Valentine’s Day heart-shaped foods in North Jersey
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and as food lovers know food is the way to a man’s and a woman’s heart.
Sure, a box of chocolate or a bouquet of flowers will do. But, this year, why not present your honey with something different, something more inspired, something that can both fill your Valentine’s tummy and charm her heart?
This year consider gifting your love with food that’s shaped like the love muscle itself. Food may taste even better when it not only comes straight from the heart but actually shaped like a heart.
Here are a sampling of heart-shaped foods that can’t help but move hearts and delight palates.
Pizza at Novino, Mahwah
Who doesn’t love pizza? Warm bread, melted cheese and crushed tomatoes — what can be bad with that? Pizza shaped like a heart? Even better.
Novino, a 1½-year-old Italian restaurant in Mahwah, fires its New York-style pizzas in a Forza Forni rotating, wood-burning oven. For Valentine’s Day, that pie can be made into a shape of a heart. Call your order in in the morning; there are going to be other lovebirds wanting this special pie for their special day. Cost: $12.99.
Go: 64 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah; 201-529-1900, novinonj.com.
Filet mignon ravioli at Cafe Panache, Ramsey
One of the signature dishes of the late, great chef Kevin Kohler of Cafe Panache was filet mignon ravioli. Kohler could never take it off his menu; fans would revolt, he’d explain. Gregory Stott, who recently took over the kitchen after Kohler’s sudden death, promised to never take it off the menu either. For Valentine’s Day, it’s not just on the menu but it’s gong to be served in the shape of hearts. Thank beet juice for the red coloring. Thank your lucky stars if you manage to snag a table. $18/appetizer.
Go: 130 E. Main St., Ramsey; 201-934-0030, cafepanachenj.com.
Charcuterie board by PlateD by D, Lodi
A charcuterie board is the perfect appetizer for a party. When it’s an intimate party of two, you can make it dinner. Dylan Elias, the mastermind behind PlateD by D, a charcuterie board shop, offers a heart-shaped board laden with pepperoni fashioned into the shape of a rose, bresaola, prosciutto, parmesan, Wensleydale cheese, crackers, jam and fresh fruit. Cost: $80. If, however, you’d prefer your dinner to look completely like a bouquet of roses, Elias offers a Meat Rose Plate with prosciutto, salami, pepperoni and chorizo — all sculpted into the image of roses; $70. All that’s missing is a bottle of Champagne. (Order at least three days in advance.)
Go: 53 S. Main St., Lodi; 201-741-0595 platedbyd.com.
Cocoa Bombs by Rockin’ Roots, Hillsdale
Michael Merida, chef and owner of Rockin’ Roots, a plant-based restaurant in Hillsdale, had so much success with holiday cocoa bombs during Christmastime that, he said, “it made sense to make heart-shaped bombs for Valentine’s Day.” Your sweetie’s heart should melt along with the bomb’s French chocolate shell when dropped into hot cocoa blend to reveal marshmallows. $10 for cordial flavors; $6 for the rest.
Go: 434 Hillsdale Ave., Hillsdale; 201-497-6137, rockinrootsjuice.com.
Cheese ravioli at Ferraro’s Italian Food Specialties, Parsipanny
Danny Ilic and his wife, Dana Ferraro-Ilic, opened their Italian deli on Election Day 2020. “You’ve got to roll the dice,” said Ilic. “Why not?” Presumably their homemade ravioli is less of a gamble. For Valentine’s Day, those pasta pouches shaped into hearts don a red hue, thanks to a little food coloring. Boil them or fry them and serve with your favorite pasta sauce. Just make sure to have some nice wine on hand.
Go: 166 Halsey Road, Parsippany; 973-585-4292, https://ferrarositalianfoodspecialties.com.
