Sure, romantic restaurants can be pricey, but you deserve to treat yourself and your partner sometimes, especially for Valentine’s Day. If you’re having a hard time deciding where to go for dinner for the special day, metro Detroit has lots of romantic spots to choose from. We made a list of the best ones just for you. Make a reservation soon and be ready to get dressed up with your first-time or long-time date.

Highlands 400 Renaissance Center, Floor 71, Detroit; 313-877-9090; highlandsdetroit.com For an amazing view of Detroit, Canada, and the river, this is the place to be. Located on the 71st floor of the Renaissance Center, the sights are breathtaking — but you better not be afraid of heights. Credit: Facebook, Highlands
The Whitney 4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-5700; thewhitney.com This historic mansion in downtown Detroit offers a fine-dining restaurant perfect for a romantic dinner. Plus, it’s got a bar and dessert parlor if you want to extend the date with drinks and treats following your meal. Credit: Pe Tor, Flickr Creative Commons
Takoi 2520 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-855-2864; takoidetroit.com In Corktown, Takoi is known for modern Thai cooking with Michigan seasonality. The space and meal presentation are equally as impressive. Credit: Instagram, @_takoi_
Parc 800 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-922-7272; parcdetroit.com Right in the heart of Campus Martius, Parc offers top-notch food and drinks, as well as ample opportunities for people-watching. Credit: Facebook, Parc
Oak & Reel 2921 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit; 313-270-9600; oakandreel.com In Detroit’s Milwaukee Junction neighborhood, this Italian and seafood spot was named Best Restaurant in Wayne County in Metro Times’s 2023 Best of Detroit reader’s poll. It also offers an underground cocktail bar called The Upright, perfect for heading to a more intimate setting after dinner. Credit: Courtesy photo
Selden Standard 3921 2nd Avenue; seldenstandard.com Open daily 5 to 10 p.m. Credit: Michelle Gerard
Mabel Gray 23825 John R Rd., Hazel Park; 248-398-4300; mabelgraykitchen.com With a fresh comfortable atmosphere and a well-crafted menu utilizing fresh ingredients from local farms, you can’t go wrong with this adventurous restaurant. Credit: Steve Neavling
Best Old-School Restaurant: Amore da Roma 3401 Riopelle, Detroit; 313-831-5940; amoredaroma.com Credit: Facebook, Amore da Roma
Coeur 330 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; 248-466-3010; coeurferndale.com This restaurant opened in August 2023 and quickly won Best New Restaurant (Oakland) in Metro Times Best of Detroit reader’s poll. The upscale New American food is delicious and the dessert also doesn’t disappoint. Credit: Courtesy photo
SheWolf 438 Selden St., Detroit; 313-315-3992; shewolfdetroit.com Modern Roman cuisine is this restaurant’s primary focus, meshing contemporary Italian food with inspiration from old Rome. Credit: Tom Perkins
Prime + Proper 1145 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-636-3100; primeandproperdetroit.com The seating in this place is even more luxurious than the food. Prime + Proper is a classic steakhouse that adds modern concepts and elegant hospitality to the experience. Credit: Instagram, @primeandproperdetroit
Tiliani 1002 S. Military St., Dearborn; 313-444-8889; tiliani.com At Tilani, all pasta is made in-house, plus all of the food is halal. One of our food reviewers said it was the best restaurant she had been to all of 2023. See the full review. Credit: Branded Creative Studio
Leila 1245 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-816-8100; leiladetroit.com For a fancy romantic experience that serves up Middle Eastern flavors, this is it. Leila pays homage to the owner’s roots in Lebanon, mixing sophistication with old-world hospitality. Credit: Tom Perkins
Barda 4842 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-952-5182; bardadetroit.com In an unsuspecting building, Barda brings Argentine cuisine to the city with a fancy twist. Credit: Tom Perkins
Freya 2929 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit; 313-351-5544; freyadetroit.com The menu at this unpretentious fine-dining spot in Milwaukee Junction includes a mix of pescatarian, vegan, and meat options. Plus, the chefs are great, and local art lines the walls. Owner and Executive Chef Doug Hewitt was just nominated for Best Chef in the Great Lakes. Credit: Randiah Camille Green
Pop’s For Italian 280 W. Nine Mile Rd.; 248-268-4806; popsforitalian.com If your style of romance is wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta, Pop’s is the place for it. Maybe you and your date can even have a Lady and the Tramp moment. Credit: Google Maps
Townhouse 500 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-723-1000; townhousedetroit.com Located in the heart of downtown Detroit, Townhouse is very fancy, merging culinary tradition with modern innovation. The masterpiece of a building offers a bar and an outdoor terrace. Credit: Instagram, Townhouse
Basan 2703 Park Ave., Detroit; 313-481-2703; basandetroit.com In the historic Eddystone building near Little Caesars Arena, Basan serves up high-end Japanese-inspired fare. Credit: Courtesy photo
