Valentine’s Day in the South Sound

The holiday of love is around the corner, Valentine’s Day. Whether you celebrate the day loving yourself, your significant other and/or your family, let’s make it memorable!

It may be a little different this year in the South Sound since so many places are still closed or limited. Of course there are still restaurants open, events & activities to partake in and of course don’t forget to shop local small businesses for gifts. 

In my house our typical Valentine’s Day celebration is usually making a nice dinner at home with the kids followed by sweets. Then my husband and I will go on a date around the 14th, no rule about only celebrating on the 14th. 

This year we plan on getting take out from one of the local restaurants and then making a Valentine’s Day Dessert Charcuterie Board. The evening wouldn’t be complete without dessert, in my opinion. Then we’ll follow dinner with either a movie or board games. A nice quiet evening!

Good news, our area has moved to Phase 2 as of February 1st! Which means more restaurants will be able to open dining areas and entertainment places will began to open with limited capacity. 

RESTAURANTS FOR TAKE OUT AND DINE IN

The South Sound has some amazing restaurants and chef’s! I’ll list some restaurant ideas for both take out and dine in. Please remember this is definitely not all of them! And please fill free to leave me a comment with any ones that should be added. 

Keep in mind all the restaurants will have limited in person dining, so do call to reserve. And I will try updating this post before VDay, but just in case check their website to see if they’ve been able to open more.

• Duke’s Ruston Way, open for outdoor dining under a temporary heated tent with 9 tables. Also, “open air” indoor dining available at 25% capacity. Take out, delivery and meal kits also available. 
• Anthony’s at Point Defiance, heated outdoor patio dining available as well as to go/curbside
• Anthony’s Gig Harbor, heated outdoor tent dining available as well as to go/curbside
• Harbor Lights Ruston Way, open for indoor open-air dining & outdoor dining
• Katie Down’s Ruston Way offering “open air” in person dining with limited capacity, also offering take out
• Cactus in Proctor, Southwest Kitchen & bar, offering take out, delivery and open air dining.
• Pomodoro in Proctor, Italian restaurant & bar, offering take out only right now
• Alma Mater Tacoma, offering covered & heated patio seating
• Chambers Bay Grill in University Place, offering take out and outdoor dining
• Sapporo Steakhouse in University Place, offering take out orders and also offer a family meal.
• Spring Lake Cafe in Fircrest, open for take out. A family run small cafe that offers dinner for $20 a plates, that typically includes a soup/salad, meat, veggie, grain and dessert. 
• The Adriatic At Oakbrook in Lakewood, offering outdoor dining, take out, curbside and delivery.
• The Table in Tacoma, Northwest Farm to Table Restaurant, open for delivery and take out
• Tibbits at Fernhill in Tacoma, farm to table restaurant, reopening 2/3 for take out and dine in.
• The Cheesecake Factory in Tacoma, offering curbside, takeout and delivery.
• Outback Steakhouse in Tacoma, curbside takeout or delivery available.
• El Gaucho in Tacoma, offering take out orders. And they offer a Valentine’s Day To Go order.
• Stanley & Seaforts in Tacoma, offers take out and curbside
• Indochine in Tacoma, offers heated patio dining, take out and delivery
• Asado in Tacoma, available for take out and delivery, also have meal kits available
• Green House in Gig Harbor, offers take out and limited indoor seating available

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Not only does the South Sound offer many amazing restaurants, there’s usually a few love themed activities and events going on. Keep in mind this isn’t a normal year and a lot of events have been cancelled this year. I will try updating this post before VDay but if I’m not able to, please be sure to check their website to make sure nothing has changed.

And please fill free to leave me a comment with any ones that should be added. 

• Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – February 13-15 9am-4pm “Love at the Zoo”
• Northwest Trek – February 13-15 9:30-3pm “Wild Valentines Weekend”
• Gig Harbor Gondola – Take a Venetian gondola ride in the Puget Sound. Purchase food from them or bring your own. As of right now, there is still a few times available on the the 14th but remember you can celebrate the day whenever you’d like. 
• Fort from Home: Valentines Decalcomania – February 13, 11am-12pm Join Fort Nisqually for a Valentines Decalcomania and make your own Victorian Inspired Valentines Day gifts.
• Uncorked Canvas – February 12 & February 13 in studio paint date nights, also has home kits available
• Java & Clay Cafe – Take home kits available
• SPUN Clay Arts Studio – “Valenstein” take home kits available
• Search for Monkeyshines, it’s Chinese New Year that weekend which means so many amazing people will be hiding monkeyshines. 

LOCAL GIFT IDEAS

Shopping local small businesses is so important especially this year when so many may be struggling. During the holidays I published a gift guide with so many amazing small businesses, please go check out all the great shops in our area. 

Gift cards and gift certificates are always a great gift choice.

Instead of listing multiple local small shops, I’m going to list events happening that have shops selling at. 

• Valentine’s Day Open Market at the Freighthouse Square – Come visit Freighthouse Marketplace for our Valentine’s Day Open Market! February 5th & 6th 11am-5:00pm and February 7th 12:00-5:00pm. Shop from lots of Freighthouse Marketplace’s many vendors starting at the food court all the way to Rainer Hall, and find the perfect gift to show some love!! And as Usual we will also be accepting donations of food, cash, and necessities for our local shelter!! 
• Valentine Market with Eat Local Pierce County – Come get your sweethearts some delicious local food & gifts. Vendors welcome (PM me for details) and cooperative buys pickup for pre-orders. Visit the link for more information. 
• Sweetheart Virtual Market – The Traveling Happy Market mission is to bring together local small businesses and entrepreneurs in our markets to share their passions with their communities in one large space.