32 Special-Occasion Recipes for an Unforgettable Date Night These dishes are designed to impress, from lobster risotto to steak au poivre to candied almond affogato. By Bridget Hallinan Bridget Hallinan As an Associate Food Editor, Bridget Hallinan primarily focuses on home cooking content for Food & Wine.com. She writes and edits recipe content, interviews chefs for helpful tips and tricks, and works on franchises such as our cookbook roundups and taste tests. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on February 2, 2026 SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Risha Carnes Whether it’s for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day or a well-deserved night of self-indulgence, an impressive homemade dinner is always a thoughtful move. These fancy dinner ideas are perfect for when you want to show someone how much you care, helping you pull off a restaurant-worthy spread without leaving your kitchen. Start with an elegant appetizer, like silky steak tartare or perfectly seared scallops served à la grenobloise with a bright, briny lemon sauce. For the main event, you can’t go wrong with classic steak au poivre, while lobster risotto and homemade stuffed pasta deliver serious wow factor. And no fancy dinner is complete without dessert — options like Chocolate-Balsamic Pots de Crème ensure a sweet, decadent finish. Start planning your date night now. Love these recipes? With MyRecipes, your personal home for recipes, easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. 01 of 32 Duck à l’Orange Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Jacques Pépin’s version of this French classic features rich, crispy-skinned duck with a bright, citrus-forward sauce that your guest of honor will truly appreciate. Vinegar, orange juice, duck stock, and a splash of liqueur combine for a sauce that pairs beautifully with the bird’s rich dark meat. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 32 Bitter Greens Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless The key to this perfectly tangy-sweet vinaigrette is to first make an easy raspberry shrub from frozen berries. The dressing brings balance to the peppery, spicy mix of arugula, radicchio, and frisée; roasted, salted marcona almonds and burrata cheese balls provide an elegant finish. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 32 Crisp Paupiettes of Sea Bass in Barolo Sauce Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Risha Carnes Classic, elegant, and utterly delicious, this dish from chef Daniel Boulud features a symphony of perfectly tender fish swaddled in thin, crisp potatoes atop a luscious layer of melted leeks and rich red wine sauce. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 32 Chocolate-Balsamic Pots de Crème Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Aged balsamic vinegar brings out the fruity notes of bittersweet chocolate in these silky single-serving desserts from Marianne Williams, which are topped with whipped ricotta and amarena cherries. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 32 Asparagus Caesar with Pecorino Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Asparagus marries well with all sorts of mains; here, it's drizzled with Caesar dressing, dusted with grated pecorino, and sprinkled with smoky almonds for an elevated side that brings the romance in vegetable form. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 32 Steak au Poivre with Red Wine Pan Sauce Cara Cormack Steak au poivre is a timeless choice for a romantic meal worth lingering over. Thankfully, you won't need to linger long in the kitchen to put it on the table — the peppery steak and rich pan sauce come together in a mere 20 minutes. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 32 Black Cod with Miso Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This simplified recipe means you can start marinating in the morning to serve a version of chef Nobu Matsuhisa's iconic, elegant miso cod — a signature at restaurants around the world — for dinner. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 32 Salmon Wellington Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Barrett Washburne Top Chef winner Buddha Lo’s reimagined Wellington features salmon loin wrapped with cabbage leaves, shrimp, nori, and puff pastry, baked to golden perfection. The pastry slices cleanly, revealing elegant layers — a true centerpiece-worthy entrée. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 32 French Onion–Stuffed Onions Chris Simpson / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by AUDREY DAVIS This whole roasted onion hints at the pleasures of French onion soup with its stuffing of beefy caramelized onions. The white onion itself, already mild, mellows further while roasting and offsets the sweet intensity of the Frenched onions. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 32 Lobster Risotto Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Lobster and saffron come together in creamy arborio rice for a simple yet luxurious dish that's perfect for a special dinner. You'll need a pound of meat to make it — no live lobster required. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 32 Smoked Mozzarella Mezzelune with Braised Onion Sauce Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Missie Neville Crawford This crescent-shaped stuffed pasta is easier to make at home than it looks, requiring minimal equipment. It’s filled with rosemary and smoked mozzarella, then paired with a thick, robust, slow-cooked tomato-onion sauce. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 32 Candied Almond Affogato Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee All you need to make this elegant, end-of-meal treat is a scoop or two of gelato and a shot of hot espresso. Fancify with almond liqueur, candied almonds, and crushed amaretti cookies as desired. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 32 Butter-Basted Sous Vide Pork Chops with Fennel and Coriander Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Using the sous vide method guarantees perfectly juicy, tender pork. Spooning butter over the chop as it sears in the skillet along with garlic, sage, and shallot infuses the meat with incredible flavor. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 32 Scallop Grenobloise Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Deeply seared scallops develop a crisp, golden exterior before being finished in a lively sauce that balances citrusy sharpness, saline depth, and a gentle kick from subtly spicy jalapeños. