20+ Valentine's menus and dine-at-home boxes in Manchester

This one’s for all you lovers out there. The fools in love, the teddy-wielding, gooey-eyed, spend-fifty-quid-on-a-dozen-roses lot of you. There’s plenty of PDA on the cards this year now that restaurants are open for business so we thought we’d give you a hand with your plans.

If you’d prefer to treat the object of your affection in the privacy of your own home, we’ve hand-picked our fave dine-at-home boxes too. Just scroll past the soppy stuff to get there.

So light some candles, slip into something a little more comfortable and prepare to get romanced the hell out of.

Here's our guide to the Greater Manchester restaurants getting loved-up with Valentine's menus and dine-at-home boxes in 2022.

Valentine's menus in Manchester restaurants

The Allotment Vegan Eatery | Valentine’s ten-course tasting menu | 11 February

It is a bit of mystery why a big ol’ meaty steak is the go-to dish for so many Val-Day celebrations. What is it about gnawing through a lump of flesh that’s supposed to get your heart racing anyway? 

On Friday 11 February swap the picanha for portobello and join The Allotment for a ten-course vegan menu featuring all your favourite veggies. Courgettes, aubergines and avocado all feature, but we reckon the desserts are the main attraction - there are four of them after all. Including caramelised pineapple, pink Prosecco granita and dark chocolate with tonka beans. £70 per person with an optional wine flight for an additional £29 per person.

The Allotment Vegan Eatery Lloyd’s house, 18-22 Lloyd St, Manchester M2 5WA

Baratxuri | Valentine’s tapas menu | 14 February

If nothing but the best will impress your SO, then MFDF award-winning “Restaurant of the Year” Baratxuri should hit the right spot. The Valentine’s tapas menu is full of Basque favourites. From hand-carved jamon Iberico to merluza safran (hake fillet and clams in a saffron and cream sauce). 

The £48 per person menu is available at both Baratxuri and Levanter restaurants in Ramsbottom, giving you a double opportunity to scoop up a couple of seats with a complimentary glass of Can Xa Cava on arrival.

Baratxuri 1 Smithy St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AT / Levanter Fine Foods 10, Square St, Ramsbottom BL0 9AT

Black Friar | Valentine's Weekend of Love | 11 - 14 February

There’s a full weekend of romance in store at The Black Friar, with the Salford love-fest starting on Friday 11 February. No solid menu plans have been revealed, but three courses of gastropub fare await you with Prosecco included for £49 per person. Or snuggle up under the Salford skies in a cosy “igloo for two” with a bottle of Champagne for £99 per person. 

Or reviewer thought the food here was a “lovely portrait of the earth’s bounty”, and with a meal for two costing them almost £190, this St Val’s set menu could save you a bob or two as well.

The Black Friar 41-43 Blackfriars Rd, Salford M3 7DB

Chakalaka | Sausage for two | 11 - 20 February

Just in time for the season of love, out pops Chakalaka with a sausage big enough to share. The South African restaurant's 18-inch boerewors (a kind of South African sausage) are hand made by a local butcher with authentic spices. Perfect to "Lady and The Tramp" your way to a meaty snog.

Whaddayaknow? Romance isn't dead.

Chakalaka 105a Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LW

Crowded House | Lovers’ Menu | 14 February

The perfect place to spend Valentine's if you think about it, Crowded House in Bury is named so because there’s a beauty salon right upstairs. We’re not saying this is fate, but treating your boo to a hot stone back massage before meeting them for an evening of live soulful jazz by local lass Sian Stephens and a twice-baked cheddar cheese soufflé from chef’s three-course “aphrodisiac menu” sounds like the key to anyone's heart. 

The Lovers set menu is £35 per person and also includes choices like grilled oysters, pan-seared lamb rump and hot chocolate fondant with salted caramel sauce.

Crowed House 626 Manchester Rd, Bury BL9 9SU

Ducie Street Warehouse | Love Edition with the ‘Three’s A Crowd' menu | 12, 13 & 14 February

For £40 per person, Ducie Street Warehouse has put together a special three-course menu that it stresses isn’t just for the loved-up this snuggly season. Celebrate with your Palentines over the weekend too. A 16oz sirloin has made it to the Three’s A Crowd menu, alongside Gochujang chicken and a date Medjool sticky toffee slice to finish. There are plenty of veggie and vegan options too.