Baguette at Choc-o-Pain, Hoboken and Jersey City
While the bible may say that bread is the staff of life, I’m going to say we also need love to survive. Love to thrive; bread to be a delicious vessel for delicious spreads — butter, jam, oil, cheese, even chocolate — and delicious meats (sandwich, anyone?). Fresh and crusty bread on its own can make bread lovers swoon. Good, crisp, firm bread shaped like a heart? You’re risking fainting spells, my friend. $3.50 at Choc-o-Pain.
However, since neither man nor woman can live on bread alone, consider picking up a little sweet treat too while there. Perhaps a few mini pink raspberry cakes. The color alone should melt your Valentine’s heart. $4 and $10, depending on size.
Go: 157 First St., Hoboken, 201-710-5175; 1500 Hudson St.,Hoboken, 201-683-3300; 530 Jersey Ave., Jersey City, 201-435-2462. chocopainbakery.com.
Cheese and waffles, Super Cellars, Ridgewood
In love with a cheese or waffle lover? Stop in at Super Cellars and pick up some baked-in-France heart-shaped waffles and/or heart-shaped triple-cream cheese Cowgirl Creamery Heart’s Desire. The waffles can be eaten right out of the package or toasted; the cheese is best enjoyed with sparkling rose, dark chocolate, stout or raspberries. Or eat the two together. The stomach, like the heart, can’t be told what to do. Waffles are $5.49/pack of 10; cheese is $19.99/pound.
Go: 32 S, Broad St., Ridgewood; 201-444-0012, supercellars.com/
White chocolate heart by Soul Sweet Boutique, Newark
They say what’s inside your heart is what counts. This homemade Belgian white chocolate heart cake made by Brazilian bakery Soul Sweet Boutique embraces a decadent ganache filling. In our book, that counts for a whole lot. You can pick one up at the bakery or have it shipped anywhere in the nation. $42 and available in ganache, brownie, brigadeiro, dulce de leche and Ninho, a Nestle powdered milk that’s so commonly used in Brazilian baking, it’s considered a flavor.
Go: 162-164 Van Buren St., Newark; 973-585-7532, soulsweetboutique.com.
Adore You Cake by Modern Food Scene, Montclair
Your sweets a vegan? The Adore You Cake by the Montclair Food Scene is an olive oil cake shaped into a heart topped with rose-infused powdered sugar, rose petals, edible pearls and edible glitter. You can have it in a DIY kit to make with your significant other. The cake will come wrapped with each topping on the side. Or ready to devour. $34 for a 9-inch cake; $28 for 5½ inches.
Go: Online only modernfoodscene.com/
The Metisse at Pierre & Michel Authentic French Bakery, Elmwood Park and Ridgewood
The Metisse has been French bakery Pierre & Michel’s bestselling cake since day one. Who can resist chocolate sponge cake layered with creme brûlée filling and hazelnut crunch encased in sublime French dark chocolate? Shaped as a heart, resisting its bearer is simply out of the question. Available in four different flavors and colors; $36, serves 8.
Go: 95 Broadway Elmwood Park; 201-300-6580 and 38 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood; 201-444-8111, frenchbakerynj.com.
Chocolate hearts by Sook Pastry, Ridgewood
A few years ago Sook Pastry Shop extended its space to install a chocolate making shop. And while it has the usual truffles and bonbons, it also offers whimsical, super-clever chocolates including chocolate shaped as a stiletto shoe or an elegant handbag. So it should surprise no one that for Valentine’s the shop is offering a heart-shaped box with three striking red and yellow heart-shaped chocolates and one pair of bright yellow lips (kisses, anyone?). The chocolate ganache creations feature different flavors from raspberry and cherry to coffee and caramel. $10.99.
Go: 24 S Broad St, Ridgewood; 201-493-2500, sookpastry.com.
Lollipops by Erie Coffeeshop & Bakery, Rutherford
Leave it to Renee Faris, the pastry wizard at Erie Coffeeshop and Bakery, to come up with heart-shaped lollipops for Valentine’s Day. Faris offers numerous heart-shaped pastries for the holiday including almond linzer cookies, doughnuts and sugar cookies —and, don’t be a fool — get those too. But don’t overlook the lollipops. They’re not only adorable but, well, grown-up.
