Food of Love

London has a web of wonderful places to buy posh wine, posh chocs and posh nibbles to create the perfect romantic ambience behind closed doors.

Berry Bros & Rudd

3 St James's Street, SW1A 1EG
Valentine’s Day is not all about buying expensive gifts... nope, the other 5% is about showing that you care, putting the time in even, and then buying the expensive gift. So, if you've made a trip over to London's 300-year-old wine emporium Berry Bros & Rudd to find something special for Valentine's night then you're doing well on the effort and pressie front and the best bit is you don't have to spend a fortune. Hooray! For just over a fiver you can pick up a good bottle of Berry's very own house wine or, if you fancy swishing something with a bit of vintage behind it that has been aged in the Georgian vaulted cellars beneath the shop, then the expert staff will be happy to guide you in the right direction. Visiting this wood-panelled old London shop is like stepping, rather grandly, back in time (it definitely beats the last-minute dash to Tesco Metro after work) and you can be safe in the knowledge that you'll score a few brownie points when you show up on the doorstep, smooth and sophisticated, just like the carefully-chosen wine...

More info: Berry Bros & Rudd Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Fortnum & Mason

181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER
Fortnum & Mason, that bastion of English elegance, rather like afternoon tea and er... cricket back in the good old days of the Empire, is still providing posh nosh to the Royal Family, making its foodie extravagances exactly the kind you want for a hot date. The upmarket food hall is piled high with tonnes of gastronomic delights so if you just 'pop in' for some foie gras or truffles (both the chocolate and fungus kind) it'll require all of your willpower not to leave with bags of other goodies. Some of the delicacies here are, unsurprisingly, a little overpriced but the quality is exceptionally high and the packaging exquisite. Fortnum's hampers have been impressing fellow picnickers at high society events such as the Henley Regatta and the Ascot Races for decades but they're also a wonderfully indulgent, not to mention romantic, way to enjoy food with your loved one. There are hampers to suit all tastes (as long as they're refined!) from chocolate fests to his-and-hers style hampers right through to breakfast on a tray and the let's-get-sloshed-on-wine kind.

More info: Fortnum & Mason Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Jeroboams

96 Holland Park Avenue, London, W11 3RB
If you know your vintage years (and so does your date), Jeroboams is a great place to browse for the perfect wine accompaniment to a special Valentine's meal at home. From vintage Bollinger to pink fizz and the finest of French reds, you’ll be toasting your love in style with a bottle or two from this fine wine emporium. Even if you can’t tell your Burgundy from your Bordeaux, Jeroboams do a luxurious range of gifts that will definitely do the trick if you’re heading to his / her place for a romantic dinner a deux. For Valentine's Day the pink champagne and chocolate truffles combo is an obvious choice (for sharing) and if you really want to splash out there’s a vintage Dom Perignon version. The Holland Park branch also offers a charcuterie and a selection of farmhouse and speciality cheeses, providing delicious finishing touches to any slap-up meal.

More info: Jeroboams (Holland Park) Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube
Directory of all Jeroboam branches

John Lewis

278-306 Oxford Street, W1A 1EX
If you're running out of time and you still need chocolates and champagne to impress your Valentine's date, we suggest doing what everyone else in London does in a crisis - go to John Lewis! Okay, so it's not the most imaginative shopping in the world but at least you know you can't go wrong with this department store's huge range of quality goods - and they own Waitrose, so they're doing something right when it comes to posh food and drink. For starters - or rather a refreshing aperitif - there's Maxim's Cuvee Champagne, in a red bottle for added effect, or maybe you could find it in your heart to swish down a magnum of vintage Perrier Jouet, only £200 a pop! After this, you may want to skip straight to dessert and, for this, there's a whole host of tempting lovey-dovey treats on offer. Trays of chocolates, chocolate-shaped hearts, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and truffles, pink champagne truffles, heart cookies, white swirl hearts, love chocolate squares, 'I love you' chocolate bars, a teddy bear with a chocolate heart and - for the cherry on top - a bag of heart-shaped cherry-flavoured jellies with a pink bow. If none of this floats your love boat, John Lewis has all sorts of other non-foodie stuff from red heart tealights to a romantic dinner kit complete with confetti and a his-and-hers love quiz.

