The best date night ideas, bars and restaurants in London to romance your bae with.

1 Ochre at the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square

Diners are invited to celebrate all things love and art with a three course Love Conquers All dinner and a self-guided art tour in the gallery. Dishes on the sharing menu include turbot cooked on plancha; and roasted curried cauliflower with golden raisins, hazelnuts and coconut yoghurt, which lovers can enjoy while listening to live music from Jess Duo. Before or after your meal, the National Gallery has picked out five artworks chosen for their romantic depictions for you to soak up. Paintings include Sandro Botticelli's Venus and Mars.

Address: National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN

Website: ochre.london

 

2 City Social, City

For date night with breath-taking skyline views and a six-course fine-dining menu (£125pp), Michelin-starred City Social is putting on a sublime feast for the eyes and stomach. And for love for that matter. Perched on the 24th floor of one of the City's most iconic skyscrapers, diners will feast on the likes of Devon crab and Scottish Orkney scallops as well as Lake District beef fillet, while taking in that panoramic view.   

Address: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street EC2N 1HQ

Website: citysociallondon.com 

3 Chai Wu at Harrods, Knightsbridge

Found on the fifth floor of the iconic department store, Chinese restaurant Chai Wu has put together a selection of dishes for a special Valentine's Day menu inspired by the classic symbols of love. This includes hand-made red flower shaped dumplings filled with lobster, prawns and topped with caviar and gold leaf; a grilled seafood platter filled with whole tiger prawns drizzled with homemade sweet and spicy sauce; and lobster with garlic butter topped with caviar.

Address: 87–135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge SW1X 7XL 

Website: chaiwu.co.uk 

4 Romantic Staycation at Hotel Cafe Royal

For an all out treat for yourself and that someone special, book yourself in to the Hotel Cafe Royal for one helluva romantic staycation. Comes with early and late check out, breakfast, flowers, a bottle of Veuve Clicqout, chocolate dipped strawberries and a candlelit bath and rose petals. You can also add a treatment for two at the in-house spa, Akasha. Want another romantic staycation idea? Try The Savoy.

Price: From £1154

Address: 10 Air Street, Piccadilly W1B 4DY

Website: hotelcaferoyal.com

5 Jiji, Islington

Middle Eastern and Japanese fusion restaurant has created two menus to celebrate love with. One is heavier on the Japanese influence, with mini salmon tacos, salmon and tuna tartare roll with truffle and ponzu; and 48-hour miso-marinated salmon. The other menu, with aubergine carpaccio, crispy artichoke hearts and slow cooked pulled lamb, is more Middle Eastern in style. 

Price: From £75 per couple

Address: 6g Esther Anne Place, Islington N1 1WL

Website: jijirestaurants.com

6 Sam's Riverside, Hammersmith 

This Thames-side restaurant is putting on a sublime three-course menu for the big day. With the likes of blood orange venison carpaccio with pickled rhubarb and Jerusalem artichoke; oysters to share with a cucumber and gin dressing; cauliflower and truffle wellington; and rib eye steak on the bone, you're not going to leave unsatisfied. There's also a selection of Valentine’s cocktails available, or a choice of wine, picked by Sam himself. 

Price: Valentine's menu is £75 per person and comes with canapes and Gusbourne Brut served on arrival.

Address: 1 Crisp Road, Hammersmith W6 9DN

Website: samsriverside.co.uk

7 Saltie Girl, Mayfair

New luxurious seafood restaurant for Mayfair, Saltie Girl, has a fishy Valentine's Day menu for its first Valentine's Day in London. There's tuna crudo with pickled taro root; and fried sea bass with crushed potatoes buttered greens and shrimp beurre noisette. Vegetarian options include whole roasted curried cauliflower with a vadouvan curry sauce, and for dessert try the chocolate fondant. You can also pick from the tinned menu (it has as large selection) or from the raw bar. 

