Valentine's Ideas: Walk It Out

Progressive dining for two

The pressure is on to find the perfect spot for your Valentine’s Day meal. Or is it? A romantic evening will go unharried if you drop down in the right neighborhood.

A Magazine Street stroll in New Orleans gets you drinks at SukhoThai ($8 average, sukhothai-nola.com), oysters at Casamento’s ($15 for a dozen, casamentosrestaurant.com), and—if you can fit in the door—dessert at Shaya ($9 a plate, shayarestaurant.com).

Even in the traffic-stricken Baton Rouge, the pedestrian oasis of the Overpass puts you in reach of gastropub The Overpass Merchant for cocktails ($9 average, theoverpassmerchant.com), the tiny, candlelit Pinetta’s to split the panzerotti appetizer ($7), and the sleek new Kalurah Street Grill (entrées run $18–$26, kalurahstreetgrill.com; don’t miss our interview with Chef Kelley McCann). All those burned calories call for a chocolate martini at Duvic’s, wouldn’t you say ($8, duvicsbar.com)?

Visit our cuisine section for lots more ideas.