Should I book: Ish
10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023
Treat your lover to a Valentine’s Day meal to remember….
They say the fastest way to a man’s heart is his stomach. While this may be true, can’t a woman gourmande be seduced through a good meal, too? No matter who you’re treating to the wine and dine treatment this February, one of these Melbourne restaurants is bound to knock their socks off…
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Since 1996, Becco has been one of Melbourne’s most respected and reliable Italian restaurants in the CBD. Simple, clean and focused on doing the Italian classics well, a Valentine’s Day dinner here promises an elegant evening of delicious food, wine and impeccable service.
Begin the night with freshly shucked Southern rock oysters from Merimbula and Baker Boys’ bread with extra virgin olive oil. If your date can’t get enough of seafood, a plate of mussels from Mount Martha with white wine and garlic cacciatore sauce will work well next, or the chilli flour-dusted calamari.
With veal saltimbocca, pasta, risotto, steak and other traditional Italian dishes to choose from in the mains department, a meal at Becco will suit every taste (including vegetarians), with plenty of fantastic European and Australian wines available for pairing.
End the night with a romantic stroll through nearby Parliament Gardens.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Veal saltimbocca ($42)
What’s more romantic than a Valentine’s Day dinner at an award-winning winery in the heart of the Yarra Valley?
Marrying ‘the charm of Northern Italy’ with ‘the provenance of the Yarra Valley’, Soumah lifts its guests into la dolce vita with ease.
The winery’s restaurant Ai Fiori Trattoria specialises in Northern Italian cuisine, the perfect accompaniment to the bold and characterful wines available for tasting.
Think slow-cooked goat pappardelle, chicken saltimbocca, and summery eggplant caponata with polenta. Taste the fresh seasonal produce in each dish, and finish your meal with a platter of imported European cheese, house-made fig and walnut loaf, dried fruit and nuts.
The winery is also well-known for its woodfired sourdough pizzas. Add some hot salami to your margherita and pair it with the 2021 Ai Fiori rosato, or try the garlicky mushroom pizza (drizzled with truffle oil, of course) with a crisp chilled chardonnay.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Pappardelle ($37)
Altus Rooftop
Bar, High tea, Modern Australian
Image credit Altus Rooftop
Inspired by the classic wine and champagne bars of the world, Altus is a sophisticated rooftop dining experience on the twelfth level of Sofitel’s five-star Hotel Chadstone.
If you’re looking to crank up the swank factor this Valentine’s Day, there’s an abundance of options here to choose from that will impress your date.
From elegant high teas and multi-course meals to afternoon drinks after a luxurious swim, Altus has it all covered. Soak in views of the Dandenong Ranges through the wraparound windows as you indulge in modern Australian dishes, champagne and your choice of desserts.
Highlights include the tuna toro ceviche with gin shiraz salmon pearls, ponzu and charcoal crisp and the tempura zucchini blossoms with stracciatella and hazelnut snow.
For a carnivorous round, opt for the champagne fried chicken with truffle aioli and the twice cooked short ribs with smoked habanero sauce.
There’s even a combined dining and accommodation romance package if you’d like to treat your date to an overnight experience with breakfast.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Sharing signature dessert platter ($28)
Italian food lovers, drop what you’re doing and put Bottega on your list.
The CBD restaurant is not only an idyllic environment for romance with its intimate booths and sultry mood lighting – it’s also a must-try dining experience for contemporary Italian cuisine.
Imagine silky shavings of Wagyu carpaccio drizzled with truffle oil, baked scallops saltimbocca-style and house-made ribbons of tagliatelle drenched in creamy provolone. All this, washed down with exceptional wine from some of Italy’s top producers.
This Valentine’s Day, Bottega is offering your choice of two sittings in the dining room for a special one night only menu. Pick from 5:30pm or 6:00pm for an early night and roam the city streets after, or if you’d rather have a few drinks at the bar first, opt for a later sitting at either 7:45pm or 8:30pm.
The four-course menu will highlight some of Bottega’s signature dishes, with matched wines available at an additional cost.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Valentine’s Day four-course set menu with matched wines ($175 pp)
There’s a reason after a challenging few years, a lively buzz remains at iconic Melbourne culinary institution Cumulus Inc. The Andrew McConnell restaurant keeps its approach seasonal, creative and respectful of fresh, local Victorian ingredients.
Whether you’re due for a revisit or yet to give Cumulus Inc. a try, this Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to make a booking as the kitchen will be putting on an exclusive Valentine’s Day dinner.
While the dishes are at present a mystery (check back for updates soon), it’s been revealed that the menu will feature share-style dishes using the very best of this summer’s produce.
Dish Cult’s top pick: Valentine’s Day set menu ($90 pp)
