10 Chicago restaurants offer unique carry out options for Valentine’s Day

	By Molly O'Mera, Reporter, The Real Chi

Valentine’s Day is all about turning down the outside noise and focusing on you and your loved one. But for years, we’ve been spending this intimate holiday in crowded dining rooms. Treating ourselves and our partner while supporting local restaurants has become a part of the Valentine’s Day tradition for many couples. Now, they may be wondering what to do this year as the COVID-19 continues. Like many other holidays, Valentine’s Day will look a little different during a pandemic. But don’t let the virus stop you from enjoying yourself or force you into the kitchen to make the romantic dinner yourself. Here are 10 Chicago restaurants offering unique Valentine’s Day specials to ensure that COVID-19 doesn’t take away from the holiday’s spirit.

1. Pilsen’s HaiSous went all out this year with their “Feast of Saint Valentine.” For $80 per person, diners get a unique experience featuring green papaya salad, grilled rib eye, whole bass, and more. Dessert is the show-stopping panda waffle with whipped coconut mousse - meant to be shared for two.

Credit: HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen via Instagram

2. The Hyde Park hotspot Virtue gives you a decadent option which also supports a local Black-owned business and chef. For $200, a lavish three-course meal includes champagne and desserts. For $5 extra, they’ll throw in chicken tenders to keep the kids occupied.

3. Marz Brewing is known to keep things unique, and their latest collaboration with Mom’s will keep Valentine’s Day original with a build-your-own-sushi kit. For around $140-200 total, two adults get a full meal which includes a steak of Japanese Wagyu beef–definitely something worth confessing love over.

4. Smyth’s Valentine’s Day package may be the city’s best for getting a luxury experience at home without breaking the bank. Their multi-course meal, featuring prime beef short ribs, rutabaga gratin and chocolate truffle tarte (among other options), begins at just $75. No excuse not to treat yourself and your partner at that price!

5. For a casual option, B Square Pizza has a Valentine’s Day package that marries a lazy pizza night with a little bit of V-Day glam. Their Valentine’s package includes 12-inch Detroit style pizza, a bottle of bubbly, chocolate chip cookies and a half dozen roses for just under $80.

6. Surf and Turf is a perfect option to remind your partner that opposites can attract in an opulent way, and Frontier has the package set up for you already. Their Valentine’s Day special includes a beef tenderloin as well as a lobster tail, ensuring everyone gets what they want. The sides, desserts, and wines won’t hurt, either.

7. For those for whom Valentine’s Day is synonymous with steak dinner: leave it to a beef expert, Chef John Manion of El Che, to beef up your evening. Their $90 Valentine’s Day package includes bone-in beef short rib from Creekstone Farms, cooked asador-style with red chimichurri and Malbec jus. Included is dessert and two bottles of red wine, with other add-on options available.

8. Stan’s Donuts can always bring a pop of color to a Chicago morning, and on February 14th, that color will be decidedly pink. They’re offering pink hot chocolate throughout the day (a spin from their white hot chocolate), as well as specially decorated Valentine’s donuts, in mini and regular sizes.

9. What better way to say “I love you” than with a heart-shaped pizza? For those wanting to share a deep dish of their heart to their partner on Sunday, try Lou Malnati’s heart-shaped version of their Chicago classics. Pro tip: if you order online no one needs to know if you’re sending it to yourself…

10. If you’re looking for creativity points, and are willing to get off the couch and brave the cold, check out West Loop’s PB&J, which is offering an interactive, outdoor ice bar experience through Valentine’s Day - complete with a full sized igloo - making a perfect winter date idea (and Instagram backdrop!).

News Article, The Real ChiDonell McNairyFebruary 12, 2021Molly O'Mera, environmental health & wellness, Free Spirit Media, The Real Chi, chicagoComment