A bottle of wine is key to romantic dining, and 360 Wine Bar Bistro has more than 900 selections on its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence list. Thankfully, 360 also offers the services of expert chef Will Ulhhorn or sommelier Elise Loehr who will guide you to taste and price-point harmony. Lovebirds who want to wine and dine as privately as possible should request Table 35 in the rear corner; those who aren’t shy about their fondness for one another and enjoy people watching can perch side-by-side on Table 38’s elevated half-moon banquette. Share the intoxicating Chocolate Hazelnut Torte and linger over a snifter of port. 6000 Hwy. 100; 615-353-5604 • 360bistro.com
For a romantic night downtown, visit the Capitol Grille, located within Nashville's historic Hermitage Hotel. Request a table in the 60s range for the perfect spot to admire the art, atmosphere, and your date. With this vantage, you'll be seated next to the beautiful murals at the back of the restaurant. Begin (or end) your evening with a selection from the extensive wine list at the Oak Bar, the beautifully restored, private retreat next door. 231 6th Ave. N.; 615-345-7116 • capitolgrillenashville.com
Flyte’s new chef is entertaining diners with his brand of clever cuisine. Mike Moranski has made a conscious effort to bring down the cost of some of his popular entrees without sacrificing quality or creativity, but perhaps the best bargain is the chance to watch him and his talented staff working their magic from any of the four tables located in the kitchen area of the restaurant. Playfully referred to as Flyte’s “Kitchen Coliseum, x93 the tables can be configured to hold from two to 18 diners right in the middle of the action. While it’s not exactly a chef’s table, there’s no better spot in town to witness the organized chaos that goes on behind the scenes. 718 Division St.; 615-255-6200 • flytenashville.com
If an evening at Giovanni’s doesn’t leave you humming “That’s Amore, x93 you are clearly romantically flat-lined. Giovanni Francescotti spared no expense in creating a multi-sensory seduction that hits every pleasure point. The décor is elegant and lavish: leather upholstered chairs, an Italian marble-topped bar clad in buttery Hermes orange leather, a grand, curving staircase that winds upward from the foyer to the second floor, framing a stunning pumpkin-hued Murano glass chandelier imported from Venice in 11 boxes and painstakingly re-assembled here. Chef Giovani Pinnato likewise came to Nashville from Venice—albeit fully assembled and via New York—to re-create owner Giovanni’s most beloved dishes of Northern Italy. Fall in love, Italian style, from Table 75, on the second floor. 909 20th Ave. S.; 615-760-5932 • giovanninashville.com
Hideout with your honey under the warm, wooden trusses of Kayne Prime. Known for their Wagyu strip and locally-farmed meats, this Gulch spot offers a table in a more hidden, private area of the restaurant—ask for "the nook" by name. Before you pop the question, notify the staff when making a reservation and champagne and a decadent dessert platter will be waiting for you. 1103 McGavock St.; 615-259-0050 • mstreetnashville.com/restaurants/kayne-prime
Margot McCormack and Jay Fein’s rustic French-Italian restaurant is the quintessential Provence or Tuscany neighborhood bistro that fortuitously took up an American residence in East Nashville’s Five Points. Street level is where the action is thanks to McCormack’s open kitchen (where she creates a new menu daily), cheek-to-cheek banquette seating, chatty regulars at the small bar and lively enclosed brick patio. Couples who want to get away from it all slip upstairs to the mezzanine, where Table 63 hugs the wall to the right and Table 23 cozies up to the rail on the left. Set the stage for an evening that sparkles with the French 75—a delectable cocktail of Prosecco, Hendrick’s Gin, lemon, and simple syrup. 1017 Woodland St.; 615-227-4668 • margotcafe.com
Sometimes a quiet cozy home setting in the ideal romantic night. Originally an old home, Park Cafe offers a secluded room for couples. Ask for tables 42 or 43. They are located in a separate room of their own next to the window. As this was once the sun room of house Park Cafe pairs a laid-back dining experience with upscale and local innovative cuisine. 4403 Murphy Rd.; 615-383-4409 • parkcafenashville.com
