Where to go for Valentine's Day dinner in N.J.

Whether you're looking for grand elegance or cozy charm and gracious service, Morris County restaurateurs are eager to help you escape the everyday this Valentine's Day weekend.

"We try to build a little haven away from the crazy world,'' said Saverio Allocca, owner of L'Allegria, an Italian restaurant in Madison, known for its romantic atmosphere. "The dining room is not designed as an open area — it has all kinds of nooks and crannies. It's very romantic. We designed it that way.''

You'll feel like you're sitting in the outdoor garden of a European villa when you look over the extensive dinner menu. Allocca said he sees no need for any special holiday packages. "We never raise prices or do any gimmicks,'' he said, noting that the restaurant will offer several appetizer and entrée specials, as it always does.

The dinner menu features appetizers ranging in price from $11.50 to 18.75. Dinner entrees range from $18 pasta dishes to grilled milk-fed veal for $39. Allocca said he's most proud of his lobster dish, which features chunks of lobster meat, flamed with cognac and bourbon and returned to the shell bathed with a creamy tomato sauce ($39).

Located at 11 Prospect Street in Madison, L'Allegria can be reached at (973) 377-6808, or at www.llagegria.com.

Friday or Sunday night options

Though Feb. 14 falls on a Saturday this year, consider choosing Friday and Sunday nights as options for your special meal. Restaurants offer the same romantic setting on these days, without limited menus and special pricing. Possibly smaller crowds and even more attentive service make these days appealing for dining out.

Some other Morris County venues to consider this weekend include:

The Market, Harding

995 Mount Kemble Road, Morristown, (908) 502-5106, www.marketharding.com

An upscale casual dining room features American cuisine with a French influence and offers a full menu on Feb. 14. Dinner is served Friday, from 5 to 10 p.m. and a brunch starts things off from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Dinner is served on Sunday, from 5 to 9 p.m.

The night before Valentine's Day is often popular, according to manager Joe DePrima. "We have specials and a full menu on those nights as well,'' he said.

The restaurant is nestled along the "Country Mile,'' between Morristown and Bernardsville and is housed in a 19th Century farmhouse. A contemporary interior features natural elements and a subdue décor features wood, raw steel, stone and antique Edison bulbs.

Menu favorites include Braised Short Ribs ($29), Handmade Fettuccine (with jumbo shrimp) ($27) and Pan Roasted Mahi Mahi, ($28). A raw bar and several dinner salads are also offered.

The Grand Café, Morristown

42 Washington Street, (973) 540-9444, www.thegrandcafe.com

Even the exterior of this Morristown treasure is romantic. Elegant, inside and out, with a luxurious feel, The Grand Café delivers French contemporary cuisine in a delightful, formal setting. Waiters still wear tuxedos and treat guests like royalty in this charming three-story townhouse in downtown Morristown.

On Saturday, they will feature a price-fixed menu. For $95 per person, guest may choose any appetizer, entrée and dessert on the menu. Salad is also included for all.

On Friday night, the regular menu is offered and there is still seating availability. Valentine's Day tends to book quickly, according to

Desmond Lloyd, who has owned the restaurant for 34 years with his wife, Alice. But Lloyd will happily add names to a waiting list, as often cancellations occur.

Prices on the dinner menu range from Grill Angus New York Sirloin ($39.99) to a Whole Wheat Vegetarian Pasta ($19.95). The side offerings are available for purchase, and include sautéed wild mushrooms, macaroni and cheese and grilled asparagus. A generous selection of soups and salads rounds out the menu. The Grand Café is open for dinner this Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 9:30 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.

Tabor Road Tavern, Morris Plains

510 Tabor Road, Morris Plains (973)-267-7004 www.harvestrestaurants.com

With its cozy ski-lodge feel and warm, glowing double-facing fireplace, the Tabor Road Tavern makes a great location for a snug Valentine's Day dinner.

More than 3,000 bottles of wine fill its spacious wine cellar and a full bar with dramatic high ceilings is always hopping. Open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Valentine's Day, the restaurant offers its full menu and several chef's additions to the regular menu.

Dinner entrees range in price from $20 to $35, and include beef, chicken and seafood options.

