Valentine’s Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, and our local chefs are leaning into the romance with everything from “Chocolate Kiss” affogatos to five-course coastal degustations. Whether you are looking for a lively, spice-filled night in Nowra or a quiet, salt-kissed evening overlooking the bay, the Shoalhaven dining scene has curated something for every kind of love story. Best of all, several of this year’s events support local causes, meaning you can share the love with the community while sharing a plate with your favourite person.
Valentine’s Day may have originated from a pagan festival from ancient Rome or perhaps an early Christian martyr, popularised by the early English poet Geoffrey Chaucer who wrote about birds mating in February and associating romantic love with Saint Valentine.
Today, love might be messy, magical and irresistible but the best part is what’s on the plate – right here on the south coast, on Saturday 14 February.
From hidden gems to tables with a view, we’ve picked a handful of spots we think you will fall for, each promising delicious food, a touch of romance and just enough mystery to make your evening unforgettable.
A Masquerade Affair in Vincentia
There’s nothing like a little mystery and playful intrigue to amp up the day of lovers. Saturday evening in Vincentia promises a fun and exciting atmosphere, with delicious family-style Italian cuisine and a hint of masked mystique.
La Vespa Italian Restaurant is setting the mood this Valentine’s Day with a candlelit Masquerade Dinner. Guests will enjoy a three-course menu for $45 per person. Each dish carries a thoughtful heart theme, designed to make you fall in love with every bite.
Starting with heart-shaped bruschetta mista (variety of toppings) or arancini, flowing into a pasta of choice from prawns in cream to duck ragù, Alfredo, or rose scaloppini and finishing sweetly with a red velvet cannolo made for sharing.
Proceeds from the night will support the local homeless shelter in Nowra, a cause we think makes this evening even more meaningful. Masks are optional (or available for $5).
Bookings are essential via online or (02) 4441 6651
A Coastal Romance in Huskisson
One of Huskisson’s beloved Italian restaurants is leaning into Valentine’s Day with a menu that feels both playful and indulgent. With their Sorrento-inspired revamp and sunshine yellow umbrellas, Peter & Eva has become a local favourite for long lunches and late dinners, and on Valentine’s Day it offers an easy excuse to imagine you are somewhere along the Italian coast.
For Saturday evening, their Valentine’s specials sit alongside the regular menu, inviting diners to enjoy burrata and anchovy toast $25, crab linguine $55, or a mortadella, burrata and pistachio pizza $32. The night closes on a sweet note with a Chocolate Kiss Affogato $22, rich with chocolate gelato, a shot of coffee topped with chocolate liqueur. Strawberry Passion creamy cocktail $21.
Together, it is a menu full of traditional love designed for sharing and leaning into the romance of Italian flavours, all without leaving the Bay. Reserve your table online.
Romance on the Sea at Club Jervis Bay
There is something quietly special about celebrating Valentine’s Day with the sparkling waters of Jervis Bay as your backdrop through floor to ceiling windows. Club Jervis Bay in Huskisson is all about that experience designed for easy, coastal romance.
Priced at $165 per couple, including a bottle of wine valued up to $30, the Club has created a special Valentine’s lunch and dinner overlooking Jervis Bay, inviting couples to settle in for a shared menu inspired by the coast.
Expect fresh lobster, prawns and oysters alongside an artisanal charcuterie board layered with cold meats, dips and crisp crudités, followed by a shared Basque cheesecake with fresh cream and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Lunch runs from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm, with dinner from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Bookings are recommended via Club Jervis Bay on (02) 4441 5282.
Ishqa Means Love in Nowra
Nowra’s ever so popular Indian restaurant, Two Brown Men in the Quest Nowra hotel on Kinghorne Street, have poured their hearts into a celebration of connection inspired by Ishqa, a word for deep, all-consuming love. The night is all about good food, shared moments and a little bit of spice on your night in the town of Nowra.
Enjoy a glass of house wine and a starter platter of lamb cutlets, creamy chicken tikka, veg samosas, and haryali paneer tikka. For mains, pick any curry from the menu, paired with rice, naan and pappadums, then finish with a molten chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream.
At $60 a head, it’s a warm, vibrant night of flavours and togetherness, exactly the kind of Valentine’s feast that leaves you full, happy and maybe more than a little in love.
Book online or call (02) 4402 7870.
Love on a Plate, Deli-style in Nowra
This Valentine’s Day, head to another local favourite, Deli on Kinghorne in Nowra (opposite Blak Cede café) on Kinghorne Street, for a night that’s all about flavour, fun, live music and a touch of local charm.
Right in the heart of town, it’s a spot for well over a decade that’s as much a part of the community as it is a place to celebrate love.
Settle in for a four-course dinner at $89 per person with live music, you can choose from 5:00 pm or 7:30 pm seatings.
Their menu is designed to make the night feel a little more indulgent, with tomato bruschetta starters to mains like Cajun-spiced chicken, scotch fillet with honey jus, or house-made gnocchi. And the desserts? Let’s just say names like “Better Than Sex” and “Cupid’s Arrow” make it impossible not to smile or glance over the table with a subdued blush.
Book your table 0413 499 760.
Elegant Dining in Shoalhaven Heads
Wrapped in coastal charm and the salt-kissed air of Seven Mile Beach only steps away from Bangalay Dining, the scene for a Valentine’s Day unfolds at your own pace whether that’s an early toast to love or a night that drifts on perhaps treat yourself and your beloved to a night in one of their luxury villas.
Early diners can settle in at 5.00pm or 5.30pm for a relaxed 90-minute early bird dinner. Priced at $75 per person, it includes a beautiful two-course menu with shared sides, perfect for couples who like their romance unhurried but home by dessert.
From 6.00pm, a five-course Valentine’s menu for $95 per person is available, celebrating seasonal and local produce. Expect warm house-made focaccia with whipped black garlic butter, blue swimmer crab, South Coast bluefin tuna, grass-fed beef fillet with Misty Valley mushrooms, with an indulgent finish of raspberries, milk chocolate mousse and toasted wattleseed.
Later seatings at 8.00pm or 8.30pm open up the à la carte menu for night owls and a slower, more intimate rhythm. Fresh oysters and champagne are also available, because some evenings deserve a little extra sparkle. Bookings are essential online.
