Finding something romantic to do with a significant other for Valentine’s Day can be a challenge for college students on a budget. For such an amorous holiday, a walk through the Quad or a meal at a chain restaurant just doesn’t suffice. To satisfy your Valentine’s date and your appetite, here’s a list of upscale but relatively inexpensive C-U restaurants that are just a bus ride away. 

Silvercreek Restaurant 

Address: 402 N. Race St.

Located in the heart of downtown Urbana, this seafood-themed restaurant boasts the freshest cuisine in the area. 

Silvercreek is known for making all its dishes from scratch, with its menu changing seasonally to provide the best seafood. 

“We try and do different things for each of our holidays, so we’re actually doing a special Valentine’s Day menu. We’re going to have more lobster, scallops and chateau brion in a special dinner package for couples,” said Jacob Sartin, executive chef. 

A dessert buffet called the “Mountain of Love” features about 12 desserts. 

“It’s going to be a lot of chocolate,” Sartin said. “Everything from truffles to cake, you name it.” 

If you’re not planning on going to Silvercreek on Valentine’s Day for their special menu, the crispy potato crusted Michigan whitefish and the filet mignon are the most popular dishes. The restaurant also serves over 100 wines and beers. 

Radio Maria

119 N. Walnut St.

Radio Maria is a creative restaurant in downtown Champaign inspired by food from around the world. Similar to Spanish restaurants, tapas are offered in the afternoon along with lunch and dinner. Tapas are smaller portions of dishes, almost like appetizers that are typically eaten before dinner as a snack.  

Many customers enjoy the coffee-crusted filet and the grilled Skuna Bay salmon, according to Miles Salman, host at Radio Maria. 

“The salmon is really unique because we get it all the way from Vancouver Island,” he said. 

On Valentine’s Day, Radio Maria will offer a special four-course tasting menu featuring its popular spicy tuna roll, steamed lobster bun, polenta fritter and grilled hangar steak. This tasting menu can be found on Radio Maria’s website. 

Bacaro

113 N. Walnut St.

This restaurant is a bit pricier than the others, but well worth one’s time, especially on Valentine’s Day. The Italian food served at the Champaign restaurant is acclaimed as some of the best in the C-U area.

As with other restaurants in the area, Bacaro focuses on seasonal ingredients and local producers to make its dishes. Because of this, the menu is always subject to change. 

All of the dishes include a unique blend of flavors, such as the popular braised veal with hedgehog mushrooms or kilgus creamery saffron breme brulee with blood oranges. Coupled with wine from around the world, the restaurant is sure to please any date. On Valentine’s Day, a three-course prix fixe meal will be served.

KoFusion

1 Main St. #104

If you are looking for a cultural experience, KoFusion in Champaign is the way to go. With a wide array of sushi and traditional Japanese meals, the restaurant can make any customer feel like he’s in Japan. 

“They have really good Kurobuta pork belly tacos,” said Yu-Jen Chen, junior in Engineering and frequent customer at KoFusion. “Usually I like getting that along with sushi. The flaming phoenix roll is the best. They actually set the plate on fire before you eat it.”

One of the unique aspects of KoFusion is that it offers $1 sushi rolls from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays. The restaurant recently started serving buffets, complete with sushi, on Saturdays. 

Big Grove Tavern

1 E. Main St.

This recently-opened restaurant in downtown Champaign features American food with an organic flair. 

According to the restaurant’s website, it is a “farm-to-table restaurant,”meaning it sources all of its produce and ingredients from local farms. The dishes are also made from scratch. 

Big Grove Tavern will have a special prix fixe menu for Valentine’s Day (available Feb. 14-16)with four courses and dishes, such as a lamb carpaccio and seared mahi-mahi.

If couples choose to go to the restaurant outside of these dates, popular dishes are the mac and cheese, pork belly starter and free-range chicken.

Jolie is a freshman in Business. She can be reached at features@

dailyillini.com.