With house DJs and board games on call over the weekend, as well as DSW’s in house cinema “Mini-Cini” screening films like Betty Blue and Jamon Jamon you can make a whole weekend of it.

Ducie Street Warehouse Ducie St, Manchester M1 2TP

Escape to Freight Island | A Valentine's Weekend Celebration | 13 February

If you can’t think of the perfect present this year, Escape to Freight Island has you covered with a special “paint your partner” evening by Cork & Canvas happening on Sunday 13 February. Hosted by one of Manchester’s most fabulous drag queens - Banksie. The £33 ticket covers all the art equipment, so you just need to bring yourselves. Clothes optional.

If a more traditional dinner and dance is more your style, try Perfectly Frank, also on Sunday 13 February. £45 (per person) will get you a welcome cocktail, a two-course dinner by the wonderful Baratxuri and an evening of serenading by David Knopov - a tribute act to the legendary Frank Sinatra. The menu includes the traditional Spanish dish “cordero lechal” - clay oven roasted Pyrenean lamb with ras el hanout.

Escape to Freight Island 11 Baring Street, Manchester M1 2PZ

Fountain House | Valentine's Menu | 11 - 14 February

Albert Square’s newest kid on the block is opening its kitchen and its heart by offering three satisfying courses for an even more satisfying £45 per person on St. V’s Day. Scallops with caviar butter and crispy lamb belly make the starters menu for this hearty gastropub that scored well when our reviewer thought his grandma would be proud of the pies.

No Charter pie on the lovers’ menu this time (a bit heavy, perhaps?) but how does a Szechuan and pink grapefruit glazed duck sound?

Sharing is encouraged at the Fountain House with a shellfish platter with soft shell crab and king prawns or traditional cote de boeuf with truffled pommes Anna designed to split with your partner. Finally, get a whole tarte tatin with clotted cream ice cream down you before waddling home to cuddle.

Fountain House The Memorial Hall, 14 Albert Square, Manchester M2 5PE

GORGE Restaurant | Valentine's cocktails and chocolate | 14 February

For the Latin lovers, GORGE in Prestwich keeps it simple this Valentine’s by sticking to its trademark meaty menu. Why smoke out your own kitchen trying to cook an M&S vac-packed rump when you can let the experts sear you an impressive tomahawk to perfection? 

The team are even working on a Valentine’s cocktail menu including a sickeningly sweet looking strawberry margarita. No set-menu here, but every online booking gets a gift of Brigadeiro chocolate truffles to take home.

GORGE 424 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1BD

GRUB | Beer & Pud Club | 14 February

We can always trust GRUB to serve up something a little different, so while most restaurants around town are shucking oysters and popping champers, GRUB is back with its infamous Beer & Pud Club. A menu comprised of nothing but dessert from the likes of Bakeorama, Drizzle City Bakes and That Vegan Bakery will be paired with carefully chosen locally-sourced craft beers.

Tickets are £22.50, including a rose for every guest, and everything is suitable for vegans too.

GRUB 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M4 4HF

Kala Bistro | Valentine’s menu | 14 February

If Shakespeare thought that music was the food of love, he obviously never dined at Gary Usher’s Kala Bistro on King Street. Here, food is the food of love. The French onion soup served with a little Gruyère and truffle toastie comes highly recommended by our team, and you can choose to upgrade your main course to a Chateaubriand with barbecue langoustines to share, should you really want to push the boat out.

This most romantic of menus will set you back a not-so-subtle £69 (giggle), but it technically includes five courses so is sure to impress despite the frankly childish price tag.

Kala Bistro 55 King St, Manchester M2 4LQ

Mano a Bocca | Valentine's menu | 12 - 14 February

We recently christened Sale as Manchester’s newest foodie hotspot, and Mano a Bocca at the Waterside Plaza is getting us hot under the collar for Valentine’s weekend. Meaning “hand to mouth”, this pizzeria advises ditching the cutlery after all.