Any seat inside this hot new eatery offers a view of its sexy décor and dramatic chandelier, but one particular table puts diners on top of the world. Nicknamed “The Vista x93 by Prima staff, this upper-level table overlooking the entire space is the restaurant’s most sought-after. The Vista can be reserved for four to six diners, and Prima strives to limit the size of parties at this spot so that they can maintain their exemplary service—wine and food servers have to travel up and down a staircase to take care of their VIPs. The lucky diners can gawk at Prima’s urban views…and be just steps away from the restaurant’s massive 3,000-bottle wine collection. 700 12th Ave. S.; 615-873-4232 • primanashville.com Photo by Mandy Whitley
Dine fireside in the intimate setting of Union Station's Prime 108 restaurant, complete with stain glass windows and hand-blown chandeliers. Low-lighting and excellent service they're known for provide the backdrop to an unforgettable evening. 1001 Broadway; 615-620-5665 • prime108.com
There’s nothing like sitting next to a window overlooking the hustle and bustle of a busy Main Street to make a couple feel like they’re in their own little world. The brick-walled second floor dining room of downtown Franklin’s Red Pony Restaurant has two such bird’s eye views with their own private perch: Tables 25 and 26. The martini menu shakes up—or stirs—pheromones with potions like The Vixen, The French Kiss, and the Hot & Dirty. If you’re in more of an opposites attract relationship, chef-owner Jason McConnell meets the challenge in an eclectic menu that balances global flavors and southern comfort in sophisticated style and playful presentation. 408 Main St. Franklin; 615-595-7669 • redponyrestaurant.com
Walking into high ceilings and rich wooden archways, Saffire's 'blue room' dining area allows for an intimate and urban experience. For side-by-side window seating ask for table 44, or enjoy the courtyard view at table 42. Sink into a romantic evening with one of their notable cocktails—try the pomegranate martini with floating rose petals or complimentary champagne for those celebrating anniversaries. 230 Franklin Rd; Franklin; 615-599-4995 • saffirerestaurant.com
Honeyed golden light spills through heavy glass windows and beckons guests into the charming two-story brick building that has anchored the 6th and Monroe corner of historic Germantown for well over a century. Since 1989, The Mad Platter has hung its modest sign over the original double door, which opens into a quaint dining room with plaster walls, crooked floors, book-lined shelves and just 20 linen-draped tables. Countless anniversaries have been celebrated—often over the restaurant’s signature five-course dinner with the Bananas Foster grand finale—at either Table 3 in the rear corner, or Table 9 against the right wall beside the antique stove.1239 6th Ave. N.; 615-242-2563 • themadplatterrestaurant.com
The Treehouse offers one of the most whimsical dining opportunities in town: sitting in the actual tree house that gives the eatery its name. The experience is decidedly casual, with a picnic-style table to complement chef Todd Alan Martin’s menu, which is designed for sharing. The backyard perch can seat up to “ten football players or twelve cheerleaders, x93 laughs Corey Ladd, the restaurant’s cofounder. Diners have to climb a narrow set of stairs to be seated; once inside, they’re rewarded with space heaters and a heated floor. 1011 Clearview Ave.; 615-454-4201 • treehousenashville.com
Romantic nights don't have to be complicated to be special—share traditional Italian dishes and fine wine in downtown Nashville. What could be more appropriate than Valentino's on Valentines Day? Enjoy table 64 next to a crackling fireplace, one of the more secluded cellar tables or seated near John E. who will serenade you from the piano. 1907 West End Ave.; 615-327-0148 • valentinosnashville.com
Snag a secluded corner for two at table 33. This candlelit corner is nestled in the back far left of the restaurant for an undisturbed dinner. This date night mainstay in the Gulch also has cozy sit side-by-side spots where you can dine and take in some people watching—ask for table 20 that peers out into the glowing dining room. For a picturesque skyline view request table 6. No matter where you choose to sit, this Valentines weekend Watermark makes a smart move by doling out roses to all the ladies. 507 12th Ave. S.; 615-254-2000 • watermark-restaurant.com