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Wondering where to pick up some beautifully arranged fresh flowers for that special person in your life? Do you have a bespoke design in mind? Do you need a professional flower delivery service within London? The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers in St Martin’s Courtyard will provide just what you are looking for. They also stock a range of scented candles, hand wash and lotions, and various other items that would make a lovely gift this February.
The French do romance so well, n’est pas? If you are not planning on taking the Eurostar to Paris anytime soon you can still sample a similar amorous ambience at Mon Plaisir on Monmouth Street. The restaurant is as authentically French as you can get, from the foie gras to the coq au vin, from the quintessential French brasserie décor to the Frenchness of the waiting staff. On the second Monday evening of every month Mon Plaisir hold a regional evening where you can try the gastronomic delights of some of France’s most famous culinary regions, all accompanied by a live accordion player.
To make it a Valentine’s Day to remember why not book a table at Incognico restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue where you will be treated to an exquisite six-course dining experience to rival all other romantic gestures. Their Valentine’s menu includes a glass of Perrier Jouet Pink Champagne or Guava Bellini to start and the delicious food on offer includes warm asparagus & wild mushrooms with honey vinaigrette, roast monkfish tail with lobster sauce, and fresh strawberry & mango meringue. The menu is £75 and pre-payment is required to secure reservation.
Ganesha is always a great place to pick up a unique and special gift, like these adorable boxed heart-shaped soaps for Valentine’s Day. As a fair trade outlet you also know that shopping at Ganesha is a more ethical choice. Their Covent Garden shop is no longer located on King Street but they still have a store just a short walk away in Gabriel’s Wharf in South Bank (10 minutes from Covent Garden). The wharf is full of lots of little independent stores, designer shops, and restaurants and is well worth a wander over Waterloo Bridge.
Gordon’s Wine Bar is one of those bars that is extremely conducive to a secret romantic encounter. Full of dark, candlelit nooks and crannies it is the perfect spot to enjoy a fine wine while conducting an ardent dalliance in hushed tones. While the ‘Fat Bastard’ range of French wines that are so popular at Gordon’s might not sound appealing on a date, you can be sure that this bar is passionate about its wines and romance is in the taste not the label.
Da Mario restaurant on Endell Street is also a perfect place to enjoy a romantic meal for two. It is a family-run Italian restaurant and only a short stroll from the Piazza. They have an extensive menu of the finest Italian cuisine and are sure to leave your date very impressed with your choice of location.
Sarastro Restaurant on Drury Lane is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. With an opulently adorned interior, which features ten opera boxes, the restaurant is an enchanted cavern of colour and rich visual delights. The food is broadly Mediterranean and very reasonably priced. They also have partially enclosed tables which make it the ideal spot for a romantic date this February.
On Valentine’s Day only, Liliana Trukawka, nutritional therapist at Liliana Health, Neal’s Yard Therapy Rooms, is offering customers a 60-minute nutritional therapy consultation on the subject of skin for the reduced price of £50. Normally costing £65 the session will focus on how to hold on to your looks, keep your skin glowing, prevent ageing, and deal with skin disorders, all with the help of nutrition, delicious foods and the correct supplementation. Every client will also be treated to a free natural skincare sample goodie bag. It would make a lovely gift on 14 February.
There can be few dates more romantic than an evening at The Royal Opera House. Steeped in glamour and history, an opportunity to see an opera or ballet here is a romantic occasion to remember in itself. ‘The Dream/Song of the Earth’ is showing on five dates throughout February.
What better way to profess your love this February than with the words of those who expressed it best throughout the centuries. ‘Words of Love: Poetry, Prose and Readings that Speak of Love’ is a collection of poetry and prose which features the work of some of the greatest purveyors of the lyricism of love, including William Shakespeare and Percy Bysshe Shelley. It is available at Foyles Bookshop along with a wealth of other romantic poetry and prose.