Redwoods Grill and Bar, Chester

459 Main Street, Chester (908) 879-7909

Chef's specials and the complete menu will be offered at Redwoods, where reservations are strongly recommended for the holiday. In honor of Valentine's Day, a special Surf n' Turf platter for two will be offered. Sporting a neat and casual atmosphere, the Redwoods dining room can take on a romantic feel with dim lighting and twinkle lights for decoration. "We've had a few different people who have been here for their first date and then had their wedding rehearsal here, too,'' said Daniel Scala, manager of the restaurant.

Entrees include Wood Grilled Filet Mignon ($29.99) to Absolut Chicken ($18.99). Small plates are available of Crab Cakes, Pecan Crusted Pork Tenderloin and Roasted Fig and Goat Cheese Ravioli, and all are less than $12.99. You can finish with Warm Apple Crisp ($5.99) – their most popular dessert for 18 years. The dining room is open Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and from noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Scalini Fedeli, Chatham

63 Main Street, Chatham Township, (973) 701-9200, www.scalinifedeli.com.

Tucked inside a 260-year-old New Jersey farmhouse, the interior of Scalini Fedeli features high vaulted ceilings, antique pine floors and evokes a distinctly Tuscan feel. The cuisine is modern Italian with a French flair.

For Valentine's Day, a price-fixed dinner is offered at $100 per person. Liquor, taxes and gratuities are extra. The complete price-fixed menu, plus chef's specials, is available on Friday and Sunday. The holiday menu features of choice of select appetizers, entrées and a sampling of desserts; a trio on each plate.

Decorated with balloons and flattering, romantic lighting, the white-linen dining room is the place to be for a cozy dinner for two on a special occasion. It seats about 90 people and in an elegant atmosphere. Reservations are required for Saturday and only a few remain.

Jockey Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Morristown

110 South Street, Morristown, (973) 644-3180, www.jockeyhollowbarandkitchen.com.

Jockey Hollow Bar + Kitchen will mark its first Valentine's Day with a different dining experience in each of its renovated Vail Mansion rooms.

A five-course tasting menu will be served upstairs in The Dining Room, ($120), a four-course dinner in The Oyster Bar ($90 per person) and a three-course dinner in the Rathskeller ($75).

Central Jersey restaurants

Fiddleheads in Jamesburg will serve brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner beginning at 4:30 p.m. On the dinner menu: roasted vegetable naan pizzette, stuffed risotto balls, smoked tomato bisque, pistachio salmon, and sage mushroom tortellini. Dinner is $45 per person. Fiddleheads is at 27 East Railroad Ave.; call 732-521-0878.

The Shannon Rose Irish Pub in Woodbridge will serve a three-course meal that includes oysters on the half shell, Chesapeake crab cakes, a 10-ounce prime rib and grilled mahi mahi. For dessert, there's pecan pie and apple tart. Dinner is $30 per person and includes a glass of champagne. The Shannon Rose Irish Pub is at 855 Saint Georges Ave.; call 732-636-6100.

The Frog and The Peach in New Brunswick is hosting a dinner that begins with an amuse of Carolina shrimp, andouille sausage and Creole mustard rémoulade, appetizers of truffled chicken noodle soup and cured tuna sashimi; entrees of grilled lamb shank with kobacha squash puree and seared day boat sea scallops with sesame peanut noodle, among other dishes, and for dessert there's Valrhona chocolate marquise, sticky toffee pudding and classic créme brûlée. Dinner is $85. The Frog and The Peach is at 29 Dennis St.; call 732-846-3216.

Bernards Inn, Bernardsville

"The experience here will be the exact same all weekend,'' said Jeff Worster, restaurant manager at the Bernards Inn in Bernardsville. "We've been ranked as one of the most romantic restaurants in New Jersey. It's something we specialize on a nightly basis. It's what we do best.''

While holidays give establishments like the Bernards Inn a chance to shine, they also are important to the fiscal health of the state's restaurants, which are the largest private-sector employers in the state, said Marilou Halvorsen, president of the New Jersey Restaurant Association. New Jerseyans spend a lot of money on eating out, from fast food to fine dining. The state's 24,000 eating establishments, which employ some 317,000 individuals, pump about $12 billion annually into the economy.

"Valentine's Day and Mother's Day tend to be the biggest holidays because no one wants to cook on those days," Halvorsen said. "Going out is just a nice way to celebrate those special people in our lives, whether you are going to a sentimental favorite or going as a family."