For just £25 for three courses, think typical Roman dishes like artichokes and bresaola to start. Known for its traditional thin-crust Roman-style pizza, romantic toppings include funghi tartufo, mozzarella and mortadella and the spicy Calabria with chillies and ‘nduja. 

The menu that also includes pasta dishes like king prawn rigatoni and desserts like classic tiramisu with grated chocolate orange is available from 12 - 14 February.

Mano a Bocca 2A, Waterside Plaza, Sale M33 7BS

Mount Street Dining Room & The Midland Hotel | Valentine's dessert special and hotel offer | 12 - 14 February

Let Mount Street help you show your boo the shape of your heart with a dessert designed to share. Two strawberry and Champagne flavoured mousse hearts sit side by side straddled by a handful of strawberry and basil macaroons. Served with a strawberry daiquiri, this special looks a picture and is guaranteed a few Insta-likes too. Available 12 - 14 February for £18.

If you’re feeling fancy splurge at the Midland, where an overnight stay including Prosecco, a welcome plate and breakfast is going for £155 for two on Sunday 13 February. Worth booking a Monday off work if you ask us.

Mount Street Dining Room & Bar/The Midland Hotel 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS

The River Restaurant | Valentine's menu | 11 - 14 February

The Lowry 5-star hotel's very own restaurant has a five-course spectacular under its sleeve in the spirit of love this year. The kitchen that has seen huge chefs like Marco Pierre White take the helm, and has fed everyone from Kylie to Jose Mourinho is now under the watchful eye of Chef Dave Ashton.

He has included an amuse-bouche of roasted butternut squash soup with vadouvan (an Indian spice blend) spiced pesto and an "intermediate" course of Champagne and finger lime sorbet.

The whole five courses are £59.95 per person, and every table booking on 14 February receives a complimentary red rose.

The River Restaurant The Lowry Hotel, 50 Dearmans Pl, Salford M3 5LH

Rosso | Valentino | 14 February

It just wouldn't be St Valentino's Day without Rosso bringing its trademark Italian style to proceedings. Hearts and cherubs adorn the menu for King Street's most flamboyant restaurant. Start with tartina di aragosta - lobster and smoked tomato tartlet - and end with cuore di cioccolato - a heart-shaped construction with strawberries, salted caramel and milk chocolate. 

The three-course menu is £75 per person - extra brownie points if you order everything in Italian.

Rosso 43 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BG, UK

San Carlo | Valentine's dessert and cocktails |12 - 14 February

Never one to be outdone, San Carlo presents a spectacular Valentine's chocolate melting bombe dessert this V-Day. This chocolate sphere of love is filled with gelato and decorated with a gold-dusted cherub. Pour over molten caramel sauce and watch as your SO's heart melts into a puddle right in front of you.

Take your pick from two limited-edition cocktails that will also be on the menu exclusively for Valentine's weekend. With sexy names and sexy decals floating on top, Pucker Up and Amore Eterno are the perfect sippers to hide behind while people-watching in the city's fave celeb haunt.

San Carlo Manchester 40-42 King St W, Manchester M3 2WY

Dine-at-home Valentine's boxes

Abeja | Board-in-a-box | delivery or collection from Chorlton

Abeja at Hatch may be no more, but that won't stop Ana and the team from being there for all your Val-Day needs. Yes, the Abeja board-in-a-box is back with your choice of Prosecco or Cava, Spanish cheese, meats and olives. 

You can even add a dried flower bouquet, handmade chocolates or a bottle of vermouth for your Valentine.

Prices start at £22.50, and everything is lovingly hand prepared and wrapped in eco-friendly or compostable packaging.

Order online: Board-in-a-box from Abeja

Adam Reid at Home | Valentines Saturday Night In | delivered 11 February

Pollen Bakery bread with beef butter, baked Tunworth cheese, pastrami cured salmon and Goosnargh chicken with roasted lobster. Adam Reid's Saturday Night In is certainly not to be confused with Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

This four-course splurgefest from the team behind Adam Reid at The French is finished with a baked vanilla meringue in pink rhubarb soup to really hammer the Valentine's message home. Spoil the object of your affection for £150 (for 2 people) and then fall asleep on the sofa together like a real couple in love.

