6 Most Romantic Restaurants In Virginia: OpenTable

VIRGINIA — If you need some inspiration on how to create a memorable evening, a new list says six Virginia restaurants are among the nation’s 100 “most romantic” this year just in time for Valentine’s Day. The folks at OpenTable, a free online reservation tool, released the 100 most romantic restaurants in a blog post last week. The list, which includes restaurants in 33 states, was compiled based on more than 12 million verified diner reviews of more than 28,000 restaurants.

Valentine’s Day is “the most popular day for dining out,” according to OpenTable, so you may consider making a reservation — if you still can. Here are the restaurants from Virginia:

• Claire’s at the Depot – Warrenton, Virginia
  
  • “In a casual yet elegant atmosphere, set in a recently remodeled century old historic train station, Claire's passion is great food and outstanding service. Offering contemporary American cuisine - local, seasonally focused - with a Southern flair. The renovation honors the historic character of the Warrenton Train Depot, resulting in a warm, comfortable environment for casual meetings with friends, or special occasions and intimate family meals. The warm, elegant Garden Room provides seating for intimate meals, while the Tavern Room features a more casual dining experience in luxurious surroundings. A rotating selection of craft beers is available on tap, and the wine service is regularly expanded. Outdoor dining is available in season, and private events can be hosted in one of several areas in the restaurant. Awarded "Best of Warrenton" every year since 2006,” OpenTable says.
• Fleurie – Charlottesville, Virginia
  
  • “Join us at Fleurie Restaurant for a contemporary French fine dining experience, located just off Charlottesville's charming Downtown Mall on 3rd Street. Fleurie's elegant atmosphere, stellar wine list, and innovative menus are sure to produce an unforgettable meal. Fleurie is the perfect place to celebrate special occasions or simply enjoy masterfully prepared dishes and intimate service. Most nights we offer both per-person Tasting and Vegetarian Tasting Menus, highlighting local ingredients and unique creations. Our Tasting Menus feature optional Wine Pairings," says OpenTable.
• Bookbinder’s Seafood and Steakhouse – Richmond, Virginia
  
  • “Bookbinder’s is a locally family owned Seafood & Steakhouse and is unique to Richmond. Bookbinder’s offers the perfect combination of rich history and atmosphere. Close to the James River in historic Tobacco Row, steak and seafood lovers will enjoy the ambiance of exposed beams and brick walls in this refurbished tobacco warehouse. From steak to lobster to seafood, each dish is intricately prepared and beautifully presented. We look forward to seeing you soon," says OpenTable.
• The Ivy Inn Restaurant – Charlottesville, Virginia: “Book now for our Valentine's Day Five course prix-fixe menu, $75 per personOur menu features locally influenced seasonal American cuisine crafted by our hands-on executive chef, Angelo Vangelopoulos, and his talented team, with inspiration from our incredible local farmers and purveyors. We are located about a mile west of the University of Virginia, in a historic house originally built in the late 1700s," says Ivy Inn.
• L’Auberge Chez Francois – Great Falls, Virginia: "Welcome to L'Auberge Chez François, our French country inn a short distance from the nation's capital that has captivated visitors for over 64 years. L'Auberge Chez François is the ideal spot to celebrate special moments, private parties, luncheons, weddings and cooking demonstrations. Our menu is extensive and full of the flavors of Alsace and traditional French cuisine. Excellent food and service, attention to detail and a casually elegant atmosphere are hallmarks that have made L'Auberge Chez François a Washington favorite," the restaurant says.
• Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel – Richmond, Virginia: "New American restaurant and bar that is inspired by the agricultural and coastal traditions and bounty of Virginia. The new Lemaire will deliver the quality and service The Jefferson Hotel is known for, but in an accessible format without the pretense, formality or expense," the venue says.

The list included luxury spots like Majorelle in New York City and local hangouts such as St. Martin’s Wine Bistro in Dallas. Ohio had the most restaurants on the list with nine, followed by Texas with eight and North Carolina and Virginia with seven each. Prime rib, seafood and exotic desserts permeate the restaurants on the list. And if you do end up dining at one of these spots, bring your checkbook — many meals range from pricey to downright heart-stopping.

The reviews were collected from Dec. 1 2017 through Nov. 30, 2018, so you can be sure they’re recent. In order to be considered the restaurants had to meet a minimum “overall” score and a certain threshold of qualifying reviews. The overall score was calculated using data such as diner rating, user clout total reviews and regional rating. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted based on share of reviews where “romantic” was chosen as a special feature.

Click here to see the full list.

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Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

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