Last year, restaurateurs lost business on the big Valentine's holiday because of wintry weather, Halvorsen said, adding that the lost revenue also impacted the suppliers who support the industry. So having the holiday fall on a Saturday, and being able to celebrate it on surrounding days is not only good for customers but good for New Jersey restaurants overall.

Worster said his facility — a luxurious 1907 inn and restaurant — is made for occasions such as Valentine's Day. The Great Room in the historic hotel features a fire in its stone fireplace, while a grand piano greets visitors to the Library Piano Bar.

The Bernards Inn will feature a $118 per person, price-fixed menu on Saturday, and will seat guests from 5:30 p.m. until 9:45 p.m. On Friday and Sunday, guests have the entire menu to choose from, including a 1,500-bottle wine list and entrees such as Long Island duck breast, ($36) and poached Maine lobster ($42). Appetizers include fried veal sweetbreads, ($16) and crispy coconut shrimp, ($18).

The Bernards Inn is at 27 Mine Brook Road and can be reached at 908-766-0001 or www.bernardsinn.com

Bistro 1051

1051 Raritan Road, Clark 732-680-1051 www.bistro1051.com

Romantic lighting and music will greet diners at Bistro 1051, which will be decorated for the occasion. The restaurant will offer its full menu all weekend, including Valentine's dinner specials, ranging in price from $20 to $35 including Rack of Lamb, Filet Mignon and Surf and Turf. A large variety of special desserts will also be featured.

The elegant dining room, which seats 120, will be adorned with roses and hearts for the occasion. Reservations are suggested.

The Clinton House

2 West Main St., Clinton 908-730-9300 www.theclintonhouse.com

This landmark restaurant is a favorite in Hunterdon County and offers a comfortable, classic ambience. For Valentine's Day, the dining room with feature its complete menu plus several added holiday specials, all served near its stone hearth. A steel bridge, river, waterfall and Old Red Mill are within a short stroll of the front door.

The dinner menu features standards such asgrilled salmon ($26), lobster tails ($40) and grilled extra thick lamb chops ($36), while the appetizers include smoked brook trout ($12) and baked imported brie ($11).

Reservations are suggested for dinner in the 1743 farmhouse, and a holiday atmosphere will prevail all weekend.

Café Azzurro

141 Main St., Peapack-Gladstone, 908-470-1470 www.cafeazzurronj.com

A simple, eclectic atmosphere greets visitors to this exciting restaurant in Peapack-Gladstone. Featuring classic Northern Italian cuisine, including fresh seafood, varied meat and poultry entrees and traditional pasta offerings.

For Valentine's Day, the more casual eatery will feature its complete menu and several holiday specials. Reservations are required.

Bonefish Grill

621 Route 1, Iselin section of Woodbridge, 732-634-7379 www.bonefishgrill.com

In the casual eatery just opposite the Woodbridge Center shopping mall, the full regular menu will be available, as well as several specials. Additionally, a preset dinner for two is being offered. It features, for $29.90 per person, a choice of filet mignon, lobster tail or imperial topped chilean sea bass with a stuffing of shrimp, scallops and crabmeat toped with a lemon butter caper sauce. Two salads are included, as is a sharable chocolate crème brule dessert.

The dining room seats 200 people and is open on Valentine's Day from 11 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. It features romantic mood lighting, warm hues and a pristine oak wood floor.

The Sergeantsville Inn

601 Rosemont Ringoes Road, Sergeantsville section of Delaware Township, 609-397-3700 www.sergeantsvilleinn.com.

Offering an upscale atmosphere in a friendly neighborhood setting, The Sergeantville Inn offers a full bar and food from the highest-quality hormone- and antibiotic-free ingredients.

Built in the 1700s, the stone inn still uses its original fireplaces. Featuring four elegant dining areas, the historic structure has served as a grocery store and a feed store during the 1700s and 1800s. Charming and quiet, the inn offers a romantic retreat for Valentine's Day and will feature its complete menu and several dinner specials Saturday night. The holiday atmosphere will be present on Friday and Sunday nights, as well, with smaller crowds and a better chance at a choice reservation.

