Given the upcoming day of love, it would have been easy to write an article about the best Valentine’s Day menus in London. But at Brummell, we don’t like doing what everyone else is doing – and besides, securing a coveted 14 February booking requires far more advance notice. Instead, we’re focusing on what we love: unique dining experiences that are anything but clichéd.

We’re talking one-off dinners where the only rule is “must go with truffle”, exclusive supper clubs with chefs who genuinely changed the game, residencies that allow your tastebuds to travel the world without leaving Zone 1… So, whether you’re looking to wow a fellow gourmand or just simply love London’s food scene, these are the dining experiences to book this February. 

A Truffle Evening with Zak Frost at Dear Jackie

The best antidote to February’s miserable skies? Sipping a glass of chianti while sliding into one of the scarlet booths in Dear Jackie’s unapologetically flamboyant dining room. And truffles. Lots of truffles. It’s welcome news, then, that the Broadwick Hotel’s rambunctious restaurant is teaming up with Zak Frost from Wiltshire Truffles to create a one-off, four-course dinner in celebration of winter truffle season. That means truffle-topped artichoke, truffle with veal, truffle with risotto – even truffle sprinkled over gelato along with a drizzle of (what else?) truffle honey.

Sally Abé: The Food Behind the Pages Supper Club 

Sally Abé wants to prove a woman’s place is, in fact, in the kitchen. No, really. Throughout her career, Sally has championed female culinary talent, from helming an all-female kitchen at The Pem in St James’s to generally being an all-around power woman. She’s now written her experiences into a book, A Woman’s Place is in the Kitchen, which she’ll be speaking about at this one-night-only supper club in Fortnum & Mason’s food studio. Expect three courses of reinvented British classics, paired drinks and a lot of chat about women in food.

Claridge’s x Il Pellicano 

If you, too, are dreaming of ditching the city and soaring to Tuscany’s vine-stitched hills, don’t book that flight just yet. Instead, set your coordinates to Mayfair because Il Pellicano – one of Italy’s fanciest and most famous hotels – is winging its way to Claridge’s Restaurant for just one week this February. There’ll be pasta, of course, and risotto, and tiramisu, but there’ll also be some more special dishes on the menu – we’re eyeing up the veal cheek in chianti sauce – plus drinks plucked from Il Pellicano’s summer menu. All we need now is some sun…

17–22 February; claridges.co.uk

Chet Sharma x Endo Kazutoshi at BiBI

Sushi and spice. It’s not a common combination, but in the hands of these two chefs, we’re betting it’ll be brilliant. The chefs are sushi god Endo Kazutoshi (of Michelin-starred Endo at the Rotunda and other such swanky sushi spots) and Chet Sharma, head chef (and spice master) at fine dining Indian restaurant, Bibi – where this culinary collab will take place on 22 February. On the menu are signature dishes from both chefs as well as one-off plates concocted especially for the evening. 

Ivan Ramen takes over Kaia at The Ned 

If you call yourself a foodie, you’ve probably seen most of Chef’s Table on Netflix. And by that logic, you’ll already know everything about Ivan Ramen. For those who need a recap: the aforementioned Ivan is Ivan Orkin, chef and founder of Ramen Junkie – one of the US’s most-hyped ramen spots. And this February, he’s taking over the kitchen of Kaia, where he’ll be serving four of his soulful bowls out of the Pan-Asian kitchen – including one with lobster. Try it at The Ned until 20 March.