Restaurant: Cafe Gratitude

Address: 333 Southwest Blvd, KCMO 64108

Price Range: $$

Dress: casual

Cafe Gratitude is vegan KCMO restaurant focused on sustainability and health for both its customers and the community. If you or your date have any sort of dietary restrictions, this is the ideal spot for you. Or if your date is all about the health food craze and you aren’t too sure about it, this restaurant is a great place to try it all out. The bright pops of color and big windows showcased here make it great for a sweet insta post. Cafe Gratitude features many unique appetizer options such as live nachos ($12) and spring rolls ($12). The restaurant is perhaps most known for it’s cold pressed juices and smoothies, with fun flavors ranging from apple, lemon and ginger to rose water lemonade.

Restaurant: Webster House

Address: 1644 Wyandotte St, KCMO 64108

Price Range: $$$

Dress: formal

If you and your date want to dress up and spend a little extra for a romantic night, The Webster House is an excellent choice. Located inside a 19th-century romantic style school, you will find dining and a unique shopping experience to add to your night. You will be seated with a view of either the Kauffman Center, Downtown KC or the Liberty Memorial. The culinary team uses fresh produce  to create farm-to-table items like Potato Gnocchi ($26). After enjoying an elegant meal, you even have the opportunity to visit inside the Webster House shop, perfect for if you want to buy your date a little something extra. Inside you will find clothing, jewelry and accessories created by artisans around the world. This restaurant is pricey, but you get what you paid for with beautiful presentation, exceptional atmosphere and a splendid experience.

Restaurant: Unforked

Address: 7337 W 119th St, Overland Park

Price Range: $-$$

Dress: casual

Unforked is a perfect option for couples searching for an affordable restaurant that doesn’t feel like fast food. Whether you have a pricey activity planned for the night and want to keep dinner to a low, or you just want something quick and easy, Unforked will make a wonderful night. If you and your date have totally different taste, Unforked’s menu will surely  have something to suit both of your tastes. Unforked features a broad selection of fresh tacos, from citrus crunch chicken ($3.80) to tilapia tango ($4.20). Apart from their tacos and quesadillas, Unforked offers salads and burgers, including the vegetarian thai dye burger ($6.10). If you happen to be on a gluten-free diet, dining at Unforked will be no problem; all tacos are offered with regular or gluten-free tortillas.

Restaurant: Novel

Address: 815 W 17th St., KCMO 64108

Price Range: $$

Dress: business casual

This cozy restaurant is perfect for an intimate and romantic experience. Located in a renovated home, Novel offers a rustic, old-school date night in their small dining area. The charming atmosphere makes this restaurant the perfect place for Valentine’s Day. The portion sizes are small, yet enough to fill you up. If you and your date are tired of the typical Valentine’s Day dinner, Novel will give you a chance o try out foods that are hard to find anywhere else, like the octopus bolognese. Some of the featured menu items are only available on select Tuesdays through Thursdays. If you’re looking for something sweet on your night out, Novel offers several interesting desserts, like pear cake ($8) and fried pumpkin pie ($8).

Restaurant: SPIN! Pizza

Address: 9474 Renner Blvd, Lenexa KS 66219

Price Range: $$

Dress: casual

SPIN! is a neighborhood pizza restaurant full of options for any couple. Enter this industrial style restaurant to order at the counter and have your choice of seating. After ordering, this pizza place is full service, giving  you and your date a chance to sit back and relax. The bulk of SPIN!’s menu features their oven-fired pizzas, offered in an array of varieties from goat cheese and arugula to margherita. Order a 12” pizza and appetizer, like the lemon ricotta and olive oil flatbread ($3.95) to share with your date or if you can’t agree, opt for personal pizzas and soup or salad as a Mini Mia meal ($9.45). After your dinner date, grab some freshly-made gelato to enjoy on the way out.

Activity: At-Home Movie Date

Price Range: free

Save your money on overpriced movie tickets and create your own comfy movie date at home. Throw some blankets and pillows on the ground and hang up lights or light candles to create a cozy space. You can go out and snatch a few snacks or have food delivered to you. Pick out a few movies, turn off the lights, fluff the pillows and cuddle up under the blankets while you enjoy your favorite movies, for free!

Activity: Escape Room

Price Range: $$

Escape rooms are a perfect place to strengthen your relationship and work together. Here you are forced to escape a themed room in 60 minutes or less using clues and your teammates to breakout. This is a great place for double dates, or large groups. Tick Tock Escape Games (6398 College Blvd Overland Park, KS 66211) Mastermind Escape Games, (7810 West 151st St Overland Park, KS 66223, Breakout KC,(11535 Ash St Leawood, KS 66211) or Escape KC (7223 W 95th St Overland Park, KS 66212) all give you chances to breakout. Work with your partner, trust each other, and stay focused to figure out intense clues and press the final button to exit the room.

Activity: Visit A Pet Shelter

Price Range: free

On Valentine’s Day, visit some cuddly friends to lighten up the mood. At shelters such as Great Plains SPCA (5424 Antioch Dr, Merriam, KS 66202), Wayside Waifs (3901 Martha Truman Rd, Kansas City, MO 64137), and KC Pet Project (11620 W 95th St, Overland Park, KS 66214), you and your date can interact and play with a variety of adorable dogs and cats free of charge.