Celebrate Lockdown Valentine’s Day with a Bristol twist

This Valentine’s Day is set to be a once-in-a-lifetime lockdown ‘special’ and to celebrate the occasion while staying at home, the creative independent businesses of Bristol are here to help with food and drink treats, gifts and at-home experiences.  

Bristol food and drink virtual experiences and nationwide delivery

Chocolate gifts and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand and Bristol business The Chocolate Tart are posting their hand-made lockdown love chocolates and chocolate bombs nationally. Owner chocolatier Lisa Clarke is also offering tutored chocolate tastings and online truffle making kits with optional Zoom session for an exciting and alternative at-home experience gift.

For people with a beer lover in their lives, Bristol Brewery Moor Beer Co have several mixed beer cases as well as mini kegs and Moor-branded hoodies and t-shirts, all of which can be delivered across the UK. Perfect gifts for discerning beer drinker and a great way to support a respected, independent brewery.

Up for a lockdown lock-in at home? Local, Thornbury-based 6 O’clock Gin are introducing virtual distillery tours and online gin tasting events to be enjoyed at home, with one event on 13^th February, ideal for a (slightly early) Valentine’s date night. The 90-minute tours are hosted by brand ambassador Tristan who takes participants for a behind the scenes tour of the distillery, explaining the process and ethos behind the company and then hosts the tasting of three gins and mixers (all sent to you in the post in advance).

For aspiring chefs looking to treat their loved one with an ultra-special home cooked feast, the team behind Bristol’s Michelin-starred restaurant Paco Tapas have launched an at-home Chef’s Menu Box for nationwide delivery. The box includes ingredients and instructions to cook legendary tapas including boquerones, jamon croqueta, gambas al ajilo and octopus a la gallega.

Greek food lovers can enjoy a special cooking experience at home this Valentine’s Day, as The Real Greek have launched “Souvlaki At Home Kits”. Choose between Chicken or Halloumi, each kit includes all the Souvlaki making ingredients, plus a step by step recipe sheet, all available for delivery nationwide. 

Similarly, the online Bristol from Home Cookbook is a collection of recipes collated by Visit Bristol over the last year from some of Bristol’s best restaurants. Be inspired to cook up a Valentine’s Day feast from scratch with recipes including Woky Ko’s pillowy-perfect bao buns, paella from Gambas, venison ‘Baden Baden’ by Klosterhaus and many more.

Other Bristol favourites offering nationwide delivery include award-winning pies from Pieminister which can be delivered across mainland UK (with some exceptions for parts of Scotland) and luxury hampers from Papadeli full of hand-picked artisan deli treats can be ordered online and delivered nationally too.

Gifts and online Valentine’s Day experiences

For many people, taking up new hobbies has been a lifeline during the recent lockdowns. Experience curators Yuup have several gift ideas you could buy now and use later when restrictions ease and travel is allowed again. From baking a cake with The Great British Bake Off’s Bryony May, hiring a bike for two, a couple’s pottery workshop, forage and fire cooking sessions or a workshop where you can make your own silver ring, the vast array of experiences are all led by local experts and are sure to be a truly memorable gift to look forward to later in the year.

Bristol Zoo Gardens also offer alternative Valentine’s Day Gifts in the shape of adopting your very own adorable animal for your partner. In your adoption pack, you receive a ticket to Bristol Zoo Gardens to see your animal (when restrictions allow), a cuddly toy, an adoption certificate and fact file of your chosen animal and your name displayed at the exhibit.

For a Valentine’s Day date night idea (that doesn’t involve yet another box set on TV), Bristol Old Vic theatre are offering online streaming of several of their performances including Swallows and Amazons, The Grinning Man and Messiah for only £4.50 per performance stream.

Lastly, the Visit Bristol online shop has a vast array of Bristol-themed gifts including colouring books, Banksy memorabilia and street art merchandise, art from local artists and clothing too, all available to post nationwide.

If you would like additional information or high res images, please email press@visitbristol.co.uk