February dates

Saffron Smith

Valentine's (Pancake Day & Chinese New Year) date suggestions

Ask Brits what their favourite month of the year is and chances are that most will choose any but February. No one chooses late winter when the wind blows cold and glacial, the clouds hang low and grey, and the trees are stencilled stark and denuded against the city skyline.

But, for me, February is one of my favourite times of year. Little more than a month after the winter solstice, and the ever lightening and brightening days are becoming more noticeable, London’s parks emerge dotted with daffodils, croci and snowdrops and the first of the fruit blossoms make their late-winter debut.

Following the longest month of the year, when everyone is either surrounded by or (god forbid) becomes a dry January-er, and the first payday of the year when bank balances collectively rebound from our Christmas extravagances, a perceptible buzz may be detected once more in the air and restaurant reservations revert to becoming increasingly difficult to make.

Finally, after a mini-drought of holidays and festivals with nothing to celebrate (or celebrate with), there’s a flurry of things to get excited about. And this year, Chinese New Year, Pancake Day and St Valentine’s Day join forces, falling within just a few days of each other on the 10th, 13th and – of course – the 14th of February. Combined with Nowruz (Persian New Year), the latter two are my favourite days of the year and, luckily for you, I’ve come up with a list of the best places to celebrate them with your favourite luxury companion.

Chinese New Year: bucketlist restaurants

Valentine’s bucketlist restaurants

The Ledbury

Rochelle Canteen

Sketch: Lecture Room & Library

Chishuru