We’re now approaching the official annual day of love. Whether you’re celebrating a love for the person you’ve spent practically every waking minute with for the last year, or someone you can’t be with in person right now. Maybe you’ll be toasting to love for family or friends, or a investing in a bit of self-love.
However you’re planning to spend it, if you’re anything like us, you’ll need some brilliant food and drink to wash all that love down with.
Despite lockdown, plenty of businesses are putting on Valentine’s Day specials to enjoy and we’ve got a few ideas here, with a mix of established venues and brand new businesses, many of which have launched since the start of the pandemic.
Dinner
Pho Cue‘s Valentine’s box for two is a sight to behold. A box packed to the brim with a full salt and pepper lobster, fillet steak, salt and pepper crispy wings, salt and pepper chips, Vietnamese egg fried rice and Mum’s pickled veg.
The box which costs £50 comes with three dips – Vietnamese curry sauce, sweet and spicy dip and sriracha mayo – and two soft drinks to wash it down with – thirsty work indeed. Call them to place an order on 0161 237 5664
Prestwich kitchen bar, OSMA has created a special 4 course menu for Valentine’s, which is available to order for collection. The £50 set menu includes courses like cured mackerel with oyster emulsion, and chicken breast with lovage, chicken sauce and hen of the woods mushrooms, or poached halibut for pescatarians. Order here.
Herd NQ‘s luxury three course box features a charcuterie platter with Pollen sourdough, a 30-day aged Chateaubriand sharer and a triple chocolate brownie for dessert, plus lots of extra indulgent flourishes. Order through their website before 7 February.
Elnecot‘s Valentine’s Day menu includes four courses, cocktails and champagne. Alongside collection orders, for the first time Elnecot is offering a cook at home option for those who’d prefer to do it themselves. To order email hello@elnecot.com or WhatsApp them on 07412574324.
Other menus to enjoy include Edinburgh Castle‘s recently launched takeaway menus where you can enjoy a Sunday Roast on the day itself, an Omakase menu in collaboration with Cottonopolis or a chippy tea menu depending on which day you’re celebrating. To order, email takeaway@ec-ancoats.com with the order, a name and contact number and preferred pick-up time. They will then get in touch on the day between 12-4 pm to confirm pick-up and take payment over the phone.
Forget a dozen roses, how about showing you care with a dozen plus ten inches of pizza from Nell’s whose 22 inchers are available for delivery and collection from The Beagle in Chorlton. Details on how to order here.
And, of course, there are lots of different meal kits to enjoy like pizza kits from Rudy’s and Proove in Didsbury, Hawksmoor’s at home kits – their Valentine’s box is sold out but you can still order their February sirloin box.
Piccolino has launched an at-home kit aimed at singles which includes a three-course meal, side order and bottle of wine for £40, with free delivery within five miles of their restaurants. There’s also a couples box available. More information here.
For vegans, Herbivorous is delivering Valentine’s steak night kits for two (£16) including seitan steak with peppercorn sauce, triple cooked chips and optional cashew cheese fondue. They are delivering these on 11 and 12 February with last orders by Tuesday 9 February. Order here.
Hampers
Great as a gift or as something to enjoy together, there are quite a few Valentine’s Day hampers about at the moment.
Normally located in Hatch, Abeja Tapas Bar have been delivering ‘boards in a box’ while the venue is closed. They’ve designed a special Valentine’s Day edition of their box which includes wine, cava or sangria, cured meats and cheese, olives, flatbreads, olive oil, hand-made chocolates and a personalised card.
Last orders for delivery are Monday 8 February for delivery by 10 February, or they can be collected from the ‘Costa del Chorlton’ with last orders on Friday 12 February and pick up right up to the day itself. Order them here.
Altrincham market are offering people the chance to create personalised hampers, with their choice of goodies from the independent retailers at the market including food, drink, fresh and dried flowers and other gifts. Full details are here and orders must be made by 6 February for collection on 13 February.
Another brand new business is Denton-based Grazecious, creating ‘graze boxes’ filled with cured meats cheese, and other delicious bits like olives, fresh figs and crackers, for collection or delivery. Simply DM them on Instagram to order.
Plus, you can get hampers full of Italian produce delivered from old favourites Salvi’s Deli and Don Giovanni.
Drinks
Especially for Valentine’s Day, Manchester Gin has launched cocktail kits which include a full-size bottle of Manchester Gin, three cocktail recipes with an instructional video and everything you need to make them, and chocolate truffles. Find out more here.
Natural wine specialists, Le Social is offering free delivery, as well as a free card and a red rose from florists Frog. They have selected two wines for the occasion, their Le Social Sparkling and the Julie&Nas red Burgundy.
To claim the free rose and card, visit their website and put either bottle in the cart. Use the code SECRETGALENTINE for a delivery on Galentine’s day (13 February) or SECRETVALENTINE for delivery on Valentine’s Day (14 February).
Independent wine shop Salut has a ‘Date Night’ box which brings the wine bar to you with a selection of three, six or 12 wines to enjoy while cosied up on the sofa. Order here.
Grape to Grain are continuing their virtual wine tastings with a Valentine’s special which includes a white and red wine with paired cheeses, a bottle of fizz with chocolates from Slattery in Whitefield and a cocktail with chocolate-dipped strawberries. Portions of the wines and cocktail come in either full bottle, 500ml carafe or ‘Super Sad Singleton’ (100ml measures) – all options include a full bottle of fizz. To book, click here.
Something sweet
It’s Valentine’s Day so we’d like everything dipped in chocolate and heart shaped please.
More than willing to oblige is an army of Manchester bakeries and home bakers. There are rose petal topped cakes from All Day Cake, Eve In the Oven‘s cakes loaded with bespoke toppings and giant heart shaped cookies and cakes from Selene’s Bakery.
Or how about saying you care with a box of Gooey cookies? Well, if you spend £25 or more on a bouquet from Northern Flower this Valentine’s, you can add a box for just £10.
Head to their website for more information: northernflower.com.
Launched in the first lockdown after owner Kelly lost her job, Get Yer Macaron aims to modernise the traditional French macaron inspired by popular flavours and childhood desserts like red velvet, Nutella, Lotus biscoff, sticky toffee pudding and, their signature flavour, Lindt chocolate salted caramel. They’ve received great feedback at the Makers Markets where they’ve been trading and they are also trading online.
They have boxes of 10 (£15), 15 (£18) and 24 (£25), and you can add Belgian hot chocolate for £2.50, which can be stirred into hot milk. Over the next three Sundays leading up to Valentine’s Day they’ll be doing giveaways and raffles on their Instagram page – DM them to order.
Doughnut Kitchen are doing pre-decorated Valentine’s doughnuts in boxes of 5 or 9 as well as doughnut decorating kits with heart-shaped sprinkles and Jammy Dodgers. Available for delivery, DM them to order.
Northenden-based bakers Mollol Creations have teamed up with Eclipse Florals to create a Valetine’s hamper with six decorated cupcakes and a bouquet of flowers for £30, with deliveries across Manchester and Stockport. DM them to order.
Melted chocolate, marshmallows and biscuits, making Smores is a great Valentine’s day activity and brand new business Give a Little Smore are delivering kits to make your own at home complete with biscuits, chocolate, marshmallows and a mini gas burner. Delivery is available across the UK – DM them to order.
