This editorial will appear in tomorrow’s print edition.

Eat your heart out, New York, San Francisco and other self-proclaimed lovers’ meccas. Yelp – the online review and social networking company – has just announced the most romantic city in America: Tacoma.

This may seem a little, well, counter-intuitive. But Yelp’s analytical method looks as scientific as possible for nailing down something as touchy-feely as an urban love quotient.

The Yelpers started by identifying “romantic queries” that spike the week before Valentine’s Day. Examples: “romantic restaurants,” “chocolate covered strawberries,” “lingerie.” Then they figured out which cities, per capita, generate the highest numbers of those lovey-dovey queries, factoring in the popularity of their website in those locales.

They applied the algorithms and Tacoma – of all places – came out on top, edging out Los Angeles and Santa Cruz, and shaming the likes of Manhattan, Atlanta, Chicago and Seattle.

Does it seem so far-fetched?

Lovers looking for long walks on the water will find plenty along Tacoma’s Commencement Bay shoreline, including wonderful Ruston Way.

The city is honest, real and down to earth. Unpretentious. No head games. Proud to be “gritty.”

Keeps fit, not afraid of a day’s work. Brawny past: built ships, sawed logs; still does mill work, heavy freight, longshore labor. Not a couch potato.

Wants long-term relationships. Lots of cozy restaurants suitable for popping big questions.

Loves arts, music, reading, strolling through Museum of Glass and Tacoma Art Museum, film festivals, concerts at Pantages.

Loves fun at Tacoma Dome: rockers, country, high school championships, motocross, monster trucks, garden shows. Sense of humor.

Into cheap dates. Point Defiance Park, sunset on Owen Beach, many others.

High income not a must.

Enjoys outdoors: Mount Rainier, hiking, sight-seeing.

Books, college classes, University of Washington Tacoma, University of Puget Sound.

Also likes to cuddle on the couch and just talk.

Looking for friendship, love, w/wo children, military, artists, professionals, blue collar, anyone OK.

That’s romance, the real thing, as opposed to romantic self-image. According to Yelp, it translates into more chocolate-covered strawberries and lingerie than anywhere else in the country.

Those old sneers about the city’s long-vanished industrial “aroma”? If you’re walking down Tacoma’s streets come Valentine’s Day, you’re far more likely to pick up the fragrance of Chanel No. 5, Euphoria or White Diamonds.