More info: John Lewis Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

La Maree

83 Sloane Avenue, London, SW3 3DZ
Buying oysters is not like doing the grocery shopping - it's hard to know the best from the rest unless you're a connoisseur and that’s why it’s a good idea to go straight to the top, especially if you’re an oyster virgin and want to try out this delicacy on your date! A fishmonger's attached to the very well-respected Chelsea seafood restaurant Poissonnerie de L'Avenue should do the trick and La Maree Fish Shop is everything you'd expect it to be - they know their rock oysters from their natives, they sell a large catch of fresh, fresh fish and their home-made sauces and fish soups are superb. Mary Quant has called it "the best fish shop" and she should know a thing or two about quality shellfish, having once 'necked' two dozen oysters at Poissonnerie to the surprise of fellow diners. That kind of hardcore oyster-obsession might be a long way off but you've got to start the love affair somewhere and Peter Rosignoli's family-run restaurant and fish shop serve up some of the finest in town.

More info: La Maree Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Liberty's Chocolate Shop

Regent Street, W1B 5AH
As you would imagine from this plush store, Liberty's Chocolate Shop is full of the most exclusive brands, lining the shelves in row after row of almost too-good-to-eat chocolates. But we all know that it's as much about the packaging as it is what's inside (sorry boys but a slab of Dairy Milk just isn't going to cut it on Valentine's Day) and Liberty just screams beautiful things, right down to its chocolates. Pretty round boxes of Charbonnel et Walker truffles sit alongside Prestat's organic chocolates, wrapped in graphic, bold designs, with chocolate stilettos combining to loves in one. Liberty has also joined the Fairtrade revolution by stocking bars of Divine chocolate (in seven flavours) and with Rococo's sugar-free and dairy-free options too they really have got chocolate to suit everybody. So, if you're not sure exactly what you want but know your date's got a sweet tooth then Liberty's Chocolate Shop is the perfect place to browse and be inspired by posh chocs.

More info: Liberty of London Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Montezuma's

51 Brushfield Street, London, E1 6AA
Most of us love to indulge in chocolate on the odd occasion but for the self-confessed chocoholics among us Valentine's Day is THE occasion to be spoilt with rich, gooey, soft-centred treats. We think this is the kind of person Montezuma's had in mind when they developed their range of Willy Wonka chocolate factory-esque goodies. So, look no further if a gift of the sweet stuff is going to melt your Valentine's heart as the chocolate melts in the mouth! They do a range of Valentine's treats especially for February 14th, including a Truffle Box, containing 16 delightful treats, and a Valentine's Hamper. Or, go for a Choco:Block, big chunks of chocolate with other ingredients like honeyed banana chips or real coffee thrown in. Montezuma's also offers more understated, sleek designs for a touch of class but - whatever you go for - the chocolate is delicious so be warned, there won't be much sharing this Valentine's Day; it'll all be gobbled up within moments of opening!

More info: Montezuma's Chocolate Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Rococo

321 King's Road, London, SW3 5EP
This gorgeous shop is a dream come true for chocoholics and you'll be sure to find something scrummy to share this Valentine's – if you’re feeling generous! Rococo is the brainchild of designer Chantal Coady, who opened the King's Road store in 1983 and is dedicated to producing the finest and funkiest chocolate in the capital. Famed for its blend of organic chocolate, Rococo uses lots of pure cocoa and cocoa butter in its products to ensure that distinctive melt-in-the-mouth taste. Some of the best buys are their choccy bars - we love the fairly-traded, organic dark chocolate straight from the Grenada Chocolate Company in the Caribbean, and they're committed to strengthening and investing in their ties with Grenada to make sure their in-house products are free from exploitation. There's a whole host of other chocolate-y temptations on offer including flavoured chocolate ravioli for a dessert with a difference, delicious drinking chocolate for a cosy night in and Rococo Heart Boxes for the true traditionalists. If you want to skip the main course and go straight to dessert then Rococo's hampers are filled with irresistible sweet treats.

More info: Rococo Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Melt

59 Ledbury Road, London, W11 2AA
Regular tastings, an on-site, open-view kitchen, award-winning master-chocolatier Keith Hurdman and some of the best chocs in town make Melt a mouth-watering option when it comes to Valentine's Day treats. Stand and drool as organic truffles, melted chocolate shots and spiced, crispy orange discs are rustled up on cool white marble slabs in full view of customers. Treat your partner to a Chef's Selection Box, full of Sea Salted Caramels, Coconut Squares and Banana Passion Fruit infused chocolate. Or, if you want to keep it simple, why not present your loved one with a solid Milk or Dark Chocolate Heart. Sleek packaging, cool surrounds and top-quality service complete the picture.

