Make sure to call ahead

Valentine’s Day – a time for couples to get away with public displays of affection and sickeningly sweet cuteness.

And really, is there a better way to display your relationship status than by going out to eat?

But in all seriousness, eating is an important part of this Hallmark holiday. Whether you’re determined to cook at home for your loved one or treat them to whatever restaurant they like, food is bound to be a major component of your time spent together.

And why not? It’s a special occasion, even if it’s overplayed by the chocolate and teddy bear industries. 

Last week, I provided a couple of culinary suggestions for those who dared to enter the kitchen in hopes of impressing their significant other. Now I’d like to share some of my favorite places around Bloomington to eat – especially for Valentine’s Day.

Let’s start off with a Bloomington classic, Mother Bear’s Pizza. I know, it’s a pizza joint, but they have been voted numerous times as Bloomington’s best pizza.

It’s really hard to go wrong here unless your significant other is expecting white tablecloths. From various pizzas, ranging from the basic to the eccentric, to salads and pasta dinners, it’s easy to find something that will appeal to your sweetheart.
If you want to keep the Italian theme but with a more varied menu, I recommend Grazie! Italian Eatery.

The restaurant has delicious appetizers that you can split and a great number of pasta dishes as well as regular entrees. It’s easy to fill up, but try and save room for dessert.
Another local favorite of mine is The Uptown Café. I highly recommend it, especially for brunch. Their Cajun-style dishes are sure to warm your heart and stomach.

You can get dinner here as well, but because Uptown closes at 2 p.m. on Sundays, I recommend celebrating Valentine’s Day earlier to avoid the crowds, or brunch is always a plausible option.

If you like the brunch idea, you might also want to consider FARMBloomington Resturant.

Only a few minutes from Uptown, FARM provides delicious meals made with local ingredients. They provide a similar menu to Uptown, but with less Cajun and more Southern cuisine.

Looking for a cozier environment and really good coffee? The Runcible Spoon has always been a favorite dining place of mine. You can get anything from brunch to dinner there, as well as home-made desserts.

Be sure to get one of their signature coffee drinks. Their roasts are almost all organic and free-trade, so you can feel good purchasing any of their drinks. Try the Blind Dave’s Mocha, made with ice cream.

If you are looking to impress, and if money is not a problem, I highly recommend Restaurant Tallent.

Although not open on Sunday, this restaurant is worth visiting Saturday if you can. Tallent has dishes to satisfy any palate, especially the more curious and open-minded ones.

With all of these and others, be sure to call and see if reservations are needed. You don’t want to walk in only to discover you can’t be seated.

I hope this serves you well and that you and your loved one eat well this weekend. And best of luck to those who hope to cook.