RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond made another list, this time scoring as one of the most romantic cities in the nation — though it should come as no surprise given it is the capital of a state for lovers.
Of the top 25 romantic cities, Richmond ranked sixth, according to a list compiled by Open Table, a major provider of online restaurant reservations. Hey, at least this compliments the city’s lusty and vain tendencies.
So, how did they arrive at this ranking?
OpenTable’s most romantic cities index was calculated using three variables: the percentage of restaurants rated “romantic” according to OpenTable diner reviews; the percentage of tables seated for two; and the percentage of people who dined out for Valentine’s Day in 2016.
Michelle Williams, who in 1995 co-founded the Richmond Restaurant Group, comprised of six popular dining locations, confirmed that they get a ton of reservations, and typically fill all spots.
She said that the special occasion isn’t just celebrated on Feb. 14.
“We also see that for Valentine’s Day, more than any other holiday that the reservations for those celebrating can extend beyond just the actual date,” Williams said. “For instance, we will have a lot of people celebrating this weekend.”
Still, it isn’t the busiest day for a restaurant, because most diners are parties of two, which means most four and six-top tables aren’t used for their intended size.
Interestingly enough, no Richmond restaurants made it on the list also compiled by Open Table, of the “most romantic restaurants in America” though several restaurants in Virginia did.
The ten who did were:
- Alexander’s – Roanoke, Virginia
- Bistro L’Hermitage – Woodbridge, Virginia
- Byrd and Baldwin Bros. Steakhouse – Norfolk, Virginia
- Cafe Renaissance – Vienna, Virginia
- Fleurie – Charlottesville, Virginia
- The Goodstone Inn & Estate Restaurant – Middleburg, Virginia
- The Inn at Little Washington – Washington, Virginia
- Joshua Wilton House – Harrisonburg, Virginia
- Chez François – Great Falls, Virginia
- Vintage Tavern – Suffolk, Virginia
If you plan to make a Valentine’s Day reservation, better do it quick. A quick look at Richmond restaurants shows that options are filling up, with mostly early or late dining left.
Oklahoma City, Okla. was ranked number one of the “25 Most Romantic Cities in America for 2017”. The complete list is here.
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