Love is in the air!

The late summer is a romantic time to dine out. Between the refreshing ambiance of dining outside and the potential for energetic late-night happy hours, this is a great season for date night dinners at Denver's romantic restaurants. Here are five of our favorite date night restaurants in (or around) Denver:

The Melting Pot

Courtesy of The Melting Pot

It won't come as any surprise to diners that The Melting Pot has consistently won awards for being one of Denver's most romantic restaurants. This quirky little eatery is nestled into an old storied building, smack dab in the center of Littleton's quaint historic streets. True to its name, The Melting Pot's menu offers diners a choice of several indulgent four-course meals that combine seafood, steak, and pasta with generous servings of indulgent melted cheese. As a date-night bonus, you can finish your meal with chocolate fondue–assuming that you still have the room! 

While a meal at The Melting Pot can run a little on the pricey end, it's worth doing at least once. Just make sure your date isn't lactose intolerant. 

The Brown Palace

Courtesy of The Brown Palace

Looking to dine like an early 1900s railroad baron? The Brown Palace has both the class (and price tag) to make that date night dream into a reality. This historic building is actually home to six different eateries that offer a range of class dining options, meaning that you've got a solid venue for a breakfast coffee date, a late-night champagne date, and everything in between. Brunch at Ellyngton's makes for a super memorable date experience, although it might be difficult to get seating within the four-hour window on Sunday when it's served. 

Daughter Thai

Courtesy of Daughter Thai

Thai food might not be what immediately jumps to mind when you think date night, but that's where Daughter Thai completely blows away expectations. This hip LoDo restaurant delivers an exceptional spin on traditional Thai cooking while also providing plenty of its own unique, trendy vibes. The dishes are perfectly portioned for sharing, meaning that you can order a couple and explore the spicy frontiers of Thai cooking together. In addition, Daughter Thai has an awesome bar with plenty of unique cocktails, such as their signature Daughter Dilemma or Thai Fashioned. 

We recommend trying The One With the Bubbles. No really, that's what it's called. 

Bistro Vendome

Courtesy of Bistro Vendome

Situated right off the picturesque Larimer Square, this upscale eatery is very strict about the fact that they're a bistro, not a cafe or brasserie. That intense dedication to the particulars of French cooking is immediately detectable in their food, and you'll be hard-pressed to find better French dining anywhere else in Denver. From confit de canard to pâté charcuterie, you can look forward to a menu full of fancy dishes that are as romantic as they are difficult to pronounce. 

As you might expect, Bistro Vendome also features an extensive wine list, with more than 65 selections from regions all over France.

Koko Ni

Courtesy of Koko Ni

Koko Ni is an upscale Japanese/South American fusion restaurant where the intimate atmosphere is just as much a part of the meal as the food. Speaking of food, guests can look forward to a 10-course sample menu that includes creative dishes like local Wagyu beef with a squid emulsion and albino caviar ice cream. Getting a table at this 14-seat American Izakaya can be a bit tricky, and you can expect the price tag to reflect all of the sophisticated nouns that have appeared in this paragraph so far. 

What are some of your favorite Denver date night locations? Sound off in the comments.