Best Spots for a Romantic Dinner in Richmond, Virginia

If you live in the Tri-cities area and you're looking for place to take that special someone for a very special meal, you need look no farther than Richmond for a restaurant that will offer exactly the experience you're looking for at a price that will fit in your budget. Read on for a guide to the best places to ignite or rekindle your romance in and around the Richmond area.

Simple, Yet Elegant

If you're looking for a venue that will turn your sweetie's head without emptying your wallet, then look no further than Vinnie's Italian Kitchen West. Nestled near the corner of Parham Road and Broad Street, it's likely to be overlooked or mistaken for your average hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant, but for those brave and observant souls who've seen it and tried it, it's a secret paradise. Once you walk through the door, the hole-in-the-wall façade fades, leaving you with a feeling a real Italian Bistro.

The restaurant is much more spacious within than it appears from the outside, and though the place is almost always packed, there's rarely a wait and the atmosphere is always quiet and intimate. As one might assume from the establishment's name, Vinnie's primarily serves Italian cuisine such as Chicken Cacciatore and Veal Scaloppini alla Marsala and, at an average of around $14 per entrée, lovers who love Italian food will be singing Amore over this restaurant.

A Big Fat Romantic (and Greek) Dinner

If you want to take your love out to a romantic, and decidedly Greek, dinner then Zorbas is the place to go. With dim lighting and high backed booths it is certainly a place where a couple can feel alone even in a crowd. And the food is not only authentically Greek (with a few Italian offerings as well), it's also absolutely delicious.

Of particular note is the Escargot appetizer offered at Zorbas. In it, one will find tender tortellini, swimming in a creamy, buttery sauce with wilted spinach and lightly sautéed snails. It's a must for all diners, lovers most especially!
At a price comparable to that of Vinnie's Italian Kitchen West, Zorbas will leave both your stomach and your wallet feeling full.

Surf and Turf

Those who want to offer their sweethearts both fine dining and fine seafood will want to head out to Midlothian to Bonefish Grill. While this is a chain restaurant it is also one of the best places to have an exquisitely romantic seafood dinner in the area. You'll find the prices slightly heftier (between $15 and $21 for an entrée), but the food is well worth the cost. It's also worth noting that you'll likely want to call ahead for reservations as the wait can be fairly lengthy during peak hours.

Bonefish specializes in seafood, but they also offer delicious beef, chicken, and pork choices as well. They offer specials every day and it should be noted that if the special includes a sauce you like, but a fish you don't, that you can actually have any other fish on their menu prepared with the day's special sauce. Also, don't forget to save room for dessert. Bonefish has delectable sweets!

Taking a Dip

Probably the most romantic dinner spot in or near the Richmond area is The Melting Pot. For those who've never heard of it before, The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant. The idea is that you go in, you select a cheese course, a salad course, a main course, and a dessert course and you dip your way into good times.

Why is this so romantic? First of all, the restaurant is designed for intimacy. Most of the booths have floor to ceiling walls separating them from other booths which gives you the feeling of being completely alone with your significant other even if the restaurant is full. The lighting is dim and soft and the whole meal is designed to last for upwards of two hours. This is not a fast food restaurant. In fact, you do all the cooking yourself. This restaurant gives you all the intimacy and romance of a quiet night at home cooking a meal together, but with none of the messy cleanup!

While this is indeed the most romantic restaurant, it also happens to be the priciest. Expect to pay between $35 and $50 per person, not including whatever drinks you choose to imbibe. The price does, however, include all four courses. Also, while reservations were just suggested at Bonefish, they are required at The Melting Pot. While you could probably get reservations for the same day if it's not a holiday, you will want to plan at least a week ahead during busier times and even farther ahead when it comes to extremely special days like Valentine's Day.