Restaurant help

Hi all, my Mrs is reaching a milestone birthday early in the new year and I want to take her out to a nice restaurant. We don't really get out or to restaurants very much at all tbh so I'm a bit out of the loop with what's good, what's new and what's still good from long before. I don't really see much value in pretentious restaurants that look like they're serving art on a plate and you have to stop by smacs on the way home because you're still hungry but at the same time I'm looking for something special not just pub grub if that makes sense. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, thanks all!