OpenTable’s Most Romantic Restaurants in America List Snubs Boston

Bondir in Cambridge. / Photo via Bondircambridge.com

The ubiquitous online reservation portal OpenTable has released its annual list of 100 best restaurants for lovebirds, just in time for Valentine’s Day. But for the second year in a row, not a single Massachusetts establishment made the cut.

OpenTable culls its database of more than 5 million user reviews to populate the list. Restaurants that met a minimum, qualifying score were further analyzed when “romantic” was selected as a special feature. The site notes French and American cuisine are the “most romantic,” according to its methodology, though Italian fare, steakhouses, and shareable pots of fondue are also for lovers. Ambiance plays a huge role in guests’ assessment of romance, their data shows.

If a romantic getaway is in your datebook for V-Day weekend, OpenTable would have New Englanders consider the White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine, for fine, American prix-fixe menus and local ingredients; Bouchard Restaurant and Inn, a warm, relaxed 18th century dining room in Newport, Rhode Island; “progressive cuisine and flawless service” at ON2o in Hartford, Conn.; or chef Thomas Henklemann’s Homestead Inn in Greenwich, Conn., which boasts four stars from the New York Times. There are also eight options in New York.

Greater Boston, with its rich history, brick sidewalks, and verdant wealth of local ingredients, offers plenty of cozy date spots, whether OpenTable users note it or not. Centre Street Café, with its effortlessly chic and comfortable decor, pleasant service, impeccable wine list, and comforting Italian fare, is Best of Boston‘s most recent choice. The fireplace-warmed Bondir in Cambridge and chef Tim Weichmann’s classic T.W. Foods have also been singled out, and Best of Boston readers love Oleana, with chef Ana Sortun’s shareable meze and Sarah Marshall’s meticulous wine list.

Here are other local suggestions from Reserve, an OpenTable competitor (L’Espalier made its national list); Zagat, USA Today‘s 10Best, and Gayot. Want to see what’s on the menu this Valentine’s Day? Here is an ever-growing list of the dinner menus set for February 14; it’s a Sunday this year, so brunch is an option, too. As always, there are parties for the haters, too. What is your preferred date spot?