Mad Nice 4120 Second Ave., Detroit; 313-558-8000; madnicedetroit.com Opened in 2023, this spot’s name describes it perfectly. The Italian restaurant is definitely nice, with chic decor and a modern Italian-inspired menu. Credit: Viola Klocko
Grey Ghost 47 Watson St., Detroit; 313-262-6534; greyghostdetroit.com While you can find a burger and fries on Grey Ghost’s menu, the food selection doesn’t just stop at typical American bar food. There’s also dishes like tuna tartare, lamb chops, duck, and tagliatelle. Credit: Google Maps
La Feria 4130 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-285-9081; laferiadetroit.com This spot, serving up Spanish flavors, was voted Best Tapas in Metro Times’s Best of Detroit reader’s poll. The restaurant also has a wine bar and market located adjacent to the eatery. Credit: Facebook, La Feria
Gandy Dancer 401 Depot St., Ann Arbor; 734-769-0592; muer.com/gandy-dancer If you live in Washtenaw County, this is a top choice when it comes to romance, whether it’s a big event or a small dinner. The building is exquisite from the outside, and the inside doesn’t disappoint either, offering elegant decor and tasty menu options. Credit: Shutterstock
The Shelby 607 Shelby St., Detroit; 313-444-6626; shelbydetroit.com Located downtown in a speakeasy-style former basement bank vault, seats for two at The Shelby’s bar set the stage for a great date night, with polished bar staff who know how to entertain. The chef prepares signature share plates at one end of the bar for a fun experience. If you’re looking to lock someone special up long term, dinner in the actual old vault room should help set the appropriate mood. Credit: Facebook, shelby detroit
19. NICO & VALI Italian Eatery 744 Wing St., Plymouth.; 734-207-7880; nicoandvali.com “My new favorite Italian restaurant in downtown Plymouth. Compari’s had my heart and taste buds for the last 8 years but it’s time for a new Love. The bread and olive oil is very fresh and loaded with taste. The salad is well prepared and not your ordinary salad, it’s full of flavor. The soup was amazing, my taste buds exploded and you know that twinge you get behind your ears when you taste something so good? Yes that happened. The lasagna was full of so much flavor and different tastes, cheeses, meats, tomato sauce and perfect noodles. The service from the hostess, waitress, bartender and manager was exceptional to say the least. The style they’ve created in the design and setup here was very well done. Very relaxing and romantic/trendy. The patio for the warmer months is something you’d see in Tuscany. Very well done. I’m all in and I’ll be loyal to you Nico & Vali.” — Brian S. on Yelp Photo via NICO & VALI Italian Eatery/Facebook Credit: Facebook, Nico & Vali
Best Sushi: Mon Jin Lau (Courtesy photo) Credit: Courtesy Photo
Sylvan Table 1819 Inverness St., Sylvan Lake; 248-369-3360; sylvantable.com Rustic is the best word to describe this upscale restaurant, built from a 300-year-old barn from Maine that was deconstructed and reassembled in Michigan. Credit: Lizz Wilkinson
Best Desserts at a Restaurant (Macomb) Luciano’s 39091 Garfield Rd., Clinton Twp.; 586-263-6540; lucianositaliancuisine.com Credit: Facebook, Luciano’s Italian Restaurant
Prime 29 6545 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township; 248-737-7463; prime29steakhouse.com Voted Best Steakhouse (Oakland) in Metro Times 2023 Best of Detroit reader’s poll, you can’t go wrong here. If steak is your ideal idea of a romantic dinner, this is a great option. Credit: Facebook, Prime29 Steakhouse
La Dolce Vita 17546 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-865-0331; ldvrestaurant.net This “hidden jewel” restaurant exudes old world charm, transporting guests to Tuscany. In the warmer months, come for the exquisite patio. Credit: La Dolce Vita, Facebook
Bellflower 209 Pearl St., Ypsilanti; bellflowerypsi.com This spot was voted the Best Restaurant in Washtenaw County in Metro Times 2023 Best of Detroit reader’s poll. It’s tucked away, but once you’re inside, the Southern-inspired cuisine and overall vibe of the place will wow you. Credit: Tom Perkins
Café Cortina 30715 W. 10 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills; 248-474-3033; cafecortina.com Family owned and operated since 1976, this romantic spot is located in an apple orchard reminiscent of the Italian countryside and serves handmade pasta alongside its own produce. Credit: Instagram, @cafecortina
Best Romantic Restaurant (Washtenaw): Blue LLama Jazz Club 314 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-372-3200; bluellamaclub.com Credit: Lee DeVito
Da Francesco’s Ristorante & Bar 49521 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township; 586-731-7544; dafrancescos.com This long-standing Italian restaurant features live entertainment on Thursdays and Fridays. Credit: Instagram, @da_francescos

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Layla McMurtrie is the digital editor of Detroit Metro Times. She's passionate about art, music, food, and Detroit's culture and community. Her work has been featured in the Detroit Free Press, Between...