Romantic Restaurants to Spend Valentine's Day in Tampa, Florida

Valentine's Day is nearing and it would be best to make plans now for a romantic night out with your favorite Valentine. Several restaurants will be offering special dinner packages, but a lot of the restaurants may be a little over most of our budgets. You may want to consider simple romantic restaurants that won't leave you broke at the end of the night. Here's a few ways to go for a memorable night and remember that you are what makes it memorable, not the dinner.

The Grape is a great alternative to a stuffy upscale restaurant and it is located at International Plaza, 2223 Westshore Boulevard in Tampa. A lovely and cozy bistro style wine bar and restaurant where you can "taste" their wine or purchase a "glass." They have a decent selection of wines and the "taste" runs around $4 to $9 and the "glass" will run about double that price. The food selections are elegant and classy. For example, they offer cheese plates from $5 to $14 for one to four selections off their bistro menu. They also offer salads, sandwiches and a few other menu items which are perfect for a romantic evening of tasting and sharing. Nothing on the menu if over $20 and with the selection of items they offer, you would be best to sample and share multiple choices with your date. What a great way to see what she likes? Don't forget to finish off dinner with a chocolate fondue for two. Contact this restaurant at 813-354-9463 for more information.

If you and your date happen to be sushi lovers, I would certainly check out Samurai Blue Sushi and Sake Bar located in Ybor City. This is a good place for a nice romantic meal in a cavernous setting where you can really keep your attention on your date. The dining area is dimly lit for great ambiance and the sake bar in located in the back. The sushi is wonderful and don't forget to ask about the dessert selections. You can contact this restaurant at 813-242-6688 for more information and hours.

The Rusty Pelican located at 2425 N. Rocky Point Drive was one of my favorite restaurants when I first moved to the Tampa area and still offers great food and a lovely atmosphere. Nestled on the edge of Old Tampa Bay, the view is spectacular and enchanting. Most entrées are in the $20 to $30 range and you can add soup for $2.95 or salad for $3.95. They also offer a nice selection of appetizers for around $10. I have never been disappointed with the food or service here and the setting just makes it all the better. Call 813-281-1943 to find out about Valentine's Day specials and to make a reservation.

The Melting Pot is an oldie but a goody when it comes to romantic dining. I feel this isn't as romantic as it used to be back in it's heyday, but it is still a nice place to share a meal with your favorite person. The location I have visited quite often is at 13164 N. Dale Mabry Highway near Fletcher in Tampa. Look for this in the outdoor strip mall as it is sort of hidden. Fondue has always had a sharing romantic sense to it so you can be sure to give all your attention to your date while sharing delicious cheese fondues and sampling decadent chocolate fondues. Reservations are necessary and you can contact them at 813-962-6936 to find out what their special Valentine's Day menu will be.

If you've got a little more money to spend and want to do something a little out of the ordinary, then I would certainly recommend an evening aboard the Yacht Starship cruise for Valentine's Day. For a fixed price of $89.95 each you can enjoy a lovely meal on the water with a selection of five dinner entrées that includes an appetizer and soup or salad. Finish out your meal with a fantastic romantic dessert. The price also includes a champagne toast and long stem rose for your date. There may be two cruises on this evening so call 813-223-7999 to find out more information and to book your Valentine's Day dinner cruise.