If the old saying is true, and the surest way to a person’s heart is through the stomach, then we should all do much, much better than convenience store candy on Valentine’s Day—especially as New Yorkers. (After all, is there any place on earth less conducive to romance than a 24-hour pharmacy?)
Short on compelling, affordable alternatives? We’ve got an idea or two. Why not plan a cozy night at home, and order a personalized, heart-shaped pie from Williamsburg Pizza? Or, should you prefer sweets for your sweet, there are all kinds of charming confections on offer from Ladurée, as well as at the cult-favorite baked good shop, Supermoon Bakehouse.
You needn’t plan a twelve-course meal to make an impression this month, but a well-chosen treat can make all the difference. Here, a few suggestions:
Chocolates by Bill Yosses
At Palais by Perfect Pie, chef Bill Yosses has overhauled the humble bon-bon for Valentine’s Day, crafting a scrumptious box of chocolates in flavors as various as jalapeño, pisco, strawberry and mint. Staying for dinner? The bistro’s menu come February 14 will be similarly thoughtful, including dishes like the I’d Steak My Life On It—roasted halibut steak with spinach and roasted red pepper sauce.
Supermoon Bakehouse’s “Sweetie Pie”
Beloved for its inventive (and indulgent) array of croissants, doughnuts, and “cruffins,” Supermoon Bakehouse presents the delightfully over-the-top “Sweetie Pie” this month: Sumptuous layers of rose and white chocolate mousse, chocolate glaze, cubes of Champagne jelly (!), rose petals, rose chantilly bulbs, and dehydrated strawberries top a dark chocolate graham cracker crust.
Heart-Shaped Williamsburg Pizza—Plus Flowers
While you can order Williamsburg Pizza’s popular heart-shaped pie—with a name or message of your choosing scrawled on it in ricotta cheese—any day of the year, stop into the chain’s new 14th Street outpost on February 14th to bundle a pizza with one of Popupflorist s pretty bouquets for just $40.
Café Kitsuné’s Beetroot Latte
At Café Kitsune, where Franco-Japanese chic meets sleek, Manhattan modernism, warm your loved one’s heart (and hands) with a deep pink Beetroot Latte, available only for a limited time.
Special-edition macarons from Ladurée
One can hardly go wrong with Ladurée, but for Valentine’s Day this year, the famed patisserie has whipped up an extra-special collection. The “Super Macaron”—heart-shaped and blush-pink—is filled with mango ganache and hints of turmeric and ginger (two notable aphrodisiacs), while the “Macaron Oh La La” melds passion fruit and dark chocolate. For a grander gesture, share an oversized Gourmet Macaron, filled with pineapple, mango, and passion fruit compote, plus cocoa-infused whipped cream.