After shelling out for flowers, fancy candy or something a little more racy, your finances are likely to be stretched to the limit. But don’t despair – there are many lovely restaurants offering dinner for two, plus wine, for under R250. After all, everyone deserves a little loving this Valentine’s Day.

Johannesburg

Café Del Sol
Sup on: one of the specials on their à la carte menu.
Sip on: a bottle of house wine.
Pay: R250

Café Picobella
Sup on: pork à la Milanese and mussel pot in a creamy white wine sauce.
Sip on: Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc.
Pay: R237

The Meat Company
Sup on: a four-course buffet meal.
Sip on: house red or white wine.
Pay: R250

Parker’s Grill
Sup on: chicken schnitzel and Kassler ribs.
Sip on: Van Loveren Sauvignon Blanc.
Pay: R244

Pronto
Sup on: pesto chicken burgers?.
Sip on: La Capra Sauvignon Blanc.
Pay: R210

Pretoria

Al Dente Ristorante
Sup on: bacon, onion and red wine sauce pasta, and vegetarian Mediterranean pizza.
Sip on: the house sauvignon blanc.
Pay: R230

Boston Kitchen Deli
Sup on: Thai fish cakes and teriyaki pork belly.
Sip on: Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc.
Pay: R225

Guia
Sup on: a seasonal set menu for two.
Sip on: Two Oceans Merlot.
Pay: R245

Durban

Bangkok Wok
Sup on: spicy pork noodle bowl and crisp chili chicken.
Sip on: Laborie Merlot.
Pay: R238

Butcher Boys
Sup on: the Butcher’s burger and the prego roll.
Sip on: Two Oceans Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot.
Pay: R222

Havana Grill
Sup on: wok-seared spicy prawn salad and chicken fillets Espanola.
Sip on: Spier Signature Sauvignon Blanc.
Pay: R244

Jam Restaurant
Sup on: two main courses
Sip on: Dieu Donne unwooded Chardonnay or Winery of Good Hope Pinotage
Pay: R220

Cape Town

Bacini’s
Sup on: the Carlita salad, and the Materazzu pizza with salami, peppadews, feta and avo.
Sip on: Merwida Sauvignon Blanc.
Pay: R250

Bardelli’s
Sup on: two pizzas from the Olympia range  – a large pizza with four different toppings on each quarter.
Sip on: two glasses of their house red.
Pay: R250

Bombay Bicycle Club
Sup on: tandoori chicken and fettuccini Fantasia.
Sip on: the house white wine.
Pay: R250

Café Paradiso
Sup on: risotto with roast butternut, pumpkin seed and bononcini, and the ravioli bel girno.
Sip on: the house white wine.
Pay: R245

Carlyle’s
Sup on: wild mushroom cappelletti (handmade mushroom- and ricotta-filled pasta parcels, served with a wild mushroom, sage and Parmesan sauce) and the Thai beef curry with oven roasted vegetables in a yellow Thai sauce, topped with fresh coriander on a bed of fettuccini.
Sip on: Villiera Savignon Blanc.
Pay: R250

Da Vinci’s
Sup on: a starter portion of chilli poppers, a ham and pineapple pizza and a Paris ostrich burger with brie, bacon and avo.
Sip on: house white wine.
Pay: R243

El Burro
Sup on: build-your-own tacos. Choose two options from beef, chilorio pork and grilled chicken and share.
Sip on: a bottle of De Grendal Rosé.
Pay: R248
If you prefer not to eat tacos with your hands, then go for the mushroom quesadilla, enchiladas or the chilaquiles with a bottle of house wine for R215.

Posticino
Sup on: the porchetta pizza (bacon and avo) and the chicken liver pizza.
Sip on: Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc.
Pay: R192

Rick’s Café Americain
Sup on: the popper burger and steamed West-coast mussels.
Sip on: the dry white house wine.
Pay: R236

Royale Kitchen
Sup on: the Pedro Elnino burger and the Capri burger.
Sip on: the red blend Akendal Rouge.
Pay: R226

Sidewalk Café
Sup on: the chicken, bacon and avo burger; and fish and chips.
Sip on: the house white wine.
Pay: R225

South China Dim Sum Bar
Sup on: something like prawn laksa lamak. The menu changes daily.
Sip on: your own wine. (They are not licensed.)
Pay: R110

Woodlands Eatery
Sup on: bacon, blue cheese, chilli and avo pizza; and mushrooms, artichoke, goat cheese and cherry tomato pizza.
Sip on: the house wine.
Pay: R220

Overberg

Shuntin Shed
Sup on: the Shed Hot One – margarita pizza with chilli minced beef and roasted red peppers; and the Shed Original – margarita with mushrooms and pancetta.
Sip on: a bottle of wine for R100.
Pay: R234

By Emma-Kate Liebenberg, Kelly Pluke and Linda Scarborough