More info: Melt Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Wright Brothers

11 Stoney Street, London, SE1 9AD
Oysters. There's nothing like swallowing (in one gulp) a few of these exclusive shellfish to get you in the mood for love and if there's one aphrodisiac that you want to make sure is top quality it's oysters. With this in mind it's worth a trip to Borough Market; not only will you be able to source a whole range of delicious 'chef-y' ingredients for that impressive Valentine's meal you're preparing but you'll be able to drop by Wright Brothers for an amorous starter of the most sought-after oysters in town. After all, Wright Brothers do supply some of the finest chefs at London's top hotels and restaurants and have an extensive range of oysters from the Pacific Northwest as well as French, English, Scottish and Irish waters. For a minimum of faff you can have a dozen oysters delivered to your door (for a fee) or, ideally, go for the hamper, complete with champagne. This is an especially good idea if you're laden down with roses, chocolates and other Valentine's paraphernalia for your hot date! Plus, far from being sea watery, they promise a variety of flavours - sweet, woody, earthy, creamy, nutty - to suit your particular passion.

More info: Wright Brothers Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

William Curley, Belgravia

198 Ebury Street, Orange Square, SW1W 8UN
Alongside flowers and cards, chocolates are an integral part of any Valentine's Day, so why not treat your loved one to a special chocolate making master class at Britain's best chocolatier's store in Belgravia? William Curley's latest Orange Square venture opened in October 2009 and boasts and incredible chocolate counter, a café, patisserie and dessert bar, and a chocolate deli for scrumptious baked goods and sweet takeaways. The Valentines truffle-making course on Saturday 11th February includes a demonstrations from one of the in-house chefs on how to make the perfect ganache before you're let loose on your own. Once your ganache has properly set, you will be shown how to expertly roll and dust with cocoa powder before packaging your creations and taking them off with you to enjoy at home.

More info: William Curley, Belgravia Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Pierre Herme Paris

13 Lowndes Street, Belgravia, SW1X 9EX
Celebrated chef patissier Pierre Herme, known as the 'Picasso of Pastry', has opened his first boutique in London following his lavish outlets in Toyko and Paris and the more recent success of his delicious macarons and chocolates on sale at Selfridges. Pierre Herme Paris is located in the heart of Belgravia and is a major destination for anyone with a sweet tooth and a rather large wallet - conveniently making this an ideal choice for a thoughtful Valentine's gift. As well as Herme's famous macarons, the shop will stock his unique chocolate collections, including bonbons, truffles, Absolument Chocolat batons, pound cakes and the latest fad, the indulgent one-bite wonders PH Cubes. But it's the macarons which should draw in the crowds to this fittingly slick and contemporarily designed shop. Herme is praised for his unusual and exotic flavour combinations such as olive oil and vanilla, strawberry and wasabi, milk chocolate with passion fruit, Venezuelan chocolate and apricot, rose and pistachio. A mouthful of colourful decadence, Herme's macarons are a refreshingly different from the celebrated sweet and pastel-coloured treats from Laduree.

More info: Pierre Herme Paris Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Laduree

71-72 Burlington Arcade, W1J 0QX
This famous French patisserie dates back to 1862, when Louis Ernest Ladurée, a miller from southwest France, created a bakery at 16 rue Royale in Paris. The ornate London shop is housed in the picturesque Burlington Arcade - they also have a concession in Harrods where you can sit down for traditional afternoon tea. Delicate and delightful macaroons, sold by the kilo, are their signature and come beautifully presented in boxes in a whole choice of flavours from pistachio to rose petal. But you can also choose from a whole variety of baked and creamed goods from fresh petits fours to millefeuille au vieux rhum brun - vanilla cream flavoured caramelized puff pastry with old dark rum. The sweet pastry, smooth passion fruit cream and fresh raspberriestarte passion framboise is hard to resist.

More info: Laduree Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Primrose Bakery

69 Gloucester Avenue, London, NW1 8LD
Sugar-coated cupcakes are not just beloved by kids - they're for grown-ups too! Co-owners of Primrose Bakery, Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas, have made a business out of supplying delicately decorated sponge cakes to grown-ups. They started out selling their tasty morsels at Melrose and Morgan, the fabulous deli opposite their Primrose Hill branch. Their clients include U2 and Primrose Hill's most famous resident at the time Kate Moss. Delicious homemade recipes, made with the finest organic ingredients, create fairy cakes that look so cute it's a shame to eat them. Absolutely perfect as part of your Valentine's Day selection of treats for your loved one.

More info: Primrose Bakery Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube
Primrose Bakery, Covent Garden - Information