Meritage, just off of St. Paul’s brick-lined Landmark Plaza, has a distinctly Parisian feel, with its crescent oyster bar, bustling brasserie ambiance, and silver cones of pommes frites gracing every table. It’s the ultimate romantic dinner destination, and though chef Russell Klein’s five-course tasting menu ($110 per person; $60 for wine pairings; with foie gras and cheese add-ons) is a pretty flawless option, going a la carte is just as good: Think seared foie gras with blackberries and duck fat granola; escargot in an irresistible garlic butter sauce, made for sopping up with a hunk of baguette. The Magret duck breast a l’orange, tender and sweet with a glassy crisp of skin on every slice, is worth the $46 price tag.

St. Paul’s Myriel — a name that nods to Les Miserables — is at once rustic and refined, its small dining room accented with European silhouettes and shades of cream and sand. Chef Karyn Tomlinson’s tasting menu, which runs at $145 per person, isn’t posted online, and the hyper-local dishes change with the seasons. But it’s fair to expect dishes like sunchoke soup drizzled with duck fat; dairy cow bresaola; smoked lamb with birch, beet, and sunflower; and walleye mouselline in a beurre blanc. Pair dessert with a Scandinavian egg coffee.

Manny’s Steakhouse, which first opened in Minneapolis in 1988, sits at the top of the local steakhouse food chain. If splurging on a steak dinner is your end game, head here. Manny’s famous 50-ounce bludgeon of beef, fit to serve a crowd, clocks in at $133, but the sweet spot on this menu is the $84 bone-in ribeye, which can easily serve two. Dry-aged and beautifully marbled, this steak has a flawless crust, while the gristle is so tender you can bite through it like butter. Round out the meal with an order of fresh strawberries and cream.

Chef Shigeyuki Furukawa’s Kado No Mise offers exceptionally fine sushi in a landlocked city. Choose between three omakase menus — the “ume” ($70 per person, “take” ($115), and “matsu” ($160) — each of which promises pristine nigiri served alongside meticulously prepared courses like chawanmushi (a savory egg custard) and akadashi miso soup. Jikasei sorbet is the finale to each of the tasting menus.

Kaiseki Furukawa, sister restaurant to Kado No Mise, draws from the 16th-century tea ceremony traditions Kyoto, Japan, offering a 10-course tasting for $175 per person. Chef Shigeyuki Furukawa’s intricate menu changes frequently, but always starts with a sakizuke (a small appetizer that begins the meal) followed by dishes like crystalline ushio-jiru (sea bream soup), a selection of seasonal sashimi; steamed blue prawns and scallops; and Japanese pufferfish milt; finished with strawberries and uguisu mochi.

Dim and intimate, Alma is far and away one of the Cities’ most romantic restaurants. Chef Alex Roberts’ prix fixe menu changes regularly, but expect elegant — though never ostentatious — dishes like foie gras bread pudding; red beet farrotto; and caramelized tiramisu. The restaurant has an extensive wine list and is known for its accommodating vegetarian menu. The regular tasting menu is $95 per person ($78 for the vegetarian tasting menu); wine flights are $48 per person.

This trail-blazing chef collective, helmed by Mike Brown, Bob Gerken, and James Winberg, specializes in creating an atmosphere of delight and wonder — its whimsical tasting menu features dishes like foie gras on toast with dwarf truffle peach; nitro passionfruit fluffs; pasta nero with shrimp; and grape granita drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. The tasting menu runs at $135 per person on Wednesdays and Thursdays; $155 per person Fridays and Saturdays. Wine and cocktail pairings, plus supplements like oysters and caviar, are available separately.