Shakespeare was onto something when he declared music the food of love. But, sometimes, food is the food of love – as seen in our list of London’s best romantic restaurants. Looking for a classy joint for Valentine’s Day? A sensuous spot to impress a first date? Or just a year-round location to keep the fires of love from going completely cold? From chic French spots to elevated Japanese joints, we’ve got something for every amorous encounter (including some of London’s best restaurants, full stop). Of course, a cheap date is seldom a romantic date so do be prepared to splash some cash.

Bellanger

From the crew behind The Wolseley, The Delaunay, and Brasserie Zédel comes this gorgeous homage to the golden era of the European grand café – a stunning art nouveau creation complete with polished wood panelling, smoky mirrors and flattering golden lighting. Cosy up over ‘up-luxed’ prawn cocktails, crunchy-coated veal schnitzel, buttery coq au riesling and a roster of irresistible desserts.

Berners Tavern

Surely the grandest and most glamorous of Jason Atherton’s Midas-touch restaurants, this place is a real humdinger and a shoo-in for seduction. The huge lobby bar looks fabulous, but the vast baroque-style dining room, with its ornate plasterwork ceiling and portrait-lined walls, is even more alluring. Prices are high, but the lights are low, and lovers can expect luscious indulgence from the off.

Claude’s Kitchen

Set above the Amuse Bouche Champagne bar in Fulham, this bijou room now does duty as a terrific neighbourhood restaurant with a charmingly casual vibe that’s ideally suited to amorous couples. Chef Claude Compton serves up serious modern bistro food with help from some of the nicest staff in town – it’s all ultra-efficient, warm and welcoming, exactly what’s needed in such neighbourly surrounds.

Hawksmoor Air Street

The Hawksmoor name means masculine clubby interiors and a penchant for the best of British beef, but this capacious offshoot overlooking Regent Street also adds a generous helping of luxury seafood to its offer. As ever, the atmosphere crackles and engaging staff are bang on the money, while cosy booths, snugs and corners make it irresistible for couples.

Henrietta

Having closed Michelin-starred Dabbous and Barnyard, Ollie Dabbous has teamed up with the guys from the Experimental Cocktail Club and (temporarily) pitched camp in Charlotte Street’s Henrietta Hotel. The result is cool, chilled and carefree, a restaurant with soul and a liking for seasonal Brit-Nordic food – not to mention staff with bags of passion and personality. What better for that special date?

J Sheekey Atlantic Bar

J Sheekey’s two-unit Atlantic Bar lures lovers in with its red canopies on St Martin’s Court. What could appeal more than the chance to knock back a plate of native oysters overlooked by photos of the finest stars of stage and screen? Not into aphrodisiac bivalves? There are plenty of salads and hot plates too – including Sheekey’s legendary fish pie.

Kitty Fisher’s

Whether you choose the hugely atmospheric, velvet-hued basement dining room or the street-level wine bar, this Mayfair neighbourhood restaurant (named after an eighteenth-century courtesan) will put a big smile on your face. To eat, share the signature dish (ribeye of Old Galician beef) or make your romantic declaration over a plate of Ibérico pork with hispi cabbage, spring onion and apple.

Momo

Still London’s most glamorously ornate Moroccan restaurant, Momo wows couples on special dates with its sexy Marrakech-style interiors and tightly packed tables – all sparkling with light from intricately latticed windows and ornate metalwork lanterns. Classic Maghrebi beats and attractive young staff add to the seductive buzz as punters soak up the exotic thrills of couscous, tagines and other culinary delights.

Opera Tavern

One of Covent Garden’s best and a high ranker when it comes to hybrid tapas in the capital, this conversion of a theatreland pub is split into a slightly charmless upstairs restaurant and a cosy, mirror-backed bar at street level – think leather stools, copper spotlights and an open grill. The Spanish-Italian menu is kept fresh with specials that are bound to impress your Romeo or Juliet.

Xu

You know all about Bao and its buns, well the same team is at it again – this time exploring the byways of Taiwanese regional cuisine in a smart vintage setting. This love letter to 1930s Taipei may be an awkward space, but it’s filled with discreet nooks and the food is magnificent – subtly nuanced and bursting with unexpected flavours. Wondrous teas too.

Yauatcha

If romance is on your mind, you need to bypass Yauatcha’s frenetic ground-floor canteen and head down to the brick-lined basement with its illuminated fish tank, twinkling lights and nightclubby vibe (bass-heavy beats included). Luxe dim sum (and some dazzling larger plates) are offset by spectacular east-west desserts, while heady teas, exotic cocktails and jet-setting wines complete a sexy Michelin-starred package.