The Fearrington House Restaurant (located at the luxury inn of the same name) has been one of the Triangle’s most coveted reservations for generations. Guests have quite literally helicoptered in for a meal at the restaurant, which is available as a three- or four-course seasonal menu or a more elaborate seven-course tasting menu, both of which are overseen by longtime chef Colin Bedford. The setting itself is designed for quiet luxury, with diners spread among the rooms of the original farmhouse that forms the heart of the larger Fearrington House complex. Sommelier Todd Chatterton recently took over as beverage and service director and is in charge of the restaurant’s more than 1,500 bottle wine collection, as well as the cocktail menu — pairings are available with all tasting menus.

Yamazushi specializes in the kaiseki style of Japanese tasting menu, which itself is based on a traditional omotenashi tea ceremony. All of this is to say that much care, thought, and precision go into each of the eight to nine courses that are prepared by chef George Hitoshi Yamazawa and presented at precisely timed intervals throughout the dining experience. The restaurant also offers sake pairings designed to complement each course, and beer is available as well. The clean lines and calming tones of Yamazushi’s interior lend themselves to an overall atmosphere that encourages diners to fully immerse themselves in the experience.

If oysters and champagne truly are aphrodisiacs, then chef Matt Kelly might find himself responsible for a bit of a baby boom as he reopens his flagship seafood restaurant this winter. Oysters (both raw and cooked) pop up all over the menu, and a selection of seafood towers turn heads as they pass through the dining room on their way to tables and booths in the two-story space. Couples who like a more boisterous date night can snag seats at the raw bar or in a downstairs booth, while those looking for a more cozy spot can request a table tucked away in one of the upstairs corners. Other menu highlights include the hot baked crab dip, Creole cioppino, and a deviled crab linguine.

Herons consistently tops lists of the Triangle’s best restaurants and for good reason. Herons has made a name for itself with the sort of modern American cuisine more often associated with restaurant destinations like Chicago or New York City. The restaurant (attached to the Umstead Hotel & Spa) is open for breakfast, lunch, and brunch, but lovebirds will want to take flight with the four course dinner tasting menu. It changes seasonally, but recent dishes included crab with miso caramel, sea beans, allium consomme, and pear kakigori or elk with pistachio mousse, dates, braised beet, kohlrabi, and black sesame. Art lovers will want to take a look at the Art Tour menu, with courses designed by chef Steven Devereaux Greene as homages to the hotel’s extensive private art collection, a passion project of hotel co-founder Anne Goodnight.

The tapas flow almost as easily as the wine at the Raleigh outpost of upscale chain Barcelona Wine Bar. The lively space is infused with the smells of albondigas, mushrooms a la plancha, Spanish tortillas, and more, all washed down with craft cocktails, beer, and a glass (or three) from the restaurant’s extensive wine list (heavy on Spanish wines, of course). The menu truly is designed to be shared, and plates can appear on the table as fast (or slow) as desired. Bonus: The restaurant is just steps from the downtown Raleigh Amtrak station, so those who live westward in Cary or Durham can turn date night into a true adventure with a train ride to dinner and Uber home.

High-end French bistro cuisine might not be what one expects pulling into the strip mall that Saint Jacques calls home, but upon stepping through the doors diners are transported to France with dishes like escargots de Bourgogne, blesotto champignon, and beef bourguignon. With white tablecloths and candlelight, it’s about as close to Parisian date night as one gets without hopping that Delta direct from RDU to Charles de Gaulle.