Planning Valentine’s Day dinner near Notre Dame might seem like a difficult task. Feeling nervous? Broke? Already been to all of South Bend’s good restaurants? Fear not, this list has a place for you.
1. Tapastrie
When you go to Tapastrie, you don’t feel like you’re in South Bend anymore. The atmosphere is lively, yet refined. The wine is great. The tapas are amazing. This is definitely a great option if you’re looking to impress your date, especially because there’s no other place like it for Valentine’s Day dinner near Notre Dame.
Location: 103 W Colfax Ave, South Bend, IN 46601
2. Render Kitchen
Render Kitchen is one of the newest dining options in South Bend (it literally opened a few weeks ago). The food and drinks are trendy and on the more expensive side, so only take your date there if you are sure he/she will appreciate it.
Location: 521 E Jefferson Blvd, South Bend, IN 46617
3. Woochi Japanese Fusion & Bar
Woochi is the restaurant you know will never fail you. Take your date to Woochi if you’re looking for amazing sushi, and order the Lady Gar Gar Roll if you want to have the best sushi roll of your life. The Calamari Katsu is also delicious, if you ask me.
Location: 123 W Washington St, South Bend, IN 46601
4. Elia’s Mediterranean Cuisine
Elia’s is not the place for a typical Valentine’s Day dinner. It is the place for dates with adventurous palates or desires to be healthy. Go to Elia’s for a deliciously affordable Valentine’s Day dinner near Notre Dame and some great Chicken Shawarma.
Location: 2128 S Bend Ave, South Bend, IN 46637
5. Evil Czech Brewery
Evil Czech’s menu is widely varied, from cheesy quesadillas to mouth-watering burgers. Even more important is that V-Day falls on a Tuesday and Evil Czech offers $2 tacos on Taco Tuesday. Don’t leave without having the Monster Cookie. That is an order.
Location: 3703 N Main St, Mishawaka, IN 46545
6. Blaze Pizza
Blaze is your fast-casual, on a budget option for Valentine’s Day dinner. It’s close to campus, quick, and affordable. Even if you have a midterm next day, Blaze is a good option for a short-but-sweet date on Valentine’s Day.
Location: Eddy Street Commons, 1234 N Eddy St, South Bend, IN 46617
7. South Dining Hall
Leaving campus might not be an option for you. That’s okay. You can always get creative at SDH. Go ahead and make your date a sandwich or stir-fry, and hopefully it will feel like a home-cooked meal. (We can’t make any promises.)
Location: You know where it’s at