This archive page was updated on February 3, 2014, and republished here on Go2. Some of these restaurants are still in business and going strong.
Valentine’s Day in New Jersey.
With the holiday falling on Friday this year, Valentine’s Day will be more like Valentine’s Weekend with many restaurants and hotels offering specials on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We showcase the Best Jersey chocolatiers, wineries, concerts, events, and restaurants in the state.
Our N.J. Valentine’s Day Guide has gotten so large that we’ve made some changes. The events are now listed by region on individual pages as we expand our coverage. This page features our top 10 list of the best events in the state. If you see something we missed just drop us a line.
Best Valentine’s Day & Valentine’s Weekend Events
Here are our choices for the best ways to say I Love You for Valentine’s Day in New Jersey.
Eno Terra 4 Course Farm to Table Dinner, $79.00, Kingston (Princeton), Friday, February 14: Terra is one of our choices for the most innovative restaurant in New Jersey at the moment and they have an incredible dinner planned for St. Valentine’s Day. Some highlights from the menu include the first course – Tuscan onion soup with sourdough crostini and Parmesan cheese, a fried oyster salad with octopus carpaccio, grilled romaine and a smoked pepper aioli, second course – three cheese agnolotti with butternut squash, Brussel sprout leaves, brown butter and speck, garganelli and Nantucket Bay scallops (with chervil, spinach, and champagne), third course – butter braised “Deadliest Catch” red king crab (with black-eyed peas, baby carrots, mache, and winter black truffle), grass-fed beef duo (grilled tri-tip, sirloin bronchiole, smashed potatoes, root vegetables, and mustard greens), fourth course – spiced donuts with hot chocolate and blueberry crumble with cinnamon ice cream. Eno Terra gets our award for Best NJ Valentine’s Day Dinner for Innovative Cuisine
Big Brew Beer Festival, $50.00, Morristown Armory, Morristown, Saturday, February 15: No, this is not your typical Valentine’s Day event, but for the right man or woman who loves their beer and great food, it is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Chef Eric Levine from Morris Tap & Grill has a great VIP beer festival buffet package that you might want to check out. Get More Info
Restaurant Lorena’s Dinner, $95.00, Maplewood, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, February 14, 15, 16: Lorena’s is a tiny restaurant with a loyal following. Chef Humberto Campos is well known for his impeccable meals prepared with great attention to detail. Think of a Parisian bistro with 36 seats, that’s Lorena’s. For St. Valentine’s Day, they are featuring a 3-course dinner with such treats as oysters in Champagne mignonette, crab crepe with mushrooms and beure blanc, Scottish salmon with braised red cabbage, Maine lobster, Atlantic skate wing with fennel, honey glazed duck breast with lentils, braised short rib with truffled baby vegetables, a dessert tasting, and petit fours.
Wine & Chocolate Weekend @ Alba Vineyard, $20.00, Milford, Saturday & Sunday, February 8, 9 & 15, 16: Alba is sponsoring two weekends of great tastings to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Their award-winning wines will be paired with local chocolates, artisan cheeses, and dishes from local caterers. Featured will be Dishes from Country Picnic of Bedminster and Dish Catering of Frenchtown, chocolates from chocolatier Diane Pinder of Donna & Company from Cranford, and cheeses from Fourchette of Clinton. Alba is located in the village of Finesville in Warren County on the border of Hunterdon County with a Milford mailing address.
Tim McCloone’s Supper Club Dinner, $??.00, Asbury Park, Friday, February 14: Owner Tim McCloone is famous for his food and his music, but more than that he is famous for the goodness of his heart. It’s only appropriate that he get the Best of Jersey Big Heart Award for Valentine’s Day. Tim’s Supper Club restaurant is featuring dinner and a concert on February 14th. The concert features Tim McCloone & the Shirleys and the dinner features treats like a Mexican chocolate soup with pasilla brûléed banana, raw almond milk, and cilantro, a lobster enchilada with mole Oaxaca, pecan & coconut fried rice, pickled vegetable salad, and queso cotija, lamb with gratin de chevre, shaved fennel, bitter chocolate demi glaze and jalapeno gelee, filet mignon with coconut fried oysters and a triple cream cheesecake. All the McCloone restaurants are offering slightly different special dinners for Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Chamber Music Concert, $20.00, Lambertville, Saturday, February 15: Riverside Symphonia is producing a special concert featuring the Sweet Plantain chamber quartet in the beautiful chapel of St. John the Evangelist in Lambertville. The group blends Latin rhythms, jazz improvisation, and classical music for a unique sound. They will be playing selections from Haydn, Ravel, Romero, Paquito de Rivera, and more. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. and tickets run $20.00 to $55.00 each
A Toute Heure Valentine’s Day Dinner, $75.00, Cranford, Friday, February 14: A Toute Heure is an award-winning and exceptionally reviewed restaurant that serves new American cuisine with a commitment to local seasonal ingredients. They are featuring a 4-course prix fixe dinner for a great price. Menu highlights include fried oysters, a delicious sounding roast carrot soup with mirepoix, cilantro, tuna crudo, and root vegetable chips, braised collard greens with littleneck clams and ham hock croutons, the braised eye of round with white beans, escarole and fennel bread crumbs, black bass, toffee apple cake, and chocolate ravioli. They are also offering an a la carte dinner menu at their sister restaurant the 100 Steps Supper Club.
Avenue Valentine’s Day Dinner, $42.00, Long Branch, Friday, February 14: The trendy and upscale restaurant on the boardwalk in Long Branch has an incredible meal planned for the night. They are offering a 4 course exotic and elegant dinner for $42.00 per person. Highlights from this menu include mini steak tartare, beet salad, Jerusalem artichoke soup, American caviar, seared octopus, foie gras terrine (add $8), Barnegat Bay scallops (add $8), branzino, tournedos with filet mignon, Dauphinoise potato, Bordelaise (add $10) and a chocolate sampler.
Dream Cuisine Cafe, $65.00, Cherry Hill, Friday, February 14: Dream is an award-winning BYOB French restaurant with a laid-back atmosphere located in a strip mall. It is owned by Chef Vincent Fanari who has won awards from New Jersey Monthly, LocalEats.com, Open Table, and the James Beard Foundation. For Valentine’s Day, Chef will have a special 6-course menu for $65 per person.