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Where To Eat Out (or in) For Valentine’s Day in Madison

Posted on February 6, 2025   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas

A heart-shaped pizza with cherry tomatoes on a round cutting board.

Valentine’s Day dining can be as simple as a heart-shaped pizza or as fancy as a five-course meal. (Iacaosa/Getty Images)

Maybe you feel like getting dressed to the nines for Valentine’s Day and going out for a fancy dinner. Or maybe you feel like staying home in your sweatpants and ordering in a heart-shaped treat.

There’s no wrong way to do Valentine’s Day if you’re with the right person. We talked on the City Cast Madison podcast about the best date ideas in Madison for every price point. Here’s more suggestions of some of the fun and romantic things that local restaurants and eateries are doing for V-Day.

The bakery has a bunch of Valentine’s Day goodies available for pre-order, including a Basque cheesecake, a heart-shaped flourless chocolate cake, and heart-shaped mocha macarons.

Pre-order a six- or 12-pack of heart-shaped donuts, with Valentine’s Day-themed flavors that include chocolate-covered strawberry, red velvet with cream cheese glaze, and vanilla glazed with valentine sprinkles.

Chef Edwin Ramirez has whipped up a Valentine’s Day menu for Feb. 14-16 that enhances the Italian restaurant’s traditional dinner menu with special appetizers and nourishing pasta dishes.

The steakhouse has a three-course Valentine’s Day menu available for $110 per person, including soup or salad, steak or entree, and dessert along with a glass of sparkling wine.

Some Valentine’s Days, you just can’t beat a good heart-shaped pizza. Luigi’s is offering a 16-inch one-topping pizza and a bottle of Chianti for $40 for either dine-in or carry-out on Feb. 13 and 14.

Not only is the Monroe Street restaurant offering a special three-course meal on Valentine’s Day, but you can also make a reservation for a two-person “fondue experience.”

Not only can you get heart-shaped cakes and cookies at the Middleton retro diner, but on Valentine’s Day they’re serving a special lasagna with both red and white sauce. It’s called, of course, “Lovesagna.”

You can order take ‘n’ bake heart-shaped enchiladas from the downtown Mexican restaurant, and they’ll even throw in a pitcher of margaritas and a churro bouquet for your sweetie.

Pasture & Plenty is not kidding around with a five-course, $90-per-person dinner that includes coffee-braised short ribs, pan-seared king salmon, and caramel flan with chocolate cake. A vegetarian option is also available.

Butterbird becomes “Lovebird” on Feb. 14 and 15, with a pop-up that includes free strawberry Jell-O shots, red velvet milkshakes, a photo booth and romcoms playing on the TVs all day. Or “love me tender” with their take-home dinner that includes chicken tenders, red velvet brownies, and sweet potato brulee.

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