A romantic dinner for two at home works best when the recipes cook themselves for most of the night. The menu below is designed to be prepared largely in advance so you're at the table with your partner, not standing over a stove. Three courses, forty minutes of active work, and one bottle of wine that carries you from starter to dessert.
Starter — Burrata with roasted tomatoes and basil oil
Halve a punnet of cherry tomatoes, toss with olive oil, salt, a pinch of sugar and thyme, and slow-roast at 140°C for 45 minutes until they collapse. This can be done hours ahead. Blend fresh basil with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon for a bright green drizzle. Plate a whole burrata on top of the warm tomatoes, spoon basil oil around it, add flaky salt and cracked pepper. Serve with warm sourdough. Ten minutes at the table.
Main — Hand-cut tagliolini with lemon, butter and prawns
One of the easiest romantic dinner recipes for two: it looks and tastes far more complicated than it is. Cook fresh tagliolini (or good dried linguine) in well-salted water. In a wide pan, melt butter, add sliced garlic, then sear peeled prawns for 90 seconds a side. Deglaze with a splash of white wine, add lemon zest and juice, a ladle of pasta water, and toss the pasta through until glossy. Finish with chopped parsley and a grating of bottarga if you have it. Fifteen minutes from stove to plate.
Alternative main — Roasted duck breast with cherry jus
Score the fat of two duck breasts, season generously, and start them fat-side down in a cold pan on medium heat. Render for 8 minutes until deep golden, flip for 3, then rest for 5 in a warm place. Deglaze the pan with port, add pitted cherries and a spoon of red-wine vinegar, reduce to a glossy syrup. Slice the duck, spoon over the jus, serve with wilted spinach and roasted baby potatoes. Rich, romantic, and remarkably little effort.
Dessert — Dark chocolate mousse for two
Melt 100g of good dark chocolate (70%) with a knob of butter. Whip two egg whites to soft peaks, whisk one egg yolk with a spoon of sugar into the warm chocolate, then fold the whites in gently until just combined. Spoon into two small glasses and chill for at least two hours (make it in the morning). Top with a few raspberries and a curl of orange zest at the table.
One wine for the whole evening
A cool-climate Chardonnay carries burrata, prawn pasta and even the duck if you don't over-chill it. If you'd rather go red, a Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Oregon is elegant enough for the starter and confident enough for the duck. Pour a small pre-dinner glass while you plate the burrata — the evening starts before the first course.
Small touches that lift the meal
Warm the plates. Chill the wine glasses for ten minutes. Slice bread just before it hits the table. Set two taper candles and dim every other light in the room. Play one playlist you both love and leave phones in another room. See more in our set-up ideas at home and our full romantic dinner at home ideas guide.
When you'd rather not cook
Anniversaries, birthdays and milestone nights are often the ones you don't want to spend at the stove. Our private chef service designs and cooks a bespoke romantic dinner at home for 2 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi so you can stay at the table together. Explore an anniversary dinner at home or a candlelight dinner for couples.