One thing’s for certain, this year’s Valentine’s Day will be rather different to the norm.
It doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate at home, though, as our round-up below demonstrates. Get dressed up, light some candles, stick a tablecloth on the kitchen table and order one of these delicious restaurant meals. Let someone else do the hard work for a change and let the romancing begin!
Dirty Bones
Start the day the right way with this limited-edition brunch kit from Dirty Bones; Short Rib Crumpet: 12-hour slow-cooked short rib, hollandaise sauce, crumpets, chives and crispy onions served with Dirty Bones crispy Skinny fries with onion and garlic salt. Long brunches at Dirty Bones are infamous so brunching at home would be incomplete without one of their punchy and reviving Dirty Mary’s, and indeed a pouch for two is included in the Get Dirty Brunch Kit. The signature spiced tomato juice blend is infused with Ketel One vodka and comes with a mini tub of Sour Cream and Chive Pringles to crush up at home so you can replicate their house special – a rim of crushed crisps. UK craft sauce producer Sauce Shop are including two full sized bottles of their signature condiments in the kit too.
Only 100 of these limited-edition kits will be available for, delivered nationwide and this can be pre-ordered here until midnight on Friday 5th February to arrive on Friday 12 February, just in time for Valentine’s weekend.
Riding House at Home
Inspired by classic Caribbean comfort cooking, the Soul Ride Valentine’s box from Riding House at Home delivers everything needed for the most soulful night in. Inspired by classic Caribbean comfort cooking, it includes Taittinger Champagne & Sorrel Punch, Salt cod fritters & Bajan pepper sauce and Tiger shrimp triple cheese mac. For the main event is a 500g 32 Day-aged Pimento marinated cote de bouef, ready to be served with Crispy new potatoes, Creamed corn, Kale, chili & garlic, and Grilled cauliflower & plantain salsa. Ending on a sweeter note will be Sticky toffee & rum pudding and Spiced Rum & Cacao Nib Lattes. Every detail is thought of with Riding House’s Caribbean playlist, candles and a date night couples game also included.
£140, deliveries will be made on the 11th of February and orders can be placed online (ridinghouseathome.com)
Six by Nico
With the most romantic day of the year around the corner, Six by Nico has announced a limited edition Valentine’s menu that will bring back some feeling of normality to date nights this February. The menu is guaranteed to impress, starting with fresh Lobster & Prawn Tortellini, garnished with confit garlic & garlic and chilli butter followed by Aged Fillet of Beef, with sides of Four Cheese Mac’n’Cheese finished with smoked pancetta; Potato Lyonnaise and Broccoli and Blue Cheese. If there’s room, finish with a rippling Raspberry Trifle with Prosecco, vanilla and creme fraiche and a full bodied Spanish red – Bodegas Alceno Barinas Tempranillo.
£85, Available for nationwide delivery, via the HOME-X website on Friday 12th or Saturday 13th February 2021.
Hakkasan
In celebration of the Year of the Ox, as well as Valentine’s Weekend on which Chinese New Year falls, Hakkasan’s at home celebrations will focus on “Peace, Love and Sharing” and will see a sharing menu available to homes across London consisting of traditional dishes, all chosen to bring good luck and prosperity, alongside a special dessert; the auspicious Mandarin. Their Wishing Tree tradition will also go digital for the first time ever – allowing guests to submit their wishes on social media, with one lucky guest each week being chosen to have their wish granted.
The Chinese New Year menu at Hakkasan can be ordered online via Deliveroo here.
Galvin La Chapelle
Chris and Jeff Galvin, founders of Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle are offering a limited-edition Valentine’s at-home feast, available through their nationwide delivery service, Galvin at Home. The evening starts with a demi bottle of Taittinger Brut Prestige Rosé NV and a selection of delicate canapés including truffle arancini, smoked salmon on warm blinis and tartlets of baby beetroot with pickled walnut purée. To follow, a starter of either terrine of ham hock, Suffolk chicken, foie gras and sauce gribiche or velouté of roast Potimarron squash with chestnuts and sage. Main dishes include roast duck magret with king cabbage, duck leg boulagère and thyme jus or a vegetarian option of black truffle and artichoke risotto. To finish, an indulgent Valrhona chocolate fondant with caramelised white chocolate and a refreshing blood orange salad. For that extra romantic treat, a box of hand-rolled truffles awaits, the perfect end to the evening, if you can fit them in.
