It’s the waning days of cuffing season, a peak time to pop an SSRI, and often the period of San Antonio’s peskiest weather. Valentine’s Day is still a dangling lure for the hopeless romantic in all of us. If paired off, feel free to get lovey-dovey at these effortlessly amorous local restaurants. If not, check out these picks anyway. There’s nothing wrong with romancing yourself.

Best Quality Daughter
A lot of intellect went into designing this Pearl showpiece, including nods to Chinese constellations, the owner’s bicultural identity, and the building’s Victorian bones. Diners frequently have a more visceral reaction. Swaddled in floral wallpaper and tonal ceilings, BQD is breathlessly beautiful. And the glamor extends to the plate.

Bar Loretta
Usually, one should shy away from bar seating during a celebratory date. Raucous laughter isn’t exactly pillow talk. Yet, the corner seat at this Southtown spot might be one of the coziest perches in town — especially in the evening hours. Share tater tots and steak frites, order a second Negroni. The chatty neighbor will seem a world away.

Bombay Bicycle Club Hemisfair Photo courtesy of Bombay Bicycle Club

Bombay Bicycle Club Hemisfair
Sure, a chicken finger platter might not whisper amour, but who says folks must celebrate love with a filet mignon? While the Hemisfair eatery may serve a workaday menu, the atmosphere is anything but. With some luck, couples will sit in the parlor, enveloped by a gleaming quilt of stained glass panels.

Brasserie Mon Chou Chou
A little Anaïs Nin, a little Colette, this Pearl knockout seduces with tailored banquettes, glittering brass fixtures, and the graceful curve of cafe chairs. In black and white, that would be enough to set the scene for a romantic rendezvous. However, interior designer Joel Mozersky washed the walls in the most flattering soft pink. The glow makes everything seem more elegant, from Champagne to rustic clafoutis. It works on the guests, too.

Hot JoyHot Joy/Facebook

Hoy Joy
Wrapped in enough red to inflame Cupid, the new downtown reinvention of Hot Joy is just as dazzling as its predecessor. The whimsical atmosphere takes some of the edge off the awkward days of new relationships. Who needs to think about what coupling means when being together is so much fun?

Gimme Gimme
Sid and Nancy, Kurt and Courtney. Some couples feel more at home with a Ramones anthem than a Johannes Brahms concerto. While those ill-fated lovers might have tested the limits of intensity, more level heads can still amp up Valentine’s Day at this Southtown bar. The low lighting is ideal for canoodling (but watch those nose rings!), and Miller High Life provides more than enough bubbles.

Leche de Tigre Leche de Tigre/Facebook

Leche de Tigre
Though diners are lucky to nab any seat in the house, the inside of this Southtown cebicheria can get clamorous. It’s a cruel joke that Valentine’s Day in San Antonio lands on one of the most covered-up months, but the outdoor dining space is still enchanting in a puffy parka. Besides, love is supposed to give folks the shivers.

Isadore
With its inky furnishings, brick walls, and gridded shelving, this Pullman Market anchor gives a slightly masc-for-masc vibe. Lighten up and enjoy the flamboyant menu. All the bites in the “snacks” section are clever reinterpretations of American classics, and the Miracle of the Well Martini is as soft as a blush.

Ocho Ocho at Hotel Havana/Facebook

Ocho
A perpetual entry on San Antonio design lists, this boutique hotel restaurant has gained some patina over the years. A few chips have only made the place more inviting. A solarium worthy of the finest fincas, it scripts some of the city’s lustiest telenovelas. The pan-Latin menu brings its own kind of drama.

Signature
Ah, the magic of Provence. Marie Antoinette would undoubtedly get her pastoral jollies in this sprawling dining room arranged around a central hearth. The refined menu makes the most out of rustic ingredients, listing dishes simultaneously approachable and sophisticated. Lose your head over venison served with potato pavé or foie gras with blueberry lemon marmalade.