Valentine’s Day has a branding problem. Somewhere between the aggressively overpriced roses and the expectation that romance be summoned on demand, it morphed into a holiday many people endure rather than enjoy. The good news: this year, Valentine’s lands on a Saturday. Which means … brace yourself … you have options. Three days of them, in fact. And with a bit of strategic thinking, Valentine’s can become less about performative romance and more about choosing a genuinely pleasant way to spend your time.
If dinner reservations were snapped up weeks ago by people who plan their lives with military precision, consider a Valentine’s lunch instead. All the charm, a fraction of the chaos, and the deeply underrated reward of being home by bedtime – especially appealing if you’ve raised, are raising, or are currently negotiating with small humans.
Then there’s the radical act of staying in. No babysitter gymnastics. No heels. No hovering server clearing plates mid-conversation. Just good food, good company, and the quiet satisfaction of opting out of the restaurant-industrial complex entirely.
Here are a few sanity-preserving ways to celebrate. Choose your own adventure.
Out & About (Low Drama Edition)
Village Green Picnic
Pick up lunch from Thyme in the Ranch, the sort of charming neighborhood café that makes you wonder why you don’t eat there more often. Grab a blanket, claim a sunny patch of the Village Green, and call it romance without the markup. Extra credit if you insist this was the plan all along.
Italian Comfort, No Apologies
If pasta and candlelight are non-negotiable, Rosina’s Italian Restaurant near Santaluz delivers exactly what it promises: warm hospitality, handmade pasta, rich ragu, fresh fish, and vegetables that haven’t been bullied into submission. Plus, the joy of not doing dishes—a universal love language.
Go Big or Go Home
For those who believe Valentine’s Day should be unapologetically indulgent, the Pony Room at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa is leaning all the way in. A four-course, seafood-forward prix fixe featuring lobster, filet Oscar, truffle ravioli, and red velvet soufflés. At $195 per person, this is less “casual date night” and more “we’re committing to the bit.”
Jazz Under the Plants
If dinner feels predictable, San Diego Botanic Garden’s Candlelit Conservatory offers live jazz, light bites, and drinks beneath cascading greenery. It’s romantic without trying too hard, unexpected in the best way, and blissfully free of mandatory prix fixe menus.
Valentine’s (or Galentine’s) at Home
Cheese Fondue by the Fire
There are few problems that can’t be improved by melted cheese and decent champagne. Apples, roasted potatoes, cured meats, pickles – and for dessert, a flourless chocolate cake or truffles. Congratulations: you’ve just outperformed half the restaurants in town without leaving your living room.
Shrimp Scampi, Zero Reservations
Elegant, light, and faster than waiting for a table. Shrimp sautéed in garlic, butter, and white wine, paired with pasta or crusty bread and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Classic, efficient, and deeply satisfying.
Galentine’s Pajama Brunch (Dinner Edition)
Invite friends to arrive in their softest pajamas for a breakfast-for-dinner spread: savory Indian papeta par eda (eggs over potatoes), yeasted waffles, fresh fruit, and a mimosa bar. Romance optional. Friendship mandatory.
Whether you picnic, splurge, or stay home with a pot of cheese and zero regrets, Valentine’s doesn’t need to be perfect – it just needs to be yours. And honestly, that might be the most romantic idea of all.
Rachel Laffer is a longtime Covenant resident and Editor of the RSF Post.