7 places to share a special dinner on Valentine's Day in the Des Moines metro
Valentine's Day in the Des Moines metro is the perfect time to celebrate with the one you love, and some local restaurants came up with special menus meant to spark romance. From Aposto, known for its beloved Italian dishes, to the art-centric Tangerine at the Art Center, there are dining options for every couple to discover during the most romantic day of the year.
Aposto
Tony Lemmo's Aposto in Sherman Hill plans to serve a four-course meal with decadent chocolate cake and hand-cut pasta during its Valentine's Day service. The restaurant has been a beloved destination for metro area couples to dine and wine with one another, but its Valentine's Day dinner takes the cake (seriously).
On the menu: A watercress salad with orange vinaigrette, walnut, and feta will be served followed by a second course of cacio e pepe pasta featuring hand-cut linguine, cracked black pepper, and butter. The third course features a carrot pureé, lobster, and dill risotto or lamb roulade with mushroom, green onion pureé, pickled radish, and demi-glace. Dessert is a chocolate cake with Bavarian cream and poached strawberries.
Location: 644 18th St., Des Moines
Hours: Reservations available from 5 to 9 p.m., reserve on Tock. The cost is $65 per person.
Contact: 515-244-1353; apostodm.com.
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Clyde's Fine Diner
The East Village eatery, which features elevated reimaginations of classic diner fare from chef and owner Chris Hoffmann, is inviting metro area diners to share a four-course prix fixe menu with their significant other. The tasting menu features two-hour reservations on Feb. 14 and select reservation times are sold out.
On the menu: The menu features an oyster as an appetizer followed by a beet tartare, a second course sesame-crusted scallop with scallions, pork dumpling, and kimchi broth. A New York strip makes the menu with mushroom ragu and sunchoke home fry for the diner's third course, followed by a Basque cheesecake with walnut crumbs, blood orange, and meringue.
Location: 111 E. Grand Ave., Suite 111, Des Moines
Hours: Reservations available from 5 to 8:45 p.m., select times are sold out. The cost is $85 per person.
Contact: 515-243-3686 or clydesfinediner.com.
Fleming’s Steakhouse
The steakhouse outside Jordan Creek Town Center comes through for couples who want to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a lavish affair.
On the menu: The three-course surf-and-turf comes with a shareable 35-ounce prime tomahawk paired with lobster tail scampi and crab-stuffed shrimp for $230 per couple. The restaurant also has a three-course filet mignon menu for $85 per diner. Both menus include a choice of Fleming's salad or Caesars salad to start, and New York cheesecake or chocolate gooey butter cake to finish. The menu can be ordered from Feb. 10-14.
Location: 150 S. Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines
Hours: Open Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Monday through Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. Make reservations on OpenTable.
Contact: 515-457-2916 or flemingssteakhouse.com.
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HoQ
The East Village’s HoQ from chef Suman Hoq offers a special dinner for Valentine’s Day that focuses on local ingredients.
On the menu: The four-course menu for $85 per person comes with optional wine pairings and special cocktails. Diners can choose vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Location: 303 E. Fifth St., Des Moines
Hours: Reservations available from 5:15 to 8 p.m. Visit OpenTable for reservations.
Contact: 515-244-1213 or hoqtable.com.
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Mulberry Street Tavern
The Surety Hotel's signature restaurant Mulberry Street Tavern, with plates from chef Rateb Aburas and his team, will host a four-course prix fixe menu with options for Valentine's Day. The weekend before Feb. 14, the restaurant will serve a la carte dishes from its Valentine's Day menu.
On the menu: The first course features an arugula salad with blistered radish and shaved Parmesan. Second-course options include crab agnolotti or caramelized beets. The third course brings a brick chicken thigh, tomahawk beef short rib, or chili braised cabbage. The dessert trio includes a dark chocolate, vanilla bean and hazelnut Swiss roll, a chocolate-covered strawberry, and toasted marshmallow macaron.
Location: 206 Sixth Ave., Des Moines
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m., $70 per person. Reservations available on OpenTable with deposit.
Contact: 515-985-2066 or suretyhotel.com/food-and-drink.
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Summerset Winery
The Indianola-based winery is set to host an exclusive evening featuring one bottle of wine, appetizers, live music by Iowa's own Lucas Beebe, and a candlelit dinner. The winery said there are limited tickets available for the celebration on the eve of Valentine's Day.
Location: 15101 Fairfax St., Indianola
Hours: Feb. 13, 6 to 8 p.m.; $160 per person. Purchase tickets on TicketSpice.
Contact: 515-961-3545 or summersetwine.com.
Tangerine at the Art Center
The Des Moines Art Center's on-site restaurant will serve a four-course dinner featuring a prix fixe menu and wine pairings from Dean Luttrell of Global Wines Iowa. Floral arrangements from PepperHarrow, a Winterset-based flower farm, are also available to order. The center, located in a historic neighborhood west of downtown, also invites diners to arrive early for a viewing of “75 Years of Iowa Art,” an exhibition that includes artists with roots in the state.
On the menu: Tangerine from owners Cherry Madole and Susan Madorsky plan to start the meal with a blini, a European pancake, stuffed with jamón and Boursin cheese. The first course includes handmade pasta with squash, mushrooms, and lemon followed by a second course of porcetto with a glaze of Calabrian chili or stuffed eggplant with Calabrian chili glaze alongside stewed peppers and onions. The third course features a brown sugar pavlova dish. The finale includes chocolate and cheese.
Location: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines
Hours: Reservations required, 5 p.m.; call or email tang4000@gmail.com.
Contact: 515-720-7510; desmoinesartcenter.org/restaurant.
Jay Stahl is an entertainment reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow him on Instagram or reach out at jstahl@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Eat dinner at a special restaurant for Valentine's Day in Des Moines