Popular choices for appetizers include blackened crab cake, presented with a roasted red pepper puree, ($11), and escargot, ($12). entrees include pan-seared pheasant, ($28), and buffalo hangar steak, ($26). Specials change nightly and feature game, seafood and, usually, steak and appetizer specials, as well. An award-winning, comprehensive wine list complements the offerings

Jersey shore restaurants

Scarborough Fair

At one time a farmhouse, this Sea Girt restaurant has been named the Shore's "most romantic" by OpenTable diners, a distinction it takes pride in.

Couples can settle into private tables tucked into nooks along the stairway, and enjoy their meal by candlelight. Treat your Valentine to appetizers of oysters Rockefeller with sautéed spinach and Champagne Hollandaise sauce; chilled jumbo shrimp cocktail with wild shrimp, pomegranate cocktail sauce and avocado salsa; and escargot en croute, made with puff pastry, brie, garlic butter and Pernod.

For dinner, try wild mushroom ravioli with sundried tomatoes and black truffle oil; filet mignon with Cabernet reduction, haricot verts and mashed potatoes; New Zealand baby rack of lamb with a dijon and herbed breadcrumb crust, Merlot demi glace, sautéed Brussels sprouts and wild rice, or horseradish-crusted grouper with coconut curry sauce, asparagus and herbed risotto

For dessert, there's the Hot and Cold Affair — warm apple pie and vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce — caramel vanilla crème brulee with white chocolate, or dark chocolate flourless cake with raspberry sauce.

Scarborough Fair is at 1414 Meetinghouse Road in Sea Girt; call 732-223-6658 or visit http://scarboroughfairrestaurant.com.

Whispers

Evoke the romance of days gone with dinner at Whispers, a 19th century lakefront Victorian that once served as a vacation spot for the wealthy. The restaurant, situated in the Hewitt Wellington Hotel, has an impressive front porch surrounded by gazebos.

Whispers, like Scarborough Fair, has been recognized by OpenTable diners — in 2013, it was named one of the top 100 restaurants in the country that specializes in American cuisine.

This weekend, choose from appetizers of homemade gnocchi with wild mushrooms, vegetables and sage butter; the ancho grilled shrimp, with pear radicchio slaw and lemon basil aioli, black sea bass with saffron vegetable cous cous and rock shrimp saffron velute. For dinner, try the 11/2-pound lobster served with a crab cake, fresh spinach, mashed potatoes and saffron beurre blanc, or grilled filet mignon with baby carrots, haricot verts and a green peppercorn demi sauce.

For dessert, there's chocolate ganache cake, pecan tart, and fig and walnut gelato, among other offerings.

Whispers is at 200 Monmouth Ave. in Spring Lake; call 732-974-9755 or visit www.whispersrestaurant.com.

Moonstruck

This three-tiered, lakefront beauty oozes romance, especially when lit up at night.

"When you come to Moonstruck, we want you to relax and enjoy that feeling of amore," says the restaurant's website. "Sip an aperitif in the lounge while listening to some romantic music, or have a cocktail on the porch overlooking Wesley Lake."

This Valentine's Day, try bruschetta caponata, grilled bread with Sicilian eggplant ragout; Portuguese clams sauteed with onion, garlic, chorizo, chile peppers, and white wine; brie en croute with baby greens, fresh fruit and raspberry vinaigrette. For your entree, there's fettuccine and grilled salmon tarragon with cream, tomato and white wine; sesame grilled tuna with ginger-soy-wasabi drizzle and buckwheat noodle salad; and raspberry chicken boneless breast with raspberry sauce and brown rice.

Moonstruck is at 517 Lake Ave.in Asbury Park; call 732-988-0123 or visit www.moonstrucknj.com.

Antoinetta's

A view of the water will enhance your Valentine's Day dinner at this West Creek restaurant, which overlooks Manahawkin Bay and the Forsythe National Preserve.

The Victorian-style restaurant is known for its seafood, Mediterranean and Italian dishes in a casually elegant atmosphere. Start off with seafood bisque made with Spanish sherry or Rhode Island calamari with aged balsamic glaze, then enjoy wild-caught Chilean sea bass with basil oil, sauteed spinach and white truffled mushroom risotto or cheese tortellini with homemade red pepper-infused meat sauce or marinara sauce, and crème brulee with vanilla bean and brown sugar or raspberry sorbet.

Antoinetta's is at 523 Cedar Run Dock Road in West Creek; call 609-978-9785 or visit www.antoinettas.com.

Contributing: Sarah Griesemer

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