This is the fifth year Erie is offering these homemade hard-candy pops. Their flavors this year: rose water and orange blossom. See, for grown ups — or kids with good taste. $3/each.
Go: 10 Franklin Place, Rutherford; 201-460-0073, eatdrinkerie.com.
Regular and gluten-free bagels at Everything Bagel, Paramus
Why wait ’til the evening to celebrate your love? Get an early start with a batch of hot-from-the oven heart-shaped bagels at Everything Bagel in Paramus. Owner Elliot Cohen, who expanded his bagel shop to include a bakery with gluten-free products — “We have two separate kitchens,” he assured — is offering not only regular bagels in the shape of a heart but heart-shaped gluten-free bagels made with rice flour. “This is the first year we’re doing this,” he said. “We are the only shop offering gluten-free bagels in New Jersey.”
Make sure to also get whatever you’d like to shcmear on your bagel — cream cheese, jam, smoked white fish — fresh sliced lox is a darn good idea, too … and breakfast is ready. P.S.: A little Champagne and fresh OJ might be a good addition too.
Go: 483 Route 17 S., Paramus; 201-599-9999, everythingbagel.net.
Valentine heart mousse cake at Ciel Dessert Restaurant & Patisserie, Westwood
Jane Mun, pastry chef and owner of this unique dessert restaurant, is offering a bright-red raspberry heart cake for Valentine’s Day that is so special it comes on a thick velvet cushion. The chocolate heart is filled with raspberry and vanilla mouse cake dotted with Maraschino cherries and features gluten-free almond chocolate sponge cake.
“This special cake’s strong red color emphasizes love in this unprecedented time,” Mun said. The large red velvet cushion and cake cost $40; the individual-size velvet cushion and cake $11. Pre-orders only.
Go: 273 Center Ave., Westwood; 201-497-8899; cieldessert.com.
Cheese boards by Cheers Cheese Boards, Tenafly
Dani DeQuintal, a mom in Tenafly, began to make cheese boards for her family during the lockdown. When friends asked her to make for and deliver boards to them that’s what she did — and her charcuterie board business was born. For Valentine’s Day, she has carved out a big heart in a wheel of Brie and filled it with homemade raspberry jam and surrounded it with meats and more cheese and fresh fruits and nuts. A 10-inch board costs $45; A 15-inch $65. Order through her instagram account.
Go: instagram.com/cheerscheeseboards.
Doughnut bouquet by Top That Donuts, Rutherford
Okay, not in the shape of a heart, but still, we couldn’t leave out off this darling Valentine’s Day gift idea. A dozen doughnuts on sticks wrapped in tissue paper and cellophane make for a heart-melting bouquet of sweet eating. Take our advice, and order one at least three days ahead of Love Day. Although the doughnut shop is known for making its donuts to order -— the fryer sits right behind the counter — frying 12 and arranging them takes time, says Lia Rodriguez, manager, like love, to grow. $45.99.
Go: 8 Highland Cross, Rutherford; 201-559-5485, topthatdonuts.com.
Heart-shaped pastry by A Little Cake, Park Ridge
Leo Sciancalepore, owner of this 22-year-old bakery, hasn’t had time to think of a name for the individual-sized pastries he’s offering for the holiday. He’s too busy making them as well as a host of other Valentine’s Day specials including heart-shaped linzer cookies. The mini heart-shaped pastries, made of chocolate cake encased in white buttercream icing with a raspberry glaze, by any other name would still taste as sweet. $4
Go: 176 Kinderkamack Road, Park Ridge; 201-391-6300, alittlecake.com.
Esther Davidowitz is the food editor for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up for our North Jersey Eats newsletter.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @estherdavido
