Valentine's Day

There’s something about a crackling fire in winter that stirs the appetite—for romance. Add good food, a glass of wine, and a great companion, and what could be a better recipe for Valentine’s Day? Several area restaurants offer all those ingredients, including Petit Louis Bistro (pictured), Milton Inn, Ambassador Dining Room, The Brewer’s Art, and Mt. Washington Tavern. You’ll find other dining spots that have fireplaces in our restaurant listings. Diane Feffer Neas, a restaurant consultant, explains part of the fascination. “There’s a thing about the glow,” she says. “People look beautiful in the glow of a fireplace.” But she reminds us that fireplaces started out as functional sources for heat and cooking. In modern times—and with a lot of help from movies and TV—we’ve come to associate flickering flames with passion and love. “Anything illuminated by a flame is what people look for,” Neas says. “It’s a picture people have in their minds, part of the romanticism we believe.”