The most romantic restaurants in London for Valentine's Day

Forty-nine per cent of Brits are planning to dine out on Valentine’s Day, and Londoners are spoilt for choice with 38 restaurants named on OpenTable’s 2026 list of the UK’s 100 most romantic dining destinations.

The London restaurants featured in OpenTable’s 2026 Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list are:

• 14 Stories
• 64 Goodge Street
• 64 Old Compton St
• Afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough
• Andrew Edmunds
• Benares
• Berners Tavern
• Bistro Freddie
• Boulevard Brasserie
• Cecconi’s at The Ned London
• Clos Maggiore
• Cloth Restaurant
• CORE by Clare Smyth
• FAROS Oxford Circus
• Frederick’s
• Frog by Adam Handling
• Gallery
• GŎNG, Shangri-La The Shard, London
• JOIA Restaurant & Bar
• L’Escargot
• Le Cafe du Marche
• Le Garrick - Covent Garden
• Luciano by Gino D’Acampo London
• Madison Restaurant
• Ognisko
• Palm Court Brasserie
• Pierre Victoire
• Quaglino’s
• Savoy Grill - Gordon Ramsay
• Scott’s Richmond
• Skylon
• Swan London
• The French Table
• The Ledbury
• The Ninth
• The Port House London
• TĪNG Restaurant and Lounge, Shangri-La The Shard, London
• Trinity

These venues represent a mix of classic fine dining, modern cuisines, and stylish brasseries.

OpenTable’s research, based on more than 600,000 verified diner reviews and dining metrics, also showed a 27 per cent rise in Valentine’s Day dining in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Other trends shaping the romantic dining scene include a rise in spending—44 per cent of Brits expect to spend more on dining this Valentine’s Day.

OpenTable data also revealed that 2025 saw an 11 per cent year-over-year increase in average spend per person, more than any other major dining occasion.

The romantic dining experience isn’t limited to couples.

Forty-one per cent of Brits plan to celebrate Galentine’s or Palentine’s Day on February 13, and more than half (59 per cent) will do so at a restaurant.

A growing number of people are also open to double dates on Valentine’s Day (30 per cent), while 51 per cent of singles said they would consider a first date at a restaurant on February 14.

Solo dining is becoming more widely accepted, with 49 per cent of Brits saying it’s socially acceptable to dine alone on Valentine’s Day—rising to 65 per cent among millennials and 64 per cent among Gen Z.

Half of respondents said that “culinary compatibility” with a partner, whether it’s sharing similar tastes or enjoying the same style of dining out, is an important part of a relationship.

Gen Z (60 per cent) and millennials (59 per cent) value this even more.

The research also revealed what diners see as red and green flags on a romantic meal.

The top red flags are being rude to staff (81 per cent), poor table manners (78 per cent) or arriving late (62 per cent).

Conversely, complimenting the restaurant service (64 per cent), offering to pay the full bill (62 per cent) and leaving a generous tip (61 per cent) were the top green flags.

Sasha Shaker, Senior Director at OpenTable in the UK and Ireland, said: "It’s clear that UK diners are changing how they celebrate Valentine’s Day, with 49 per cent now seeing it as a day to celebrate all relationships, not just the romantic kind, making it more inclusive and social.

"However, this still means that no matter who you’re sharing the table with, you want to get the backdrop right.

"Our Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list for 2026 helps diners discover their perfect spot, whether it’s an intimate table for two or group dining space."