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 There's really no need to pretend to be having fun with countless other couples and a two-hour time limit in a restaurant this year. 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... so prepare to snuggle up at home with our guide to lovers' food (and a lot of fizz)!
 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... Address: 3 St James's Street, SW1A 1EG Phone: 0870 900 4300 Timing: Mon to Fri 10am-6pm (Sat 5pm) Nearest Station: Piccadilly Circus Tube Berry Bros & Rudd - Information   Fortnum & Mason181 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. Address: 181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER Phone: 020 7734 8040 Timing: Mon to Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12pm-6pm Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road Fortnum & Mason - Information  Jeroboams96 Holland Park Avenue, 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. Address: 96 Holland Park Avenue, W11 3RB Phone: 020 7727 9359 Timing: Mon to Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8.30am-7pm, Sun 10am-6pm Nearest Station: Holland Park Tube Jeroboams (Holland Park) - Information Directory of all Jeroboam branches  John Lewis278-306 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. Address: 278-306 Oxford Street, W1A 1EX Phone: 020 7629 7711 Timing: Mon to Fri 9.30am-8pm (Thu 9pm), Sat 9.30am-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm Nearest Station: Oxford Circus Tube John Lewis - Information  La Maree83 Sloane Avenue, 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. Address: 83 Sloane Avenue, SW3 3DZ Phone: 020 7589 8067 Timing: Mon to Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube La Maree - Information  Liberty's Chocolate ShopRegent 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, a slab of Dairy Milk’s just not 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. Address: Regent Street, W1B 5AH Phone: 020 7734 1234 Timing: Mon to Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12pm-6pm Nearest Station: Oxford Circus Tube Liberty of London - Information  Montezuma's51 Brushfield Street, 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 Sweetness and Light box especially for February 14th, crammed full of yummy-sounding truffles but, if it's all about the munching and less about the red box and ribbon, we suggest going off piste. There's a fabulous, funky range of organic Chunky Bars, wrapped in bold, retro designs - try the dark-and-pistachio Vera, made with award-winning chocolate. 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! Address: 51 Brushfield Street, E1 6AA Phone: 020 7539 9208 Timing: Daily 10am-6pm Nearest Station: Liverpool Street Tube Montezuma's Chocolate - Information  Rococo321 King's Road, 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. Address: 321 King's Road, SW3 5EP Phone: 020 7352 5857 Timing: Sun & Mon 12pm-5pm, Tue to Sat 10am-6.30pm Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube Rococo - Information  Steve Hatt88 Essex Road, N1 8LU If you're this side of town and want a fishy supper (for fishy, see tasting like fish should do as opposed to smelly or suspicious!) then fishmonger's Steve Hatt is the place to go. Chefs, foodies and trendy Islingtonites swear by the fresh, top quality produce that this family business has been supplying for four generations. No fancy advertising campaigns here; Steve Hatt's reputation precedes him by good old-fashioned word of mouth. We all know that oysters are the food of love but why be limited in your cooking by a mere cliche - the selection of wet fish (try wild salmon or swordfish), smoked fish (haddock from their own smoke house) and shellfish (lobster, mussels, crab and more) will leave you spoilt for choice and, if you're something of a whizz in the kitchen, you'll be getting excited about the gourmet feast you can prepare. Word is already spreading about Steve Hatt's fabulous fish counter so they might be queuing out the door on 14th February, but get in line; as one happy shopper so aptly put it, Steve Hatt makes Waitrose look like Captain Birdseye! Address: 88 Essex Road, N1 8LU Phone: 020 7226 3963 Nearest Station: Angel Tube Steve Hatt - Information  Wright Brothers11 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD Oysters. Slippery, salt watery and sexy! There's nothing like swallowing (in one gulp) a few of these exclusive shellfish to get you in the mood for luuurve 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. Address: 11 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD Phone: 020 7403 9554 Timing: Thu 11am-5pm, Fri 12pm-6pm, Sat 9am-4pm Nearest Station: London Bridge Tube Wright Brothers - Information |
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