautéed veal sweetbreads. Food is beautifully prepared and served with a French flair that is professional but not snooty. Guaranteed to impress!
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $45–50.
Holiday schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas Day-closed, New Year's Eve-open
IRON GATE RESTAURANT 1734 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 737-1370
It would be hard to find a more romantic spot in downtown Washington, especially on one of DC’s many hot summer nights. Once a stable and carriage house, the Iron Gate Restaurant creates a quiet intimacy for diners in an otherwise busy part of town. The menu fits on one page and includes a tasty selection of Middle Eastern dishes. The tender lamb, garlicky hummus, and creamy goat cheese featured in so much of the menu promise to please the palate. Sip a glass of wine outside in the candlelit, vine-covered courtyard after entering through (surprise) a huge iron gate. Or if it’s too chilly for the courtyard, head inside and eke out a spot in front of the Iron Gate’s charming fireplace.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $50–55.
Holiday schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-closed, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-closed, Christmas Day-closed, New Year's Eve-open.
NEW HEIGHTS 2317 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 (202) 234-4110
This classy restaurant possesses all the right elements for a romantic evening. Subdued lighting, artful flower arrangements, and a wall of windows overlooking the trees of Rock Creek Park establish an intimate tone. There is a top-rated wine list of which the staff is proud and well informed. The menu is New American cuisine and changes seasonally. Autumn fare begins with roasted butternut squash soup described as nutmeg-laced crème fraiche, toasted pumpkinseeds, and maple crisp. Entrees are innovative, offering something for everyone's taste. Palak Paneer—a nod to the owner’s Indian heritage, for example—is described as basmati rice, curried spinach, eggplant, tomato concasse, melted house cheese and raita. For seafood lovers, the pan roasted red snapper comes with a tasty medley of vegetables: braised fennel, eggplant caponate, and caper berries. As you navigate your way through the varied menu, rest assured that you can hardly make a bad choice when everything coming out of New Heights’ kitchen is of the highest quality and made with the freshest ingredients.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $60–65.
Holiday schedule: New Year's Day-closed, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-closed, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas Day-closed, New Year's Eve-open.
OBELISK 2029 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 872-1180
Hours:
Tuesday–Saturday 6pm–9:30 pm
It’s hard to imagine how a classic, well known, 19-year-old Washington restaurant could make two diners feel as though they are discovering something new and wonderful and all their own—and yet Obelisk manages to do just this. Although any list of romantic restaurants is destined to be peppered with French dining rooms, it’s important to represent the Italian ristorantes as well. And so, enter Obelisk: the narrow Dupont Circle townhouse that is home to Italian New American cooking. A prix fixe, five-course menu ensures that all diners begin with antipasti, and then go on to sample the kitchen’s offerings—which always involves fresh ingredients, careful flavor combinations, and impeccable presentation. Be careful not to fill up on Obelisk’s fresh, home-baked bread, because the meal’s end promises potent cheese plates with fig jam and divine desserts. You simply can’t miss out.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $65.
MORRISON-CLARK INN 1015 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 (202) 898-1200
This venerable restaurant is located in a small historic hotel and is locally recognized as having bold and creative Southern food. The dining room is Victorian, with elegant chandeliers, gilded mirrors and rich window draperies. In summer, the bricked garden courtyard is a perfect setting for a tryst! For an indication of the chef's style, begin with the Bourbon Shrimp and Grits—grilled bourbon-marinated shrimp on a bed of stone-ground Grits, served with Smithfield ham and Jack Daniels’ glaze. (That's just an appetizer…) Entrees vary from Carolina rainbow trout to dry aged leg of lamb to Maryland crab cakes. The lush setting demands that you finish with a decadent dessert—think brandied cherry chocolate torte with dark cherry syrup and crème anglaise, with a liqueur-laced cup of coffee by its side. This is the perfect special occasion place for a tête-à-tête.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $65–70.
Holiday schedule: New Year's Day-open, Valentine's Day-open, Easter-open, Thanksgiving-open, Christmas Eve-open, Christmas Day-open, New Year's Eve-open.
L’AUBERGE CHEZ FRANCOIS 332 Springvale Road, Great Falls, VA 22066 (703) 759-3800
The words “romantic” and “getaway” go together so beautifully… Why not apply them to your choice of restaurant as well? Leave the congestion of the District and head out to woody Great Falls, home to Virginia’s famed Alsatian country inn, l’Auberge chez François. For over half a century, the Haeringer family has been charming diners at their rustic French restaurant, with Monsieur François himself or his son Jacques preparing or overseeing the making of every delicious dish. Like every good restaurant, the inn’s menu changes with the seasons, but you can always rely on a generous 6-course menu featuring the best of Alsatian cooking—and all the hearty German-influenced flavors that entails. This is not the place for impulsive, whirlwind romance, though: you need to book up to a month in advance in order to snag a table at François’ home.
The Top List of Romantic Restaurants - Washington, D.C.