Award-winning fine dining restaurants for a romantic evening

Planning a romantic dinner for Valentine’s Day, anniversary or even a first date?

Treat your special someone to a truly unforgettable dining experience at one of these award-winning restaurants, where romance is always on the menu. These fine-dining establishments, with their intimate settings, impeccable service and unforgettable menus, are guaranteed to ignite the spark.

To find the best romantic and fine-dining restaurants in Kane, McHenry and DeKalb counties, and the Illinois Valley area, we asked our readers to weigh in for the Shaw Media Best of the Fox and Best of the Illinois Valley contests. The results are in, and here are the top-rated romantic restaurants, as voted by audiences.

BEST OF THE FOX

KANE COUNTY

BEST ROMANTIC DINNER: The Graceful Ordinary, 3 E. Main St., St. Charles

ONE OF THE BEST: Atwater’s Restaurant, 15 S. River Lane, Geneva

ONE OF THE BEST: Niche, 14 S. 3rd St., Geneva

McHENRY COUNTY

BEST FINE DINING: 1776 Restaurant, 397 W. Virginia St., Crystal Lake

ONE OF THE BEST: Village Squire, 4818 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake and 4512 W. Elm St., McHenry

ONE OF THE BEST: da Baffone Cucina Italiana, 111 N. Main St., Crystal Lake

BEST FIRST DATE: Breaking Bread Catering & Deli, 638 Northwest Highway, Cary

ONE OF THE BEST: Epic Deli, 2616 Schaid Court, McHenry

ONE OF THE BEST: Vine & Plate, 414 W. Virginia St., Crystal Lake

DeKALB COUNTY’S FINEST

BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT: Ellwood Steak and Fish House, 2219 Sycamore Road, DeKalb

ONE OF THE BEST: Sorrento’s Restaurant, 50 W. 187 Route 64, Maple Park

ONE OF THE BEST: Tapa La Luna, 226 E. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb

BEST OF THE ILLINOIS VALLEY

BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT: Uptown Bar & Grill, 601 1st St., La Salle

ONE OF THE BEST: The Study, 414 1st St., La Salle

ONE OF THE BEST: Verucchi’s Ristorante, 600 N. Greenwood St., Spring Valley