Price: Valentine's menu £70pp

Address: 15 North Audley Street, Mayfair W1K 6WZ

Website: saltiegirl.com

8 Valentine's at Quaglino's, St James's

Dine on a three-course meal in the venue's beautiful art-deco ballroom. Get stuck into the likes of focaccia fried oyster, whole native grilled lobsters or beef filet rossini, which is pan fried duck liver, sauce jus gras and black truffle. Finish your meal with a Valentine's themed dessert, naturally. While you're feasting and swooning, Luke Barr and multiplatinum singer songwriter RuthAnne, who has coined songs for Britney Spears, Niall Horan and for the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack, will perform romantic soulful tunes for added romantic atmos. 

Price: Valentine's menu £165 pp

Address: 16 Bury Street, St James's SW1Y 6AJ

Website: quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk

9 Disco Climb at Substation, Brixton

One for the sporty couple, Substation Brixton is bringing Studio 54 vibes to its bouldering and fitness centre. For its first ever disco climb, climbing walls will light up, disco tunes will blare, a disco ball will sparkle and cocktails will be on hand for post-climb celebrations. 

Dates: February, 14

Tickets: £12

Address: Unit 13, Ellerslie Square Industrial Estate, Brixton Hill, SW2 5DZ

Website: substation.co.uk

10 Mount St. Restaurant, Mayfair

Sophisticated, chic and art-filled, Mount St. Restaurant is one for the art lover-lover. With the likes of Warhol, Picasso and Matisse on the walls, you're in good company as you tuck into decadent dishes of the likes of lobster pie or a beef wellington for two. For Valentine's, the heart shaped dark chocolate and praline mouse with rose and raspberry bavois is also for two. 

Address: First Floor 41-43 Mount Street, Mayfair W1K 2RX 

Website: mountstrestaurant.com

11 Dinner at the Old Royal Naval College's Painted Hall

A one-of-a-kind experience, in which you can lap up love and the spectacular baroque Painted Hall. The three-course dinner comes meaty or plant-based and includes dishes like beetroot tartare, roast beef sirloin or hake with a caper and artichoke puree or maple roasted squash. Also, a jazz singer will be chirping out tunes throughout the evening. The last date to book is Wednesday, February 8. 

Price: £125pp

Address: Old Royal Naval College Greenwich, SE10 9NN

Website: ornc.org

12 Winter Chalet at Laurel’s On The Roof

Snuggle into faux fur throws as you enjoy a special five-course set menu that comes with a celebratory glass of champagne at Laural's On The Roof's Winter Chalet. Epicurean treats include poached oysters, native lobster bisque and beef wellington. For the loved up vegetarians there's a vadouvan spiced pumpkin velouté and carrot wellington. Menu available February 10-14.  

Price: £65 pp including a glass of champagne

Address: 45 Curtain Road Shoreditch, EC2A 3PT

Website: book.ennismore.com

13 NHM Silent Disco & Valentine's Day Late

More quirky and fun than romantic, the Natural History Museum opens up after hours to invite you to explore love and relationships in the natural world. Tickets include a drink on arrival and cocktails will be available to help you bust some moves at the silent disco in the Hintze Hall. When you're ready to change gears, head to one of these nearby bars to get a little seductive. 

Date: Thursday, February 16

Time: From 7.30pm

Tickets: £45

Address: Cromwell Road South Kensington, SW7 5BD

Website: nhm.ac.uk

14 Head To A Place With a View

Surely any view with you front and centre is enough to make the knees go weak, however if you want to add breath-taking to beauty, London doesn't lack on romantic vantage points. Lift 109 over at Battersea Power station has views right across the Thames, and you can ride the lift with just your beau for valentine's. Also try the Sky Garden, Bokan 37 in Canary Wharf has another incredible view of the Thames, and Radio Rooftop and Oblix at the Shard also give good cityscape. You want more nature in your views? Greenwich Park and Parliament Hill offer green, leafy views. Or head to Tower Bridge - the best-looking bridge in the capital.