Places to go. Food to eat. Ideas for the perfect Valentine’s outing.

On Valentine’s day many people plan romantic outings with friends or their significant other. Luckily, Hickory is full of restaurants of multiple varieties and various price ranges.

For the person looking for a low priced and quick, yet enjoyable dinner close to campus, one should take trip to Naganos Japanese Restaurant. This offers a nice and casual dining experience that anyone would enjoy. Another well priced option, Applebee’s, which offers the popular two for $20 deal. This includes an appetizer to share and two entrees out of a choice of six, ranging from salads and pasta to chicken and ribs. A variety of options at a good price is always a good choice. Good priced pizza options with a great atmosphere also are available at one of Hickory’s newest restaurant addition, Mellow Mushroom. With assorted types of pizza on the menu, there is bound to be a satisfying choice for anyone.

When looking for a fancier restaurant for a Valentine’s date there’s many to choose from as well. Steakhouses in the area include Outback, Longhorn and Texas Roadhouse, all located within ten minutes of campus. For a unique dining experience, there is Kobe Japanese Steakhouse. This gives you the opportunity to watch the food being made in front of your table. Kobe also offers a two for $29 deal after nine o’clock everyday of the week. For Italian there are the classic choices of Olive Garden and Carrabbas, as well as the local choice of Davinci’s. With generally well priced options, as well as more expensive items on the menu, it is almost impossible to go wrong with an Italian restaurant.

To make sure your Valentine’s is not spent waiting in line for a table at the perfect restaurant, it is always a good idea to call ahead and make a reservation, or go early to ensure a short wait time.