Order online: adam-reid.co.uk

Hawksmoor | Valentine's Day boxes | delivered various dates

Team vegan, look away now. Meat-hawker Hawksmoor has two dine-at-home options for its steak-loving public this Valentine’s Day. Choose from a centre-cut rump box with all the essential trimmings including Old Spot Belly ribs, ultimate oven chips and a chocolate fondant for two (£95) or stretch to an even more luxurious Chateaubriand cut with all the same trimmings (£125).

Each comes with full instructions and a QR code that takes you straight to an online video of exec chef Matt Brown teaching you how to cook the perfect steak. Add Champagne, red wine or a pre-made orange gimlet cocktail for extra cash.

Order online: shop.thehawksmoor.com

Home by Nico | Valentine’s Edition | delivered 12 February

Straying from its tried and tested formula of six tiny fine-dining style courses, Six by Nico presents more of a three-course thingy with sides to enjoy at home. Lobster and prawn tortellini is a highlight, with a four-cheese mac and cheese to sit alongside an aged fillet of beef with peppercorn sauce. 

A bottle of Il Divo red wine is included in the box which will set you back £85, but spend an extra £30 and a Timeless scented candle could also be yours. Let’s hope the fragrance doesn’t permeate into your raspberry trifle in transit. 

If fillet steak and trifle don't exactly relight your fire, you could always treat your love to the new Once Upon a Time menu at Six by Nico from 1 February - 13 March if you prefer something a little bit more creative.

Order online: home-x.com

HOME by Simon Rogan | Valentine's Weekend At Home Menu | delivered 11 & 12 February

Thank goodness for Simon Rogan, I was getting a bit fed up with typing "Chateaubriand" over and over again. The master of fine dining has gone with confit Goosnargh duck as part of his dine-at-home menu with roasted cauliflower and Isle of Mull Cheddar sauce. Good ol' baked rice pudding is also given a Rogan-esque makeover with rhubarb and blood orange. 

A bottle of Exton Park English sparkling wine is included for £85 per person, with options to add truffle, wine, cheese and beer too.

Read our interview with Simon Rogan - he's got his eye on Manchester again.

Order online: homebysimonrogan.co.uk

Milk & Honey Cafe | 'The Valentine’s Love Feast' take-me-home dinner kit | to collect 10, 11 & 14 February

The most affordable and most vegan-friendly of all the dinner kits on this list. Each love feast ordered from Milk & Honey's not-for-profit cafe will support its lockdown project The Well, which provides daily food and holistic care to people on and around the university campus who need a little extra help.

The menu is totally plant-based with the likes of butter and thyme topped mushroom pate, wholewheat spaghetti with roasted tomato and red wine marinara and potato and celeriac gratin with tahini bechamel and truffle.

Prices start at £12 for students/concessions and £16 for non-students. Go on, show some local love.

Order online: stpeters.org.uk

Tom Kerridge | With Love from Tom Kerridge | delivered 11 February

A beef fillet wellington is at the heart of this dine-at-home box from the man behind Manchester's Bull & Bear restaurant. Three different kinds of canapé including a Cornish lobster tartlette are also on the menu, followed by treacle cured salmon with Avruga caviar, with a traditional STP that rounds off the meal nicely.

Kerridge may have come under a bit of fire for the price of this £185 box, but a three-course meal for two at the Bull & Bear restaurant comes out at a similar price and who's to say if that is made with any love from Tom Kerridge at all?

Order online: withlovefromtomkerridge.com

Read next: 15+ new restaurant and bar openings you might not know about

Read again: Simon Rogan: 'Manchester is a real proposition at the moment'

Get the latest news to your inbox

Get the latest food & drink news and exclusive offers by email by signing up to our mailing list. This is one of the ways that Confidentials remains free to our readers and by signing up you help support our high quality, impartial and knowledgable writers. Thank you!