Cozy tables and booths, atmospheric lighting, sweeping water views, scrumptious eats and attentive, yet discreet, service.
These are the hallmarks of the 7 restaurants in Kelowna, Victoria and Vernon that have made the list of the top 100 most romantic restaurants in Canada ahead of Valentine's Day.
OpenTable, the online reservations platform, compiled the list based on 90,000 diner reviews that mentioned 'romantic' along with other praise.
Making the list are Old Vines Restaurant at Quails’ Gate Winery in West Kelowna, Home Block at CedarCreek Estate Winery in Kelowna, PeakFine at Sparkling Hill near Vernon, in Tea at The Empress Hotel in Victoria, Finn's Seafood, Chops and Cocktails in Victoria, Glo Restaurant + Lounge also in Victoria and The Butchart Gardens - The Dining Room just outside Victoria in Brentwood Bay.
Open Table releases its romantic top 100 list a couple of weeks before Valentine's Day to not only raise awareness of restaurants ideal to visit with your loved one, but to raise the alarm that you'd better make a reservation.
49% of Canadians are planning to celebrate with a meal out over the so-called Valentine's weekend of Friday, Feb. 13, Saturday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 15.
That's a high percentage because Valentine's Day actually falls on the weekend rather than a boring Wednesday night.
Plus, Valentine's Day falls smackdab on the Saturday, the primest of prime nights to have a celebratory dinner out.
So, again, the reminder to make a reservation.
And, naturally, OpenTable would like you to use its platform to do so.
51% of Canadians now believe Valentine's Day is a day to not just celebrate with your significant other, but any loved ones.
That means tables at restaurants over the Valentine's weekend will not just be filled with couples in love looking for romance, but double daters, groups of girlfriends, guy friends or mixed crowds, you and your parents, brothers, sisters or cousins.
Thus, 40% may have trouble making a reservation for Valentine's -- especially if they leave it too late.
“Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance anymore and Canadians are embracing the cultural shift, with 51% saying it’s now about celebrating all kinds of relationships, not just romantic ones¹,” says Matt Davis, senior director at OpenTable Canada.
“Gen Z is really driving this change, with 59% planning a Galentine’s or Palentine’s Day celebration, 22% above the national average, and 65% of them looking to mark the celebrations by dining out."
Valentine's isn't just for established love, either.
53% of single Canadians say they would be open to going out on Valentine's weekend on a first date.
The percentage rose to 65% for Generation Z, those aged 14 to 29.
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The OpenTable survey also shared some Valentine's date dos and don'ts.
67% feel their date should cover the whole bill, 65% like it when their date goes out of their way to compliment the restaurant service and 65% like to see their date leave a generous tip.
Diners don't like it when their date is rude to restaurant staff (83%), doesn't have table manners (81%) or they complain about the restaurant (67%).
Ontario, with the greatest provincial population in the country, has the most romantic restaurants on the list, most of them in Toronto.
BC has 18 restaurants on the list, most of them in populous Vancouver, including Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Steak, Hawksworth and Gotham Steakhouse.
