Finding the food of love on Shelter Island: Choices to dine in or takeout on Valentine’s Day

Ram’s Head Inn — 631-749-0811 — is taking a unique approach when it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day this year.

It’s called “24 Hours of Romance” and will be provided to a single couple who will have the inn all to themselves.

“Leaning into the idea that love can be found in the many moments that comprise a couple’s life, we wanted to offer a moment that stands out among the rest as unique and big,” said Hotel Manager Ileana Rousseau. “This is a whirlwind experience that’s intimate yet larger than life in its gesture.”

It could be an “incredible night away” or even “the proposal of a lifetime,” she added.

One couple willing to dig deep for the experience will receive a private car service from any New York City or Long Island venue to enjoy exclusive use of the entire hotel, restaurant and grounds for 24 hours.

The package includes roundtrip travel to the site to enjoy canapes and oyster with a crafted cocktail of their choice. During their stay, they can enjoy private yoga, meditation, sound bowls and other attention from a wellness guru. They will toast one another with champagne and caviar and receive boxed chocolates, a dozen roses and a customized farm/sea to table five-course dinner by candlelight with a pianist to set the mood. During the stay they can participate in a private mixology class, walk the hiking trails around the area, have a photographer available to capture their experiences, receive picnic baskets filled with snacks and wine to enjoy a fire pit aperitivo and star gazing. Specialty s’mores will be prepared for their enjoyment and a variety of board games available for quiet fun moments.

The experience goes to the first person who steps up to pay $20,000 for the experience, Ms. Rousseau said. To book it, call Ms. Rousseau at 818-212-0333.

Léon 1909 — 631-749-9123 — welcomes you to celebrate by the warmth of its open fireplace where you may choose from the regular dinner menu or one of its special Valentine’s offerings. Choose from fresh Jonah stone crabs with aioli, wood-fired oysters with chervil butter or grilled quail with romaine hearts and golden raisins mostarda. Top it off with ricotta cheesecake or Sugoli, grape panna cotta, a grape pudding. Add a fine wine or its signature amore cachi of ambrosia vodka, persimmon and strawberry amaro.

Vine Street Café — 631-749-3210 — is ready to make your celebration special whether you opt to dine in or take your meal home. The regular menu will be offered but there are also specials, such as whole roasted snapper off the bone and prime grilled porterhouse for the table.

As for take-out, the restaurant’s usual menu is available. But for take-out only, there’s the three-course Winter Supper Club offering available through the Vine Street Market. It starts with a choice of the soup of the day or leafy greens, cucumber, tomato and onion salad with herbaceous vinaigrette. The second course offers a choice of an angus burger with lettuce, tomato and onion on a brioche bun and crinkle-cut frites; sausage and raab orecchiette in a white sauce with chili flakes; or chicken confit with coconut rice, greens and seasonal chutney. For dessert, choose a Vine Street Market chocolate chip cookie or cranberry and nut cookie.

Stars Café — 631-749-5345 — Count on Pepe and Lydia Martinez Majdišová to start and complete Valentine’s Day. Stars will be open at its usual hours from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. for breakfast, lunch and pickup of sweet treats. Order ahead and Lydia will provide custom-baked desserts. Look to Stars for Valentine-themed cakes, specialty cupcakes and gift boxes of various sizes filled with chocolates, cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, heart-shaped cakes, heart-shaped macaroons and other goodies. Lydia’s specialty is shortbread cookies with detailed piping.

Maria’s Kitchen — 631-749-5450 — will offer her usual array of Mexican food and these days, she suggests you might want to add her vegetable soup for a dinner starter.

Eccentric Bagel — 631-749-5363 — will offer Valentine’s Day treats including some cookie boxes sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to owner Darryn Weinstein. When you stop for your morning coffee and bagel of choice or lunch, it’s a place to bring your Valentine something special.