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 32 Potatoes au Gratin Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke In this rich, beautiful gratin, potatoes and onions are arranged in concentric circles, coated in a creamy cheese sauce, and topped off with a few more handfuls of shredded cheese before the whole dish takes a quick pass under the broiler for a golden, bubbling finish. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 32 Lemon-Tarragon Shrimp Scampi with Orzo Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Your date doesn't need to know that this juicy shrimp over creamy orzo, prepared with white wine, garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs, took only half an hour to put together. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 32 Chicken and Mushroom Fricassee Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Skyler Meyers / Prop Styling by Alexandria Juhl Writer and recipe developer Joy Manning's modern, lightened-up adaptation of chicken fricassee uses just a fraction of the dish's typical cream without sacrificing flavor. Made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and plenty of mushrooms, it comes together in half an hour in a single pan. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 32 Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic-Herb Butter Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Stylist / Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco Get pro tips from pitmaster Chris Lilly for achieving perfectly grilled steak. Here, he marinates tenderloins in freshly ground black pepper and dark brown sugar; once they come off the grates, he tops them with garlic-herb butter and lets them rest to absorb all that flavor. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 32 Dirty Martini Baked Potatoes Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Add gin-soaked olives and sharp blue cheese to twice-baked russet potatoes for a side that stands out. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 32 Beef Tenderloin Tartare with Anchovy-Cornichon Vinaigrette Aubrie Pick Turn a prime-grade filet into a restaurant-worthy appetizer in two hours. Chef Daisy Ryan adds quick-pickled red onion to her fabulous vinaigrette, which is folded into the cubed beef to infuse it with flavor. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 32 Ginger-and-Soy-Marinated Mussels Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Chef Aisling Moore steams mussels in Shaoxing wine with garlic and ginger, then chills them in a tangy mix of rice vinegar and white soy sauce plus some of the reserved cooking liquid. Serve with a smashed cucumber salad or over warm rice for a showstopping appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 32 Cheesy Mille-Feuille with Confit Tomatoes Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Shell Royster For chef Joshua Pinsky's savory take on the classic French dessert, shatteringly crisp layers of buttery puff pastry are stacked with melted Brie and garlicky, herb-infused tomato confit. The result is both stunning and irresistible. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 32 Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad Dylan + Jeni / Food Styling by Brett Long / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva 2018 F&W Best New Chef Katianna Hong slow-cooks meaty lamb shanks until fall-off-the-bone tender before brushing them with hot mustard, crisping them in a skillet, and serving over a fresh herb salad. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 32 Molten Chocolate Cake Jennifer Causey Impressive, iconic, and utterly irresistible, these tender cakes oozing with warm, gooey chocolate are surprisingly easy to make and ready to serve in under an hour. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 32 Squid Ink Fettuccine with Shrimp, Squid, and Scallops Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne Up the ante by making your own silky strands of squid ink fettuccine, then toss with spicy Calabrian chile tomato sauce and a medley of fresh seafood for a truly memorable meal. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 32 Porchetta Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle A fragrant combination of kale, fennel, garlic, and lemon fills this tender, juicy pork roast that develops a crispy exterior in the oven. Assemble it in advance to let the flavors meld before baking it off. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 32 Japanese Eggplant with Black Garlic–Tahini Dressing Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Pan-seared Japanese eggplant is beautifully coated in a tangy dressing made with black garlic and creamy tahini for an elegant side in half an hour. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 32 Neoclassic Seafood Salad Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Chef Alfred Portale’s iconic seafood salad from Gotham Bar and Grill showcases pristine seafood — lobster, scallops, shrimp, and mussels — gently poached and quickly chilled to preserve its clean, briny sweetness. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 32 Thousand-Layer Duck Fat Potatoes Victor Protasio Duck fat lends richness to London chef Shaun Searley's crispy, fluffy potatoes, a worthy labor of love for a showstopping meal. Use King Edward, Kennebec, or Yukon Gold potatoes for the best texture. Get the Recipe Save 30 of 32 Red Wine–Roasted Beets with Tahini Yogurt Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Wine-cooked beets take on tart sumac, piquant peppercorns, and softly sweet green cardamom, their earthy richness deepened rather than masked by the fruity red wine. The beets are draped over a billowy yogurt laced with tahini and turmeric, then finished with crunchy pistachios, fragrant herbs, and a final veil of sumac. Get the Recipe Save 31 of 32 Crab Pithivier with Scallop Frangipane Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Chef Angie Mar's pretty pithiviers marry French technique with bold flavor. Rich crab en croûte is bound with tender scallop frangipane and surrounded by a pool of bright sherry sauce. Get the Recipe Save 32 of 32 Grand Marnier Soufflé Greg DuPree Dramatic, delicately flavored orange soufflés are perfect for punctuating an intimate dinner. Named one of our 40 best in 2018, the recipe offers detailed instructions for stress-free success regardless of your skill level. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Holidays & Occasions Valentine's Day Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit