This new brasserie from Berg Hospitality Group may not be a year old yet, but it’s already become a favorite for Houstonians looking for a romantic dinner spot. Annabelle, inspired by Parisian cafes, serves approachable French cuisine from within some truly stunning digs that are far from approachable. The restaurant offers picturesque bayou views, luxe furnishings, and vaulted ceilings—sometimes even overflowing with flowers—that are decorated throughout the year to mark the changing of the seasons. If you’re looking to impress your date, order from the raw bar or opt for the caviar service.

You can wander right into Paris by way of Etoile Cuisine et Bar, a restaurant that has delighted local Francophiles for more than 10 years through its decadent menu. Love is always in the air here, in large part because the restaurant, owned by chef Philippe Verpiand and his wife, Monica Bui, is the result of a love story itself. Together, they’ve fittingly curated a delicious menu perfect for two. The dimly lit dining room, the absinthe (for two, of course), and the tablescapes set with roses and carnations are just a taste of what couples can look forward to at the farmhouse-style eatery.

Sunday mornings are dreamy at Brennan’s, when the restaurant hosts its renowned Big Easy–inspired Creole Jazz Brunch. Request a seat in the courtyard, where you’ll still receive the white-tablecloth treatment, only surrounded by beautiful greenery, a bubbling fountain, sunshine, and live jazz wafting through the air. Heat things up with a table-side flambé of Bananas Foster for dessert.

This swanky Mediterranean restaurant is about as vibey as they come. The opulently designed space is moodily lit—think lots of low-hung crimson chandeliers, lamps, and strips of neon lights—and features plush banquets upholstered in the restaurant’s signature shade of red. As you and your date sip on high-end cocktails and fill your bellies with Levantine cuisine, allow yourself to be entertained by the restaurant’s belly dancers, who are known to peacock their way through the space while brandishing large fans, dancing with ribbons or balancing candles on their heads. There’s also usually live music, which can range from a live DJ to violinists and pianists.

Nestled right up against Buffalo Bayou, upscale Mexican restaurant Flora sports floor-to-ceiling windows offering diners views of the nearby tree canopy by day. By night, the space is lit by an assortment of glittering crystal chandeliers. When it comes to the food, expect offerings like mole enchiladas, ceviches, and desserts like tres leches.

This is the tried-and-true classic for Houstonians looking for a nice date night. With lush, landscaped greenery, a stunning waterfall, and a patio overlooking the bayou, Brenner’s always puts its best foot forward when it comes to stage-managing your date. When the weather’s nice in the fall, expect to see soft lights that spotlight the intimacy of the outdoor patio.

Impress your date by grabbing a reservation at modern Korean steak house Karne, created by restaurateur Jason Cho and chef Yurum “KP” Nam. Located in the Heights, this fine-dining Korean steak house has a fully loaded menu with prime smoked beef and American Wagyu, as well as dishes like rib eye hot pot, short rib kimchi fried rice, and yellowtail bibim naengmyeon. While the food is the star of the show, the restaurant’s interior also deserves your attention. Each table is framed by tall booths clad in brown alligator–printed material, providing cozy private seating around the table-top grills. Dramatic light fixtures soar overhead, and a 7.5-foot tree lends an impressive touch of greenery to the room. It’s a perfect spot to sip on some high-end cocktails while enjoying an evening with your favorite (or at least we hope so) person.

It doesn’t get more exclusive than a speakeasy-style chophouse inside another restaurant. Patton’s, located in the Heights, is the early 1900s taproom behind the wine cellar inside Savoir. The restaurant boasts opulent chandeliers and leather seats, creating just the right ambience for an intimate evening dining on prime New York strip and Central Texas rack of lamb.

