Throughout February, Denver restaurants are awash with romantic prix-fixe menus and cutesy couples-only adventures. This one-event-fits-all model ignores any creative opportunities for couples, groups, friends, family, and singles to celebrate their love. Here are ten alternatives — not only falling on Valentine’s Day — to the typical Hallmark hype and fare.
Read MoreWhere to Avoid a Prix-Fixe, Couples-Only Valentine’s Day in Denver
Skip the three-course, wine-paired nonsense this year
Marble Distilling Co. & The Distillery Inn
For those looking to get out of town for Valentine’s Day, Colorado’s Marble Distilling in Carbondale is hosting a chocolate and spirit tasting, in addition to offering a “sleep and soak” package with Iron Mountain Hot Springs. The destination distillery conveniently offers guest rooms upstairs for a romantic getaway.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Sloans Lake
This Valentine’s Day, the Colfax movie house is playing “The Birdcage,” a comedy classic starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. While watching, viewers can dine on three (casual) courses — including a white wedding cake and chocolate babka bread pudding — that play on the film’s plot. Tickets for the 7 p.m. February 14 showing start at $60.
Denver Beer Co
Denver’s Chocolate Lab has created five chocolates to pair with five of the Platte Street brewery’s beers for a low-key Valentine’s celebration. Limited tickets cost $20 for five paired 4-ounce beers and chocolates. And in the brewery’s words: “A Valentine is not provided or required for this event.”
Citizen Rail
Though Citizen Rail is also offering a set menu, the Lonely Hearts Club is the place to be on Friday, February 15. The anti-Valentine’s Day, ‘90s-theme night features strawberry Jell-O shots, spiked punch, and a souvenir CD filled with ballads of the era.
Jovanina's Broken Italian
Without all the fuss, this new LoDo Italian restaurant adds a few different dishes to its menu for the holiday — mushroom soup, beet pasta, and a chocolate tic-tac-toe bar — for friends or family to enjoy together.
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the ART, a hotel
The Broadway hotel is preparing an aphrodisiac-filled menu for the holiday. Featured arousing foods include arugula, pomegranate, and cinnamon, known to increase blood flow. Call the restaurant to reserve; the menu is available for $65 per person with wine pairings offered for an additional $35.
The Source Hotel
Instead of remaining stationary and sitting with a set menu, diners can walk throughout the Source Hotel with a glass of Champagne in hand and grab sweet treats like caramel and cardamom bonbons on Valentine’s Day or throughout the weekend, ending on Sunday, February 17.
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Zeppelin Station
A “BAO-lentine’s” event at the industrial, international food hall combines five different dumplings, three bao buns, and two potstickers on a platter for participants. Cocktails and music round out the evening, which starts at 6 p.m.
Dio Mio - Handmade Pasta
The counter-service Italian restaurant serves Valentine’s Day family style, with a mix of old and new favorite dishes. The special menu features Delicata squash rings, Wagyu beef tartare, and oxtail Bolognese. Reservations are available from 5 to 8 p.m.
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Bar Helix
Thursday nights are “Bougie Nights” at RiNo’s Bar Helix, where drinkers can get down to ‘70s and ‘80s disco, funk, and R&B with friends or loved ones. Go on Valentine’s for the $10 specialty cocktails and $8 Miller High Life 750 ml bottle service, you know, for the classiest of date nights.