£150 (plus delivery). The optional wine pairing includes demi bottles of champagne, red white and a sweet wine and costs an additional £75. Available to order online until 7th February for nationwide delivery on 12th -13th (galvinrestaurants.com)
Wellocks at Home
Wellocks at Home is giving budding chefs the chance to sharpen their culinary skills at home with its latest virtual masterclass, created in partnership with Michelin-starred chef Tim Allen, formerly of Launceston Place, Wild Rabbit and The Flitch of Bacon. Bringing some true culinary luxury to lockdown, expect a stunning box of high-quality ingredients delivered directly, and access to an online preparation session and masterclass. The content will be hosted by Allen, who will share some of his finely-tuned techniques to help participants develop their culinary skills and create a gourmet feast from the comfort of their own kitchens. £5 from each order goes to Wellocks at Home’s charity partner, Springboard’s FutureChef, which aims to inspire young people to explore food and cooking as a life skill.
The virtual masterclass is available to purchase until midnight on 5th February from wellocksathome.co.uk, with ingredients being delivered on 11th February ahead of the masterclass on 13th February. Priced at £70.
Le Deli Robuchon
Created by Le Comptoir and Le Deli Robuchon‘s talented Head Chef Dario Avenca, a four course menu is available to celebrate the occasion – to be enjoyed at lunch or dinner at home, complete with a bottle of Laurent Perrier Brut or Saint Amour. The menu, adapted for home delivery, includes their Hand picked crab with almond oil, avocado, topped with Oscietra caviar and their Stuffed guinea fowl with glazed Tokyo turnips and Périgeux sauce. A vegetarian menu is also available.
£150 per box. This special menu is available for pre-order with 24 hours notice. Please call 020 8076 0564 or email enquires@ledelirobuchon.co.uk
Pasta Evangelists
Offering authentic, hearty ‘finish at home’ pasta dishes by post, Pasta Evangelists is the UK’s most high-end, fresh convenience offering for an evening of romance, fun with friends or a family feast. The chef-designed dishes are crafted by hand with love and centuries-old Italian know-how – all featuring Pasta Evangelists signature fresh pasta and sauces with ingredients sourced from artisans in Italy. Pasta lovers are able to choose from a selection of indulgent dishes, including: Tagliatelle with Beef Ragù alla Bolognese, Squid Ink Lobster Tortellini with Langoustine Bisque and Trofie with Walnut Pesto.
Starting price £13.50. The menu will be available to enjoy at home from Monday 8th February. Minimum order two dishes. Order online (pastaevangelists.com)
Oblix at The Shard
There are more ways to celebrate than with a traditional three course dinner. Oblix at The Shard are offering a Champagne Afternoon Tea experience that is a modern take on the quintessentially British classic, ideal for Valentine’s Weekend celebrations. It includes a selection of luxurious sandwiches such as Wagyu beef and horseradish, Lobster mayonnaise, Free range egg and truffle and Smoked salmon and cream cheese on rye bread as well as sweet treats and pastries including mini Mandarin and sherry cheesecakes, Chocolate and passionfruit tarts, and Mixed berry and madagascan vanilla choux and Lemon macarons. There’s also a variety of freshly baked scones, plus jam, honeycomb and clotted cream as well as a selection of teas sourced from The Rare Tea Company. To complement it is a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve Champagne. What a treat.
Order via the Zuma website, delivery within a 6 mile radius of Zuma Knightsbridge. It costs £115 to include a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve.
Exploding Bakery
If you want to skip the first and second course to go straight to dessert, and frankly who can blame you, then check out Exploding Bakery. The nationwide letterbox brownie service delivers freshly made, delicious and ethical brownies to the letterboxes of those you love and also those who just love themselves. For their latest playful collaboration with HANX, they will be offering a Valentine’s Day Special Letterbox Brownie, which comes with a beautifully packaged HANX condom, to highlight the conversations around the impact of population growth on the environment. With twelve different brownie flavours to choose from – as well as the option to add on candles, gift cards and a personalised message, and a bag of Round Hill single-estate ground coffee for those after the full coffee and cake experience at home – there’s a brownie here for everyone, whatever the desire, whatever the celebration.
The Exploding Bakery’s letterbox brownie start from £16.95 To receive your HANX condom in your letterbox brownie, just add HANX in at the checkout