The sister restaurant of beloved River Oaks oyster bar State of Grace is also a great spot for a raw dozen. Just like the neighborhood it calls home, the Heights, it’s classy but also hip. The well-appointed dining room, which pays homage to the long-lost San Jacinto Inn, gets dark and cozy at sundown. We recommend curling up on a cushy leather love seat to slurp Gulf oysters on the half shell with a glass of Muscadet or indulge in La Lucha’s amazing fried chicken.

Close your eyes and imagine Ilene Woods’ “So This Is Love″ playing. That’s what it feels like to dine at Backstreet Cafe. Nothing says enchantment more than alfresco dining, and Backstreet Cafe’s 1930s-era restaurant delivers in this area like nowhere else. The sun-soaked balcony and fountain add to the restaurant’s dreamy quality, and the cuisine only adds to its elegance. Expect dishes like seafood beignets, roasted corn crab cakes, and red corn enchiladas. No matter what plate you pick, Backstreet Cafe is proof that food is a universal love language.

This swanky River Oaks staple oozes romance. The light-filled restaurant, which serves Vietnamese fare, sports ratan chairs, historic photographs, vintage furnishings, and hand-painted tropical murals. Order the bo luc lac (shaking beef) to share with your date as you both sip on the restaurant’s signature gin and tonic—one of the best in Houston.

If you can’t swing a trip to Madrid, the next best option is to secure two seats at this flashy avant-garde gem. Reserve a seat in the dining room, with its plush velvet banquettes and glowing neon accents, or, if you don’t have time to wait for a reservation, grab a seat at the bar. No matter how captivating your date, you’ll be impressed by chef Luis Rogers’s feats of Spanish molecular gastronomy and the incredible interior design, complete with Picasso artworks, Chihuly chandeliers, lush banquettes, and custom-made sculptures. It doesn’t get more luxe than this.

Kin Dee owner Lukkaew Srasrisuwan has a taste for the finer things, and that’s readily apparent at MaKiin, her new upscale Thai restaurant in River Oaks. The restaurant, housed on the ground level of luxury high-rise Hanover River Oaks, serves royal Thai cuisine. One of the rarest culinary finds in Houston, it was originally created for Thailand’s royal family and is designed to have an appearance just as appealing as its flavor. Enjoy treats like a tom yum mousse served inside an eggshell or a beautifully presented crispy rice cracker dish featuring prawn and chicken while supping up the stunning interiors by Gin Design Group.

A favorite for weddings and engagements, this classic Houston log cabin offering local fish and game truly makes for a romantic meal. Dine on the deck overlooking the lush garden and the lodge’s very own stream, or inside among the cozy decor and giant fireplace. Make sure to start your meal splitting the Taste of the Wild sampling platter of wild game.

Roses on the wall. Roses on your seat. Rosé in your glass. At Rosalie, the buzzy restaurant inside the equally buzzy C. Baldwin Hotel, it’s right there in the name. The food brings the romance, too. The spinach manicotti with spicy vodka sauce is a must, and go ahead and order another bottle of wine—chic hotel rooms with glitzy downtown views abound, so you don’t have to drive home.

At this sleek American European restaurant from the Goodnight Hospitality folks, ask for the single high-top table overlooking the bustling chef’s line. It feels a bit like dining in front of your own personal fireplace thanks to the large wood-fired pizza oven. Start with apps like the mushroom toast or blistered bean salad. For your main, you’ll definitely want some pasta and perhaps one of the pizzas with a bottle from the restaurant’s expansive, well-curated wine list. And do save room for some of the restaurant’s sexy desserts, like the famous Basque cheesecake that’s been on the menu since the beginning.

Located in the Galleria, upscale Indian restaurant Musaafer is home to one of the city’s most stunning restaurant interiors. Chef Mayank Istwal offers diners raw oysters with ginger and coconut milk and baked oysters coined “palak paneer Rockefeller” to start, followed by an impressive slate of proteins from Goan fish curry to beef vindaloo made with a choice of filet mignon or New York strip. You can also opt to split the lamb for two with your date, which comes with pickled madras onions and mango-cilantro chutney.