Valentines Day is considered the most romantic day of the year. It's a chance to spend some quality time with your loved one. For some, the way to a person's heart is through their stomachs. While others prefer a dose of art and culture. Wherever you fall on the spectrum of love, five neighborhoods in Cleveland offer the best of both worlds—from fine dining to scenic streets, cultural institutions and a good drink.
Tremont
Chef-owned fine dining restaurants and galleries line the streets of the historic Tremont neighborhood.
Step into the time where some of the wealthiest people in Cleveland kept their prized monetary possessions at Dante Next Door. If you're looking for a more quaint place that still offers delicious food, Fat Cats has a killer happy hour.
And nothing provides a better backdrop for a romantic photo than the Cleveland skyline. If you happen to be in Tremont at night, walk to University Road, which offers a glowing view of a skyline, Terminal Tower and the Cuyahoga River.
Photo: Alexander Farmer
Little Italy
Nothing is more romantic than Italy, and if you can't make it to the country of love, Cleveland's Little Italy is the next best thing. In this walkable neighborhood with cobblestone streets, couples can walk under the string of lights that cross one side of Mayfield Road to the other, all while the air is engulfed in the smells of Italy—pizza, pasta, pastries and more!
Stop by Mama Santa Restaurant for their signature pizza or Trattoria on the Hill for their signature sauce best paired with their chicken or eggplant parmigiana.
After stuffing your face with homemade pasta, (as neat as possible of course), walk to Corbos Bakery and Cafe for a cannoli packed with a delicious ricotta filling or Presti's Bakery for a smorgasbord of tasty pastries.
Shaker Heights
Less than 15 minutes from downtown Cleveland, Shaker Square is everything you need in a neighborhood square and more. An all-around favorite, Edwins RestaurantandLeadership Institutedishes out some of the best French cuisine in the city. A documentary revealing the true mission of the restaurant received an Oscar nomination. Just across the square is Fire Food and Drink,a restaurant that uses ingredients from local farms as the highlight of their dishes.
Less than a mile away from the square is Larchmere Boulevard—a street filled with top-notch restaurants, vintage and antique stores, cafes and galleries. If your special someone is also a bookworm, step inside a reader's fortress at Loganberry Books. Across the street is Batuqui, serving up eclectic and authentic Brazilian food in a former house. Another neighborhood favorite that has people coming from all over Cleveland to try its mouth-watering takes on international dishes. Located in a former brownstone, Felice Urban Cafe, offers its guest a cozy, at-home atmosphere.
Detroit-Shoreway
The art comes alive in this west side neighborhood. All within walking distance are restaurants, art galleries and cafes that are ideal for a romantic date in this historic neighborhood. Grab your popcorn and wine—yes, wine is sold here— before watching a film at the Capitol Theatre.
If you're feeling hungry or want to grab a small bite to eat before heading out on the town, Toast offers small bites and cocktails during their weekly "Toasty Hour."
Shop until you drop at the Land of Plenty, 6511 Detroit Road, which offers flea market finds in one section of the store with stones, crystals, aromatherapy, plants and clothing in the other.
Top off the night with a heaping, generous scoop of ice cream or a refreshment from a marble-clad soda fountain from Sweet Moses.
University Circle
Surrounded by some of the best art and educational institutions in the country, University Circle offers both entertainment and good food for a perfect evening with that special someone.
The Cleveland Museum of Art or Western Reserve Historical Society's permanent exhibit called 'Cleveland Starts Here' are no-brainers for anyone who appreciates, art, history and the city they call home.
L'Albatros serves French cuisine with a flare. James Beard Award-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer, also the owner of Greenhouse Tavern on E. 4th Street, pays homage to the culture of Trentino, Italy where his wife and her family originate at his sixth restaurant, Trentina.
Craving something sweet but not your traditional ice cream? Piccadilly churns out one of a kind creations by using liquid nitrogen to turn cream into a favorite frozen treat. Watching this ice cream being made is like watching a science experiment but the tastes
